I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will preface this review by saying that I have never read a book by Isabel Allende before, so this was my introduction to her writing; I plan to read more. Part memoir and part musings, this book has a stream of consciousness flow from one topic to the next that reminded me of the way thoughts float through my head when I am alone and my hands are occupied with making art or cleaning, leaving my mind free to wander.

Parts of this book were lovely - the emotional ride felt like waves moving between joy and pain and back again. It was easy to sink into, and I felt like I was sharing space inside her head. Her writing is very fluid and enjoyable to read.

The biggest issue I had was that during parts of the book she leans into biological determinism, at times simplifying the equation to man = testosterone = aggressive/violent and woman = estrogen = nurturing/emotional. My background is in both biology and anthropology, and I can tell you this dichotomy simply isn't accurate. Men all over the world share a similar range of hormones, but we find male behavior and levels of aggression or violence vary greatly from culture to culture. If it were as simple as hormones, men would behave similarly regardless of the culture they were raised in. At other points in the book, she discusses cultural influences on behavior, so the internal consistency of her arguments need a bit of work.

However, as she points out, this is book is more of an 'informal chat' than an academic argument, and if taken as such it is a charming conversation to listen in on.

The patriarchy is stony. Feminism, like the ocean, is fluid, powerful, deep, and encompasses the infinite complexity of life; it moves in waves, currents, tides, and sometimes in storms. Like the ocean, feminism never stays quiet.

Beloved Chilean novelist Isabel Allende’s second memoir, The Soul of a Woman, was released in its English translation this week. Allende hardly needs an introduction; as she writes here, she became world-famous with The House of the Spirits in the wave of Latin American novelists that enjoyed a popularity boom in the 1970s-80s.

Now nearly 80, Allende traces the major life lessons that have contributed to her fluid, developing personal sense of feminism. I’ve mentioned before that despite being a feminist (something I just consider common sense, honestly) I don’t really enjoy reading that much about the topic itself. But Allende turns the topic of feminist writing on its head, covering a range of subjects that are sometimes surprising, written in a way that’s somehow conversational and yet undeniably literary.

It’s not a strict feminist theory text but rather how she’s learned and applied lessons of the movement throughout her life, and what ideas a reader can draw from that for their own. It is such a valuable, worthwhile work for these lessons, I can’t even stress that enough. Everyone should read this, for her perspective, what can be gleaned from her experience, and to hear her views on often-shied-from topics, including aging, sex and and relationships as an older woman, and life after menopause (sucked a lot of the fear right out of it for me!)

And what is my definition of feminism? It is not what we have between our legs but what we have between our ears. It’s a philosophical posture and an uprising against male authority. It’s a way of understanding male relations and a way to see the world. It’s a commitment to justice and a struggle for the emancipation of women, the LGTBIQA+ community, anyone oppressed by the system, including some men, and all others who want to join.

Even in translation the writing is lyrically beautiful, uplifting even when addressing head-on some very difficult life events, and often funny and reaffirming.

Allende is refreshingly honest — about her failed marriages and her current third one, which began unconventionally but suits her heartwarmingly well. She states her opinions succinctly and boldly, addressing current hot-button issues from abortion to contraception. She has what I would consider common-sense stances on so much but reading her take helped me put my own thoughts into words. I can imagine it would make the more conservative reader bristle here and there, but she defends herself so well and clearly that I think even those with opposing viewpoints would have to concede some ground. Of course this is coming from someone who agrees with her, but there’s so much value in making arguments the way she does. They’re not so long-winded or involved as to lose anyone, and they’re not structured as polemics. She makes you want to listen.

Allende begins with her rebellious childhood in Chile, immersed in the traditional patriarchal family structure, and moves through family life, her relationship with her grandfather and stepfather, looks at her mother’s role, and then walks through some of her career and personal milestones, extracting what they’ve meant to her with time. And the points she comes to really did surprise me at times, but in the best of ways. The history she loops in is so meaningful. Something that was completely unknown to me was that the shift towards less rigid traditional pronoun usage actually began in the former Yugoslavia. Allende explains it thus:

After terrible wars between 1991 and 2006, [the former Yugoslavia] was divided into six republics: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. In that environment of war and hypermasculinity, patriotism was made up of a mixture of nationalism, patriarchy, and misogyny. Masculinity was defined by power, violence, and conquest.

At the end of the conflict, young people questioned gender division imposed by ultranationalism, refused to be classified as male or female, and rejected the use of gender-based pronouns in favor of nonbinary ones.

I can’t believe I didn’t know this and I love knowing it. What an amazing development to come from something so devastating.

