Isabel Allende has a very unique voice. Her books are always epic in scale but very personal and intimate in character. I’ve been a fan of hers for decades. I think my favorite book of hers would have to be The House of the Spirits but all of her books are head and shoulders above so many other books.

She is also a writer of color, being Chilean-American she writes about people that are rarely featured in mainstream novels. For all of those reasons I wholeheartedly recommend all of her books. I gave this one 3 stars not because it is a bad book, but (maybe unfairly) it doesn’t quite come up to what I feel about her other novels. I know I shouldn’t compare them. I probably should give this more stars. I just had difficulty connecting with the characters and I found the story a little forgettable. Which is surprising when it is placed against a backdrop of such unforgettable events in history. Maybe that’s why I didn’t connect with it, because it didn’t connect with it’s own history. I feel like it glided over some of the events without really interacting with them. Either way, it is definitely worth reading. Ms. Allende is a remarkable artist and deserves to be read.

This beautiful Latin American historical fiction novel is full of incredibly lush details, unforgettable characters, and a century of experiences and changes in the world as experienced by the title character, Violeta.

In true Allende form, this epic tale takes the reader on an intimate journey through the life of Violeta, and immerses us into the beginning of her life in 1920, bringing us all the way to 2020 when the story ends.

This is an incredible human story, with ups and downs, heartbreak, turmoil, and trauma alongside humor, love, and endurance and above it all, hope.

🌸Happy Publication Day & Book Review🌸

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the eARC of Violeta by @allendeisabel .

I have a fondness for books about elderly women sharing their life story with a chosen person. In this case, Violeta was born during the Spanish Flu epidemic and has lived a full 100 years to the Coronavirus pandemic. She shares her life story with her grandson, Camilo, in her final days.

This book is a journey you take of Violeta’s life and there wasn’t anything dull about it! Though, if you aren’t into character-driven stories, then this might not be the book for you.

Also, this isn’t a pandemic book, so have no fear if you’re wanting to steer clear of books about Covid. It’s mentioned only a handful of times; the remarkable piece of Violeta’s lifespan being sandwiched between the two pandemics.

I’ve been meaning to read an Isabel Allende book for far too long and I highly enjoyed this one! I think it’ll finally give me the kick in the booty to actually read the two already on my #tbr 😂.

In very few pages, Allende tells a STORY. And an incredible one at that. I would argue Isabel Allende is one of the best living story tellers, and Violeta is no exception. This is an intense story, but has enough moments of levity to carry you through. This is also historical fiction and wow did I get a history lesson. I could see this being a favorite of the year.

This book blew me away. Beautiful, haunting and lyrical. Violeta"s story will stay with you long after the last page. Absolute must read. Happy reading!

“Tell Me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life”

This was a beautiful book about the life of Violeta Del Valle. It starts in 1920, when Violeta is born at the time The Spanish Flu is occurring. She lives with her family, who had lived as Aristocrats. Life changes dramatically though. I loved the journey Violeta’s life took her on over the course of 100 years. This is a rich story that introduces an entire family and also friends who become family. The characters are really well developed and I was so interested in them. I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading a wonderful character driven story, enjoys Isabel Allende’s writing, and is interested in learning about life over a century.

There were so many events that occurred in Violeta’s life. This book shares how a person develops over time shaped by occurrences in one’s life. Violeta makes some choices that work well for her and some that don’t. She learns and grows throughout the book. She always has family or her chosen family members around to lift her up and carry her along. So, this is a tribute to that. Violeta lives through the Stock Market crash, poverty, uncertainty, moving, World War II, conflict in her own country (which is not specified, although I believe it was supposed to be Chile), living under a dictatorship that is highly repressive, marriages, good relationships, destructive relationships, having children, love, loss, heartbreak, developing independence, and balancing having freedom vs the desire to be active with her family. She does many unconventional things for her time. She is especially talented developing housing units and is able to support herself. This was a huge accomplishment and one she values strongly. Working allows her greater freedom to makes choices for herself, as well as help other people.

The book is broken into four sections that I think express how Viola is living. It is 1-Exile, 2-Passion, 3-Absence, and 4-Rebirth. It is a life fully lived and one that is now being reflected on. The book is written to her beloved grandson, Camilo. It is the type of book that you savor and patiently read. I felt as if I was with Viola many times throughout the story. The incredible descriptions of the scenery, landscape, smells made the story that much finer.

I did not want the book to end and leave so many characters I got to know such as Aunt Pilar, Aunt Pia, Miss Josephine Taylor, Teresa Rivas, Abel Rivas, Lucinda Rivas, Bruno Rivas, Jose Antonio, Torino, Juan Martin, Nieve, Camilo, Facunda and her children, and many others. Yet, life is the same, you must take it in when you can because people do not stay the same and are not always there for many reasons. This book celebrates life and the wonders it offers and the torment, too. That is a challenge all of us face until our final days on earth. This is a tribute to all who lived in this book. Isabel Allende is a master story teller and I loved how she wove so many elements into this story.

Thank you NetGalley, Isabel Allende, and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book.

