A review by boxcar
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I'm fairly confident calling this the best book I've ever read. Devastating and inspiring in the same breath, presenting the disgusting capabilities of humanity beside the boundless spring of compassion and empathy humans are capable of. Genuinely some of the most human characters with a depth of identity and character deeper than I thought possible. I had read Garcia Marquez' Clandestine in Chile around a month ago, so I had a solid idea of some of the events Allende writes about, namely the democratic election of a socialist president and the subsequent military coup and right-wing dictatorship. This certainly added context to the latter part of the novel, but I think through the strength of Allende's voice and narrative prowess it would be as poignant and devastating sans context. Like GGM, she seamlessly spans generations in a single novel. I was taken aback multiple times when I stopped to consider just how much time has passed in the story. Rife with the magic and fantastical touches that I love so much. I can't remember the last time a novel effected me so much; I can't remember the last time I flew through a novel of this size; I can't remember a book better than this. A masterpiece.