I think often about something Annie Dillard wrote about Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, that it’s a young writer’s book, which always makes me consider how differently we parse experience or tell stories at the younger end of our life versus after the passing of time. This is a book I can’t imagine being written by a younger person. It’s filled with so many beautiful thoughts and insights, appeals for kindness, and promises that life improves even when you think you’ve hit its lowest points. It’s short but powerful, and necessary.

Some favorite lines:

“We have to love ourselves a lot and love others without calculating how much we are loved in return. This is the stage of kindness.”

“When talking about human rights, in truth we’re referring to men’s rights. If a man is beaten and deprived of his freedom, it’s called torture. When a woman endures the same, it’s called domestic violence and is still considered a private matter in most of the world.”

“It’s useless to cling to anybody or anything because everything in the universe tends towards entropy, not cohesion.”

“Happiness is not exuberant or noisy like joy or pleasure, it is silent, calm, and soft; it is an internal feeling of well-being that starts with loving myself. I am free. I don’t have to prove anything to anybody.”

Absolutely appreciated reading every page of Isabel Allende's "The Soul of a Woman". A smart, honest must read book that is sure to become a classic to be read over and over, lest we not forget the soul of a woman. Isabel Allende is and personifies the soul of a woman. In her book, she opens her soul to share her personal journey as she develops a profound, deep knowledge of women's rights/mistreatment both historically and current. MS Allende is a caring voice for all women and human kind. I can not express how "The Soul of a Woman" has remained in my thoughts since reading. I pray I do not forget the lessons in this wonderful book.

Wow! A wonderful memoir by this author
I’ve only read one of her books prior to this.. The Japanese Lover... and I really enjoyed it, I do need to read more of her.
This memoir, Allende says, “It’s a reflection of my feminist storyline through my own personal history.”
As a young child when her father left the family, her mother had nothing, abandoned with a newborn and two toddlers .. she had no money or resources, and they had to move into the grandfathers house, where men made all the rules.. she was angered by her mom’s vulnerability.
This all fueled her relationship with feminism.
Allende is quite a force, 78 yrs old with an amazing attitude about life and she has worked hard to make things better for women.
Read this! Her story is amazing!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC!

The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende is a memoir reflecting the author's beliefs on the experience and meaning of being a woman. The author highlights her experience and beliefs as a child and chronicles how that has evolved as an adult.

This book reads in a stream-of-consciousness format and does not go strictly linearly. Instead it is centered around the ideas and comparing the similarities and differences at a young age and an older age. I found her stories about her mother and the influence she had on her beliefs powerful. It was also interesting to see how her experience as a woman intersected in her professional career as a writer. This book reads very easily and is easy to finish in a day due to its short length. Overall I really enjoyed this memoir and it has lead me to reflect on the women who have helped shape my beliefs and help me grow!

Many thanks to the publisher Random House - Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Isabel Allende has always been one of my favorite authors, as both of reader and an educator. I received this memoir and a free ARC from NetGalley. This collection of essays are a window into the soul and mind of an intelligent, feminist woman. Her experiences and thoughts are relayed with clarity and insight.

In this newest memoir, Allende ponders over her experience of what it has meant to be a woman in this world, what it means currently, and what it will mean going forward. Her memoir reads a lot like her fiction, there’s an elegance to her storytelling that sweeps the reader along gently as she questions Eurocentric views of beauty, gender, and aging. She’s not hammering anything into her words in a desperate attempt to make the reader understand, they’re simple statements that are all the more powerful for their casual utterance. Not to say that there isn’t any urgency when Allende delves into deeper, darker topics but they’re never preachy or judging. Just a statement of facts that there’s no getting around or sugar coating.

Because it’s a reflection on womanhood, Allende doesn’t shy away from talking about the violence that can accompany it, so a word of warning if that’s something you’d rather avoid. There’s one instance where she recounts accompanying a young girl to get an abortion in a place where it’s illegal to do so. It’s not overly graphic but is utterly heartbreaking.

Throughout, Allende is attempting to answer the question “What do women want?” and the answer she comes up with is multifaceted. Women want a lot of things, not least of which is to be safe, free, and in control of their lives and bodies. It becomes then a question of how and when will women be truly listened to. When will the asking become more than performance by those in power?

I enjoyed reading this memoir, Allende is a master of her craft and reading this felt like she was sitting with me.

This is the perfect read to start out Women’s History Month, I definitely recommend it!

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Ballantine books for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad I received a copy. This is a new author to me and I really like her writing style and her insights and opinions on life.

This book starts with Isabel Allende knowing from even a young age the injustice towards women in the world. She touches on so many things that plague women and how they are treated unfairly and as possessions even to this day. I loved how not only did she tell us of the the multiple problems women face and go through but she also gave solutions on how to combat these injustices and examples of many out there in the fight even today.

