A review by snaomiq
Retrato en sepia by Isabel Allende

4.0

Being the second book (after Daughter of Fortune) of Allende’s trilogy, this story provides the context for Aurora Del Valle’s (the adopted daughter of Severo Del Valle from House of the Spirits) birth and coming of age. As a photographer herself, her memoir feels like a developing picture… slowly taking form and gaining visibility. Set in the latter half of 19th century Chile (and at the turn of the century), this book also details the War of the Pacific and the Chilean revolution; it also details life in the city vs. life in the countryside. More than anything, this becomes a story centered on generations of women who prioritize their freedom and independence in an age that expects them to marry well and raise children under the guise of domestic bliss.