Reviews - La casa de los espíritus (I y II)

5.42k reviews for:

La casa de los espíritus (I y II)

wow wow wow. this took me about a month to finish just because I was so busy during spring break and just now got to finishing it for class. When you read the first chapter you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into and whew was it a whirlwind, I loved the writing, I loved the time period it took place but also just the whole narrative.

also fuck you Esteban Garcia and Trueba…. you’re on my shit list.

pbraue13's review against another edition

4.75

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“Just as when we come into the world, when we die we are afraid of the unknown. But the fear is something from within us that has nothing to do with reality. Dying is like being born: just a change.”

The House of the Spirits - Isabelle Allende

This is a sweeping, magical, and deeply human novel that lingers long after the last page. From its opening line, the story pulls you into a multi-generational saga filled with love, politics, heartbreak, and resilience. Allende’s gift lies in weaving the extraordinary and the everyday together, so that spirits and visions feel as real as political upheaval and generational trauma.

The women in this book are especially unforgettable, Clara, Blanca, and Alba each shine with a vividness that feels rare in literature. They are complex, flawed, courageous, and deeply alive, carrying the novel’s emotional weight while reflecting the struggles and strengths of women in turbulent times. Their stories give "The House of the Spirits" its heart, grounding the magic in fierce humanity.

Reading this, I fully understand why Isabel Allende is so beloved around the world. Her writing is lush yet accessible, layered yet intimate, and full of empathy for her characters. It reminded me of how much I admired "Paula", a memoir so personal and profound that now, having experienced "The House of the Spirits", I’m eager to revisit it with fresh eyes.

This novel is not just a family saga; it’s a meditation on memory, history, and survival. It’s easy to see why it has become a modern classic and why so many readers return to Allende’s work again and again.

Content Warnings

lolafrancis7's review against another edition

5.0

Took me a while to get around to reading this, I have an uncorrected proof with a letter inside from the first publishing company to publish in english to a well known critic. Must have been given away amongst other stuff when the critic died, because that was the year it got sent to me.
I was expecting it to be great and it was :)

dianuchi's review against another edition

4.0

estoy triste porque tengo muchos sentimientos encontrados con este libro.
La primera mitad de la historia me parece maravillosa, me encanta Clara, los espiritus, Rosa, las aventuras de su tío, Barrabás, la Nana, Nívea, y hasta el nacimiento de Blanca. Me gusta la ambientación la magia y el misterio y la mundaneidad en las descripciones, las aventuras y las situaciones.

Pero conforme avanza la historia cuando van a las tres marías, se me empezó a hacer un poco bola. Resurgí con el nacimiento de Alba, y después de ahí, me fui completamente a la mierda.

Toda la trama del conflicto político se me hizo muy muy bola, y no me interesaba lo más mínimo. Quería que siguiera la magia, que contarán sus aventuras, verles vivir sus vidas cotidianas, y conocer más en profundidad a las mujeres de la historia, que me parecen los personajes más interesantes y originales del libro, y dejar de lado al flanders esteban trueba.

Me da mucha rabia la verdad, porque me encantaba leer las pequeñas anécdotas que le sucedía a la familia, y que a mitad libro esa parte se elimine por completo me ha dejado triste, necesito más de Clara, de la Nana, de Férula, de Alba, q tristeza... hasta de barrabás necesito más...