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A review by emilie_dbr
La Maison aux esprits by Isabel Allende
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know how to explain how much I loved this book. It blew my mind!
Set in an unnamed Latin American country (but we now know it's Chili), the novel is a sweeping epic novel that follows three generations of women - Clara, Blanca and Alba - and the patriarch of the family, Esteban. Each character is unforgettable, Allende wrote incredibly strong female characters, but I have a preference for Clara - the one who is the most linked to spirits and magic.
I also really enjoyed the criticism of the capitalist system, how the wealthiest family created the dictatorship - because, surprise (no), rich empires would profit more from a fascist government than from a socialist one (see how history could easily repeat itself?). From the beginning, almost every characters try to help people around them, trying to create a community where everyone would gain from it - except Esteban, who is the metaphor of an old patriarchal capitalism.
Magic and spirituality are everywhere, but the core of the novel revolves more around memories than spirits. The whole book is a recollection of theTrueba intertwined with Chilean history, written in captivating prose - that's where the magic is !
Set in an unnamed Latin American country (but we now know it's Chili), the novel is a sweeping epic novel that follows three generations of women - Clara, Blanca and Alba - and the patriarch of the family, Esteban. Each character is unforgettable, Allende wrote incredibly strong female characters, but I have a preference for Clara - the one who is the most linked to spirits and magic.
I also really enjoyed the criticism of the capitalist system, how the wealthiest family created the dictatorship - because, surprise (no), rich empires would profit more from a fascist government than from a socialist one (see how history could easily repeat itself?). From the beginning, almost every characters try to help people around them, trying to create a community where everyone would gain from it - except Esteban, who is the metaphor of an old patriarchal capitalism.
Magic and spirituality are everywhere, but the core of the novel revolves more around memories than spirits. The whole book is a recollection of theTrueba intertwined with Chilean history, written in captivating prose - that's where the magic is !