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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was ok. A woman’s life spanning 100 years. I was not gripped but still somewhat interested.
The characters were flat and upon reflection I don’t really feel I could describe their personalities to you at all. In fact I would regularly forget who she was talking about as they were so forgettable.
The story addresses many issues and it is reflective of the progression of time however it made it feel like the narrative lacked meaning or purpose.
The characters were flat and upon reflection I don’t really feel I could describe their personalities to you at all. In fact I would regularly forget who she was talking about as they were so forgettable.
The story addresses many issues and it is reflective of the progression of time however it made it feel like the narrative lacked meaning or purpose.
I loved this book, I found myself so invested in Violeta's story. The book reads like a memoir of the life of a fascinating woman. If you enjoy female centralized memoirs, epic family tales, character-driven plots about life, love, family, and what it is like to be a woman.
Parts of it like her upbringing on a farm in rural Chile felt so exotic and foreign but fascinating to watch, this formerly wealthy young girl and her family adapt to this life. How easily she does while older family members struggle.
In the middle chunk of the book, we see Violeta fall in and out of love, multiple times, get married and divorced, and struggle with an abusive relationship and motherhood. In this part of the book I found myself relating so strongly to Violeta (partly I am sure because this is the part of life I am in) her experiences and feeling are so universal. She experiences love and heartbreak and makes decisions both good and bad, repeatedly sometimes, but this I what makes her character feel so real.
The last part is of course focused on her later years, Struggling with what she feels is having failed as a mother, while also finally being happy and healthy, independent, finding healthy relationships, we see her take in her grandson and try to redeem her failed motherhood in caring of him.
In the background of all this is a country in turmoil with governments being built and collapsing and hard times for many, but these events definitely are very much in the background to Violeta's life.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book, it is not my usual read, but I found myself quickly drawn in, and though at times the pace could be a little slow, I still wanted to keep reading more about Violeta and her life..
Parts of it like her upbringing on a farm in rural Chile felt so exotic and foreign but fascinating to watch, this formerly wealthy young girl and her family adapt to this life. How easily she does while older family members struggle.
In the middle chunk of the book, we see Violeta fall in and out of love, multiple times, get married and divorced, and struggle with an abusive relationship and motherhood. In this part of the book I found myself relating so strongly to Violeta (partly I am sure because this is the part of life I am in) her experiences and feeling are so universal. She experiences love and heartbreak and makes decisions both good and bad, repeatedly sometimes, but this I what makes her character feel so real.
The last part is of course focused on her later years, Struggling with what she feels is having failed as a mother, while also finally being happy and healthy, independent, finding healthy relationships, we see her take in her grandson and try to redeem her failed motherhood in caring of him.
In the background of all this is a country in turmoil with governments being built and collapsing and hard times for many, but these events definitely are very much in the background to Violeta's life.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book, it is not my usual read, but I found myself quickly drawn in, and though at times the pace could be a little slow, I still wanted to keep reading more about Violeta and her life..
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
i simply love isabel allende and the storytelling in this novel is so beautiful! got me crying
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I spent half the time reading this book wondering, have I read this before?? Certain aspects like the first house, the main character, even some of the plot felt recycled from other Allende books. Apparently I’m not the only one who noticed that, several other reviews commented on it. The story itself was interesting, told in the form of one long letter from Violeta to an initially unnamed person. She is telling the story of her life, while commenting on things she maybe should have done differently. It feels very surface level, so that when something traumatic or wonderful happens, it’s just told matter of factly. You don’t feel sad or happy, just informed. It prevented me from enjoying the book more because I never felt that anything that happened truly mattered. Allende writes every day. Maybe she’s run out of original content and stories worth telling?
A masterful story about family, mortality, and a woman rising above it all.
2.5/5: first Allende novel i’ve read and maybe i should not have started with this one - i really struggled getting into the story and the more i read the more i disliked the narrator, Violeta. i was not super convinced with the narrative structure as well. i’m a bit disappointed and underwhelmed. i might try another of her earlier novels in time but this one didn’t necessarily make me want to.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It didn't cause me any big emotions. It delivered what it was: listening to a grandma's story.