Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende

11 reviews

rubybastille's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Beautiful writing, as expected, but light on both story and the magical realism the blurbs led me to expect. I enjoyed the characters, especially Mimi, a trans drag performer turned national celebrity, and Elvira, an elderly maid who looks out for Eva. CW for transphobia along Mimi’s journey and some underage sexual content (this is a book from the 80s and while its trans representation is actually decent, it still misses a few marks by modern standards).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, War, and Police brutality

ainhoalikesbooksandmangos's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I loved this book, the way the writer describes thing and mixes them with feelings is amazing. It's interesting how similar some of the stories in this book are similar to what my mother told me about her childhood. Witch  made it a bit more special. But I have to say that one thing diapointed me and left me with a bad taste in my mouth

her "relationship" with Raid Halabi to me was disgusting and very disappointing.  For her to fell like she has a father figure and then he takes advantageof her. Because yes, it was his responsibility as the adult that he was to stop that situation. And then Allende kind of hints at the end that Eva understood how inappropriate it was. Witch to me it wasn't enough.  And of course the cousins thing with Rolf was weird but more common at those times.

If that wasn't in the book at all it would of become one of my favorites, so I was a same.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment

jinmichae's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense 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? No

4.5

I really loved the writing of this book. It made for a very compelling story, and as soon as I was finished, I put several more of the books by the same author on my "to read" list.

The ups and downs of Eva's life, and the way she interacts with the people in her life, are the main focus. And she's such an interesting character in an interesting setting that it was hard to put down: I was always wanting to see what would happen next, and how the plot would resolve.

It's definitely dark in places: much of the story is set against corruption and political takeovers.

But there's a happy ending, which felt almost impossible with the odds placed against the characters, but I was glad for it. I don't need everything to be cold hard reality, and it was set up enough to feel like a satisfying payoff: even if it only exists because of a sometimes unreliable narrator. It's just a story, so why not let Eva tell it how she wants to?

Also, I adore Mimí. Her success and happiness might have been the best part of the whole book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

Moderate: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Sexism, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Violence, War, Sexual content, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Sexual violence

bessadams's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Self harm, and Transphobia

freddybingsu's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Gun violence, Misogyny, Police brutality, Death of parent, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Suicide, Transphobia, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Infidelity

Minor: Torture and Sexual violence

kalmia31's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Sexual content, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, Alcohol, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, and War

Minor: Islamophobia and Death of parent

sofipitch's review

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was the kind of Allende's work that was a pleasure to return to. There is a trans character who is occasionally get's some out of date language/thinking when they are referred to but I was actually very surprised and pleased by how lovingly created she was. I only mention it bc this may not be the best read during great bouts of gender dysphoria

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent, Dysphoria, Abandonment, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Homophobia, Violence, and Transphobia

r_zoner's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent

lenaricharz's review

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Violence, Incest, Forced institutionalization, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Colonisation, Death, Sexual content, and War

Minor: Dementia

beauvisseau's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

This story is dense. It spans years and years filled with magical adventures, but combined with a slow pace, it was difficult to get through. The writing is stunning and I loved the diverse cast of characters, the look into differing prespectives and lives. I saved many quotes from Eva Luna, but I would suggest reading something fast-paced alongside it. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicide, Transphobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Racial slurs, Genocide, and Violence