VIOLETA
RATING: ALL THE STARS

QUICK THOUGHTS:
• VIOLETA - she's an INCREDIBLE MC
• EVELYN HUGO VIBES - calling all my Evelyn Hugo fans, this is your book!!! I'll tell you more on why below
• HISTORY - this novel covers a TON of South American history I knew nothing about and can't wait to start researching and learning more about

Isabel Allende is truly one of the greatest authors of our time and her newest novel, Violeta, is no exception. This is an incredibly beautiful story told by Violeta herself as a letter to Camilo del Valle, who I won't tell you about to prevent spoilers, about her 100 year life and the learnings she's had along the way. This story is broken over the span of different decades and phases of her life. Violeta was an incredibly powerful MC and her life was no exception. It was shaped by family turmoil, tragedy, political events, love, history, forgiveness, resilience, and strength. Apart from Violeta, the characters is this story were so special. All played an important role in Violeta's life and are one's I'll hold in my heart forever.

This will absolutely be one of my favorite books for the year. I can't wait for you all to read it and share your thoughts!

So Evelyn Hugo vibes - two reasons why I feel like Evelyn Hugo lovers will also love this one! First, is that both these books are written in the same format, the main character telling the story of their life to a specific person and reflecting on their journey and growth through that time. Second, is that both Evelyn and Violeta were incredibly powerful women who were breaking down barriers in their times and just lived incredible lives. You just read their stories and are in awe of what they lived through and feel it so deeply.

Another winner from Chilean author Isabel Allende. This time we have the story of Violeta . She tells her story in letter form. At first I found it distacting but then I truly felt like I was in her world and was part of history. You learn of her difficult childhood, her family life, loves and what it was like to be a woman in her 100 years on the planet. Their were stories about the Spanish Flu, The Great War and the hardships people had to go through and we complain about having to wear a mask! It was a truly inspiring read and there are so many topics you could talk about in a book club. I predict this book will be. a big bestseller because it has all the beauty of her earlier novels and transports you to a world that you can escapse to during the difficult times we live in today. A tonic for the soul. Read it!

This book has left me wanting to read more by this author! This is a story about a woman who’s life began during the pandemic of 1920 and ended 100 years later during another pandemic. Violeta was the only daughter of a wealthy family and was a feisty, strong willed child of which she never outgrew. Violeta’s life was full of love & losses but she always stayed true to herself and always fought for what she wanted.
Reading about Violeta, was like traveling through time and stopping at all the major events of the past century from pandemics to wars to economic fluctuations & social standards. This was so beautifully written that I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile.

ARC received in exchange for an Honest Review
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley!

Publication date: 25 January 2022

“There’s a time to live and a time to die. In between there’s time to remember”

Violeta, by the bestselling Chilean author, Isabel Allende, is her new piece of historical fiction that follows Violeta Del Valle’s life since her birth during the Spanish Influenza outbreak until she dies during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Through Violeta’s personal letter to her grandson Camilo, Allende navigates 100 years of history and the pass of time on the people she loved. The Spanish Influenza, the Great Depression, World War II, the dictatorships in Latin America, industrialization, the hippie movement, the Condor Operation, and so many more crucial historical moments affect the story and the characters in such a personal way that they almost seem like a work of fiction and not the brutal 20th Century.

I would have loved to read Violeta in Spanish and not in translation, but I still want to point out the aspects that made me binge read this novel in one sitting even though is quite a long book.
The characters in Violeta are endearing, unforgettable, so real, and complex. Because all the narrative is focalized through Violeta’s memory, we really don’t get a lot of each character’s life but the moments they coincided with Violeta. This is natural and part of the human experience. Even with this reality, the characters are still so complex beyond the hidden parts of themselves. It is their actions that prove their true bravery and makes us wish we could know more about them. Torito, Miss Taylor, Roy Copper, José Antonio, Facunda, the Rivas, all of them will forever be in my heart. There is a mastery behind the construction of each character that is not often found in novels with so many characters, but Allende succeeds at granting them individual spotlights.

The way that the story moves clearly replicates the smoothness of conversation and shows how we revisit our own memories. Violeta at almost 100 years old starts her story like we all do, at her birth. The conditions of that birth and the wealthy conservative family she was born into, seem even more ancient when we reach the end of her life, after everything that she had accomplished and seen. Still, Violeta takes the time to carefully explain each important part and people in her life. The narrative does replicate how our mind works as she never mentions her brothers by name or goes into details about them because they simply didn’t participate in her life. Those types of omissions or moments when Violeta skips several years of sameness is what we regularly do when we think back as memory is all but perfect and objective.

Lastly, Violeta feels like a love letter to Chile and to remarkable women out there whose story has been lost. Statistically, women live longer than men. I don’t know why and I will not pretend to know, but that was the first thing that jumped to my mind when I finished crying at the end. Matriarchs tend to live longer, which means they get to see everyone else die before them. My own grandmothers buried husbands, children, and grandchildren while telling us about their childhood in the countryside taking care of animals and running wild. Latin American women are made of something different, even with machismo around, they often end up as the financial and emotional support of the families they build. The ending of Violeta turns to that reality as it advocates for women’s rights, protection from violence and abuse, and women’s organizations.

