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bealmg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
I feel weird rating a memoir, so I'll just write down my thoughts after finishing this book. It took me a long time to read it, longer than a 350-page book usually takes me. I don't know if it was because of its slow pace and non-linear timeline (the narrator jumps from present-day to her memories quite quickly) or because of the narrator herself, whose voice alternated between the devastating sadness of witnessing her daughter slowly die and between her colourful memories.
The one aspect that touched me the most was the complete devotion of Paula's husband to his wife and how Allende described their relationship, from when they met to Paula's death. I liked how Allende described historical events and how she interlinked them with her own experiences of those times. However, some parts of these recollections left me uncomfortable because the narrator sometimes showed a lack of awareness of her family's privileged position, which enabled her to get a job at the UN just by mentioning her family's surname.
Nonetheless, this is profound reflection on the relationship between mothers and daughters, on what it's like to see your children die before you, and on how the past lives on in the present.
The one aspect that touched me the most was the complete devotion of Paula's husband to his wife and how Allende described their relationship, from when they met to Paula's death. I liked how Allende described historical events and how she interlinked them with her own experiences of those times. However, some parts of these recollections left me uncomfortable because the narrator sometimes showed a lack of awareness of her family's privileged position, which enabled her to get a job at the UN just by mentioning her family's surname.
Nonetheless, this is profound reflection on the relationship between mothers and daughters, on what it's like to see your children die before you, and on how the past lives on in the present.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child abuse
real_pansy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Terminal illness
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, War, and Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism
bee_interrupted's review against another edition
Paula is Isabel Allende’s daughter, and she is in a coma. Allende starts writing this book as a letter to Paula, for her to read when she wakes up. She tells stories from their past mixed with what
is happening in the present.
I feel really bad for saying this since this book is an emotional memoir, but it's going on my DNF list.
I fought my way through until page 186 but it just didn’t touch me. A lot of the stories from the past are very political, which just isn't my thing
and I found the abrupt jumps between past and present stopped me from really getting into the past
storyline. Allende also talks about her sex life which I found really out of place; I would definitely not want to know those details from my mother.
In general, this book has me wondering why Paula doesn't know many of the stories already; she’s a grown-up woman so surely the Allendes have talked about their past before?
Overall it was just a very dull read so I would give it 1/5⭐️
is happening in the present.
I feel really bad for saying this since this book is an emotional memoir, but it's going on my DNF list.
I fought my way through until page 186 but it just didn’t touch me. A lot of the stories from the past are very political, which just isn't my thing
and I found the abrupt jumps between past and present stopped me from really getting into the past
storyline. Allende also talks about her sex life which I found really out of place; I would definitely not want to know those details from my mother.
In general, this book has me wondering why Paula doesn't know many of the stories already; she’s a grown-up woman so surely the Allendes have talked about their past before?
Overall it was just a very dull read so I would give it 1/5⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and War
sofipitch's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This is a very good book, Allende's writing style is beautiful, as always. This book is hard to read during a global pandemic though. The book is a memoir written as a letter to the author's daughter who is in a coma. She often shifts to Paula's current situation and her hope that she will get better, knowing she died is some fucked up foreshadowing. I think it's just hard to read during a global pandemic where ppl are loosing loved ones, just the same was Allende lost her daughter, on a massive scale. And then reading about what happened in Chile in the 70s. It all just feels very current in 2021.
It's still a very powerful memoir, despite being hard to read at times. Allende is a very romantic person, and I think her disposition is what helped her survive the tragedies in her life. It's also interesting to see which parts of her own story make it into her novels, the most recognizable being in The House of the Spirits, but other pieces of novels that had been inspired by her life and those around her obviously made it into her books.
It's still a very powerful memoir, despite being hard to read at times. Allende is a very romantic person, and I think her disposition is what helped her survive the tragedies in her life. It's also interesting to see which parts of her own story make it into her novels, the most recognizable being in The House of the Spirits, but other pieces of novels that had been inspired by her life and those around her obviously made it into her books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy
Minor: Dementia
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