I like how this author mingled fact based examples along with her own personal experiences into this book. Truly a fast paced great read.

The Soul of a Woman is a beautiful and frank look into the mind of one of my absolute favorite authors. While Isabel Allende is writing about her own extraordinary life, she somehow manages to make it feel like a universal tale. The writing style is much more casual and conversational than Allende’s novels. This gives the book the tone of a chat with an old friend rather than the memoir of one of the most renowned authors of our time. While I already knew a little about Allende’s life going into the memoir, this firsthand account of her experiences and motivations gave me an even deeper appreciation for her writing. I highly recommend it to both long-time fans of Allende and new readers.

(I will be posting this review on Instagram @yoloxokolt.xolos and on The Storygraph @cindychadha)

I don't read many biographies or memoirs which I plan to because I love listening to people's stories and with this pandemic I don't get to hang out with people as much. For my job I usually visit clients' worksites and chat with people and people don't want to chat on Zoom as much.
This book was more a witness of stories of women throughout the world as seen through Isabel's experiences and the work that needs to be done. The work that we need to do for the equity of women. Some of these stories I have heard in the news or in books but am still horrified but the fact that they are justified or commonplace in some areas.
The positive impact that her foundations are doing to help women and young girls is amazing and the foundation that she started in the name of her daughter from the profits of the book she wrote about Paula. I have to admit this is my first book that I have read but I definitely will be reading more. I love her voice and this isn't fiction but I see her books all over and need to add them to my list.
There is a massive patriarchal machine that is in motion and women have always been under the wheels beginning dragged behind it, being forced into submission.
This book is a rally cry in my eyes to help those that are unseen that are alone and unprotected. Especially now during a pandemic when family members, and "trusted" guardians have carte blanche and people aren't able to check in as easily.

I was raised by a very enlightened man that after he died a friend from high school sent me a copy of a letter he had sent her in high school when she was pregnant with $200 to help buy her a stroller, he had never told me. She sent it back but she never forgot his kindness. I am lucky to have been surrounded by positive, supportive men. Let's help those that do not have that luxury.
Thank you Ballentine books, random house and Net galley for the eARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Legendary author Isabel Allende first thought of herself as a feminist in kindergarten, when she watched her mother struggle to raise three children alone. This memoir is an ode to feminism, tracking Allende’s life through the 1960s feminist wave, as she established herself as a writer, and as she fought for the life her mother couldn’t have.

I love Isabel Allende; I think she's a brilliant writer with an incredible life story. I've seen her speak before and really enjoyed listening to her. For that reason, I enjoyed this quick read on her personal thoughts about feminism and womanhood. It felt like talking with Allende over coffee: a bit informal and scattered, but very personal and interesting. However, some of it was a bit like casually wading into deep, controversial waters of feminist theory without a lot of thought given to the past and current conversations. I enjoyed the memoir as it is, but I think giving it a little more structure and direction would have made for a stronger book overall.

This is a memoir by Isabel Allende and I enjoyed the novel. Beautifully written language. The translation of Spanish into the English language is wonderful. I loved the book.

Highly recommended for fans of memoirs and Isabel Allende.

Thank you to Random House Penguin Books / Ballantine Books and Net Galley for giving me the chance to review an advanced digital copy of this book.

I really enjoy Isabel Allende's work. This was no different. I loved the viewpoint she gave the reader on her life and what that could mean for others.

*** I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

This book is great, amazing... fantabulous book- and a whole bunch of other incredible adjectives. Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors and this book just solidifies why! This is a book of feminism, passion, life, and inspiration. It touches on all the pertinent feminist topics including: female genital mutilation, human trafficking, poverty, pay scale gaps, patriarchy, reproductive rights, war, power, etc... In "The Soul of a Woman," Allende offers her very insightful opinions and shares her experiences on all of these subjects and more. This is an eye opening, though provoking memoir of feminism and life as a woman. I cannot recommend it enough!!

“Feminism, like the ocean, is fluid, powerful, deep, and encompasses the infinite complexity of life; it moves in waves, currents, tides, and sometimes in storms. Like the ocean, feminism never stays quiet”

Isabel Allende is a master storyteller. Every time I open one of her books, I imagine her in a rocking chair with café on a table next to her. She says, “niña, ven aquí. Did I ever tell you the story of...” and I sit at her feet like a young child during story time. “A Soul of a Woman” is no different. Except, this time, she’s telling me her story, her life, her hardships and joy.

From getting expelled at six from school for being defiant, to the pressures to marry before 25 to not be a spinster from her mother, Allende describes what it’s like to be a feminist in a place where stand still, look pretty is the motto.

