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A review by laurenw
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
challenging
dark
emotional
3.75
My best friend rated this as 'too much realism, not enough magic' and that is v apt.
A multi-generational story about an intriguing family who appears to have drawn in every kind of trauma possible, the book is not bad, but it is chaotic. For all the claims of this focusing on a matriarchal line, and we do follow 4/5 generations of daughters, all the events in the book are framed through the perspective of 1 man, who is not a pleasant character. Obviously books can be enjoyable and still center a problematic character, but the role of Esteban (plural) throughout the story detracts from the spirit of the women this story should have been about.
Ultimately, fell flat for me, but the political background and its rich cultural depictions were its shining grace.
A multi-generational story about an intriguing family who appears to have drawn in every kind of trauma possible, the book is not bad, but it is chaotic. For all the claims of this focusing on a matriarchal line, and we do follow 4/5 generations of daughters, all the events in the book are framed through the perspective of 1 man, who is not a pleasant character. Obviously books can be enjoyable and still center a problematic character, but the role of Esteban (plural) throughout the story detracts from the spirit of the women this story should have been about.
Ultimately, fell flat for me, but the political background and its rich cultural depictions were its shining grace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Outing, Toxic relationship, Sexism, War, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Violence, Alcohol, Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Vomit, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Torture, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Abortion, Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Rape
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Animal death, and Miscarriage