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A review by nanastudies
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
4.0
The House of the Spirits was an atmospheric and descriptively rich read. I completely understand why it’s seen as a classic of Latin American literature. The plot is thoughtfully developed and the way magical realism blends into the reality of Chilean historical events is quite unique.
I do have some reservations about the novel, firstly because I feel that the foreshadowing was done in a way that fell flat. Instead of letting the reader uncover things gradually, the book often just flatly tells you what’s going on. I think that softened much of its emotional impact, which could have been more profound.
A lot of the time, the characters kept doing things that felt really out of place for who they were described to be by that point in the story. Much of the character development does not read as organic and it feels like the story is being pushed forward whether the characters are ready or not.
Regardless, it was still a very enjoyable read. I just wish the emotional pacing had been a bit more subtle.
I do have some reservations about the novel, firstly because I feel that the foreshadowing was done in a way that fell flat. Instead of letting the reader uncover things gradually, the book often just flatly tells you what’s going on. I think that softened much of its emotional impact, which could have been more profound.
A lot of the time, the characters kept doing things that felt really out of place for who they were described to be by that point in the story. Much of the character development does not read as organic and it feels like the story is being pushed forward whether the characters are ready or not.
Regardless, it was still a very enjoyable read. I just wish the emotional pacing had been a bit more subtle.