I felt even though it was a short book, a lot was covered in such a small portion. That’s what happens when you live a full life. I felt sometimes parts would be off on a tangent and then slowly reined back to the topic of discussion. I left feeling seen, feeling a sense of pride, and almost a sense of recognition that Allende has paved such a path.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Another Isabel Allende book I will treasure. Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the copy. The Soul of a Woman is out Tuesday, March 2nd.

Yes, it is a memoir, but not a linear memoir. Not only does Allende look at her own life and how she’s been a feminist even as a child, but she also looks at atrocities committed attains women around the world. She grew up with a single mom. After Allende’s dad disappeared, her mother was forced to move in with Allende’s grandfather. Allende watch women being victimized from an early age and was determined to create her world rather than submit to what others felt she should do. While the story rambles at time, Allende accomplished her goal of defending feminists around the world.

I’m embarrassed to say that I was not very familiar with the author, and I grabbed this book early for the title. I would say that I am a fan now, and looking forward to experiencing more of her work.

Isabel’s first novel The House of Spirits, published in 1982 won worldwide acclaim and since she has authored 25 bestselling books, devoted her life to human rights causes, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barrack Obama, amongst other impressive awards. She’s done some stuff, and this self reflection is a sharing of her years as an early feminist and writer.

It took me a bit to get a hold of the writing that was more of a stream of thought, it not being a straight narrative memoir, but more conversation style jumping from past to present and topic to topic. Once I got the hang of it though, I settled in and opened my ears to a woman with wisdom.

Allende touches on every topic of feminist importance; living and working in a patriarchal world, violence against women, reproductive rights, marriage and mothering as well as romance, love, passion, aging and grief, told in a fierce and funny voice. I felt she was informing a younger generation of women working toward equality with some tips, as well as letting us know she is not going anywhere.

I realized that I looked forward to coming back to this piece of work day after day because it reminded me of reflections with my fierce and funny grandmother, and for that I am thankful. Her words resonated with me as I am sure it will with others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House (Ballantine) for this ARC!

The Soul of a Woman was a beautiful read about the life of Isabel Allende. I found this book raised some interesting questions about being a woman. The style is very informal, almost like a trail of thoughts as they occur.

I am curious to read more fiction work by this author as I liked the ideas, but this writing style is not my favorite.

This short read is definitely more a stream-of-consciousness from Allende about her life, her musings and what exactly feminism has meant to her. I'm doing this backwards and haven't yet had a chance to read any of Allende's other works - A Long Petal of the Sea has been on my TBR for over a year now. Allende's voice is authentic - she is clearly intelligent with a good sense of humor. This reads a bit like a final book from a beloved author who is reaching old age and knows she may not be able to write the way she used to. But instead of being sad, this book celebrates her life, one that is so very accomplished.

I will be sure to read more of Allende's work after this. Thanks to her, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine) for an eARC of this book.

"She has the Spirit of the Sun, the Moods of the Moon, and the Will of the Wind." (Unknown)

To define Womanhood is like taking on the task of counting each and every grain of sand along the shore. Each has its own individual shape, lustre, hue of color, glint of light. But when together and unified, the composite is a Heavenly one.

Isabel Allende is a favorite author of countless numbers of us. We wait with vigilance for the next offering. The Soul of a Woman leans from her usual fare to more of an outright memoir. It touches on the depth of womanhood and the breadth of feminism in today's world.

Isabel Allende has led quite the life. Born in Peru, she later resided in Chile, Argentina, and even in Lebanon. Her outward personality was apparent in her kindergarten days. We smile as she reflects upon her being expelled from school at the tender age of six because of insubordination. She verbally rebelled at the discipline that surrounded her from the threatening figures of the nuns at school. Home schooling was the next option.

Allende takes us back in time to life with her mother and with her grandparents. Her mother, Panchita, was born in an era that catered to men and kept women in the shadows. Allende's father left when she and her siblings were very young leaving Panchita with few options. Living with her grandparents introduced her to a world of discipline once again. Lack of a father sewed seeds of rebelliousness which would follow her throughout her life.

The Soul of a Woman causes us to reflect on those individuals who impacted us in regard to our own view of womanhood. Were we born in an era, like Panchita, where masculinity was defined in terms of power, violence, conquest, and territorial gains in life? Were we raised to believe that women were only the child bearers and "home makers"? Or did someone of strength open the door forcefully to let the light of purpose and the right of being shine across the way?

Fictional female characters that boast bravado in storylines from the Middle Ages is one thing. Real flesh and blood, fire-breathing females in real life is another. And that compels us to look over our shoulders in gratitude for those who came before us and the realization to take on a willingness to forge ahead for today's little girls who will become tomorrow's stoic women. What part will we play?

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House (Ballantine Books) and to the highly talented Isabel Allende for the opportunity.