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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Listened to audiobook, was challenging to continue listen and finally finish. I did not see developed characters nor a plot. Felt like it was a historical journal. I hoped this book would be as enjoyable as i found Isabelle Allende’s novel titled “The Fortunate Daughter”.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've been wanting to read Isabel Allende for a long time, and seeing this book mentioned on Jane the Virgin reminded me to grab a copy at the library.
Unfortunately I only made it about 1/4 of the way through and realized I was having to force myself to read. This is a silly reason to struggle with a book, but I have a hard time when most pages are a wall of text vs being broken down into multiple paragraphs. I LOVE PARAGRAPHS.
The contents and characters aren't at all boring, but I also don't yet feel invested after reading a reasonable portion, so [my apologies to the author] I'm moving on.
Unfortunately I only made it about 1/4 of the way through and realized I was having to force myself to read. This is a silly reason to struggle with a book, but I have a hard time when most pages are a wall of text vs being broken down into multiple paragraphs. I LOVE PARAGRAPHS.
The contents and characters aren't at all boring, but I also don't yet feel invested after reading a reasonable portion, so [my apologies to the author] I'm moving on.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is by far one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. From the ability to weave a complex narrative that traverses across generations and genres, to providing a new [to me] perspective on an aspect of political game theory that I woefully overestimated my understanding of. Thank you @natalia, for presenting me the opportunity to read this with you, because without your insight and our varied perspectives and interpretations, I would not have been able to feel this sweeping since of fulfillment after completing Isabel Allende’s “The House of The Spirits” [“La Casa de Los Espiritus”].
With a title that, I was sure this would be a story solely about a family with one or two characters with deeper spiritual connections and how their lives progressed. And that’s exactly what it is, as we see how this expansive story connects the actions, choices, and premonitions of each member of the story’s cast. The English translation I believe did not lose anything in regards to the accuracy or intention of the method; only my own lack of cultural context left anything to be desired.
What I think hits me the hardest is recognizing that if I was reading this book alone, I would have simply perceived it as an “else world dystopian tale.” But with the cultural context provided by my friend, with direct knowledge and perspective that the inspirations of every aspect of this book can be rooted in Latin American culture/history all across South America. I’ve struggled to sit in that revelation of my own blissful ignorance of only perceiving the accurate accounts of conflicts around the globe in a US-centric frame of mind. This book challenged me in a way that I did not know I would want or need, considering how I believed my desire to seek information was up to snuff.
In my desire to expand the cultural perspective of the books I read, never has a story left me so weighted with deep and heavy perspectives of things that I thought I knew, but learned my ignorance about. Circumstances that I have knowledge and understanding of as an outside observer, “The House of the Spirits “provides me a firsthand experience and perspective of something that I could not fathom without hearing firsthand testimonies or hearing from the perspective of those with direct generational ties to such complicated conflicts.
As an American, this feels like a foreshadowing of what is currently being experienced domestically, but the story is taking the repeated experiences that have taken place both culturally and politically throughout Latin America. This is maybe my first true experience of not just hearing about the aftermath but seeing how the seeds and the actions of individuals can have long-term and lasting effects, not just for their family and for their legacy, but for their entire homeland and their entire community.
In the first 24 hours since completing this book, I feel like it will influence me for years to come. Not just because it was well crafted, or dense with heavy themes and story arcs for the cast; but because rarely has been hit with my ignorance hit me so hard.
I love this book so much, I will think about this book or the lessons that it presented me with the opportunity to gain more knowledge on and be inspired by the story crafting of its author for years.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absoluta y gloriosamente conmovedor. Me ha encantado ver el desarrollo de la familia Trueba, de los buenos, los malos y los clarividentes. Sin duda es una lección de amor y de historia.