A review by literaturesciencealliance
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my first Isabel Allende and it won't be my last. Initially I wasn't sure if this book would work for me, and its not a perfect book. I can probably write a very long review on how unrealistic one of the main characters is portrayed and how some of the language is used in ways to emphasize themes I don't agree with BUT even with all those flaws I loved my experience reading this book so much. In this 300 page book I got to explore the development of a friendship as it handled the fall out of the Spanish civil war, moving to a new country, raising a child and finding a new home again later in life. This friendship is ride or die in the ways I love relationships to be and it is the glue of this story in the best way. I also loved how this book both highlighted and filled in some of my knowledge gaps surrounding Spain and Chile's history in the 20th century. At times I was in a rage but I think that's important and the way the work does that without being the most depressing piece of literature I have ever read also raises it higher in my mind. There was a lot of pain and suffering but equally there was community, hope and love. Also although I thought the compression of time would lessen my emotional attachment to the characters I found that I was still extremely connected and invested in everyone's storyline. If this is what she can do in one of her lesser loved works I cannot wait to see what I have in store for me in one of her bests!