If I have to divide the novel into three main themes (which is difficult as it touches on almost every subject under the sun), I would say that the first part is about social hierarchies and the fall of the Del Valle family into their found family members, the second part is the foreign-American- political intrusion in Latin America and the devastating results, and the third part is Violeta’s renouncement of material goods for a peaceful loving life supporting women. These three parts are equally enjoyable and important, making Violeta’s life extraordinary but filled with strong emotions.

I think Violeta is a positive product of the pandemic. I felt the same way after reading Beautiful World Where are You by Sally Rooney last year. Only time will tell, but after 2 years living with the virus, the extensive life revision that once was exclusive for those about to die has been permeating our lives in seclusion. As a 24-year-old, the pandemic has made me question everything I’ve been through and everything I had planned. Such a round story of Violeta going through many crossroads in life and her explicitly pointing them out with the wisdom granted by time, makes you wonder what your own life story will look like at the end. So go ahead, read Violeta, experience her life and take her beloved in your heart, but keep going and live the most remarkable life possible.

My favorite Allende works are her historical ones that stay rooted in one time and place. This one has some elements of that, yet it covers an incredible distance (a full century), forcing a more superficial look at times. It starts simply and builds in complexity along the way. We gradually develop an understanding of and genuine connection with the characters.
Allende’s first-person approach makes sense, but the way the narrator addresses the other character throughout becomes a bit contrived and, in places, it is difficult to see it as genuinely conversational.
Overall, Violeta is another strong woman in the cast of Isabel Allende’s characters. The literary and historical strength make it a good read.
Thank you to Isabel Allende, Frances Riddle (translator), Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Violeta (English Edition), a novel by Isabel Allende, is a compelling novel that is divided into four sections. Part I: EXILE (1920-1940), Part II: PASSION (1940-1960), Part III: ABSENCE (1960-1983), and Part IV: REBIRTH (1983-2020). Violeta wrote letters to her grandson, Camilo. Violeta was born in 1920 during the Spanish influenza period. She is the main character in the novel, and the story is narrated from her point of view. Violeta lived to be 100 years old, and she had many adventures to share. The novel goes through several periods of political unrest. From democracy to concentration camps, torture and holding centers, to family members never being found. Also, she was born wealthy, and her family lost it all during the Great Depression. Violeta became very resilient due to her constant struggles and building her successful life back again. She went through several marriages, but she eventually saw the light at the end of the tunnel. She started a domestic violence program for women and gave back to the community. Mailen ran the company when Violeta retired.
The novel was full of camaraderie, love, community, indigenous remedies, and helping others. It reminded me of the times we are going through now, people are helping each other more and sharing ideas during the pandemic and inflation. Secondary characters, Teresa Rivas and Mailen were both feminists, more prone to equal rights of women in different eras of the novel. Teresa was more ridiculed because she was in the earlier years when women were fighting for voting rights, as opposed to Mailen. Moreover, different cultures put aside their differences and lived cohesively together.
This novel was very exciting with all the history, remedies, interesting stories, culture, diversity of relationships, financial fluctuations, and everyday life happenings. I would recommend this novel to many because it has many areas to explore that may interest you.

VIOLETA by Isabel Allende is the epic and emotional story of the life of character Violeta del Valle, who lived one hundred years and witnessed some of the most influential events in history during her lifetime. Born in 1920 in a South American country in the midst of the Spanish Flu, Violeta lives through incredible upheaval until her death in 2020 during another global pandemic. Violeta tells her story in a long letter to her beloved grandson, Camilo. In it, she reveals the events of her life including the intimate details of her relationships with husbands, lovers, her children, family and friends. She recounts the highs and lows of her long and dramatic life and lays out the tumultuous political times in her country and the world. Like the many other Isabel Allende books I’ve read previously, I was totally immersed in the story and the setting. The characters were beautifully-portrayed and memorable. I enjoyed this heart-wrenching and moving story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Violeta is the story of a woman, whose life spans one hundred years and is marked by historical events, starting with the Spanish flu and ending as the start of the Coronavirus pandemic is beginning. Violeta's life is told in the form of a letter that she is writing to someone she loves dearly.

This was yet another book that highlighted the importance of storytelling, cue Hamilton's Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. In this book, Violeta shares the unabridged version of her life, so that her story can live on, in her own words. While there were times that I didn't particularly like Violeta, I was able to look past her flaws and appreciate her for the complex woman that she was, and for the remarkable life that she lived. I appreciate that she holds nothing back when sharing the deepest parts of her life, and also how she reflects on historical events from the perspective of modern day.

While reading this book I also started doing a deep dive into my family tree. On this deep dive, I was finding draft cards, census data, birth/death certificates, which allowed me to start piecing together my family's story, but I couldn't help but think about what wasn't captured -- What stories would they have told? How did they view the world? What legacy did they want to leave behind? All this to say that my deep dive into my own family made me appreciate this book even more because it beautifully captures the power of storytelling.

This is now my fourth Isabel Allende book and I keep coming back because I love her writing style. I do think that her books typically start off slow and take awhile to build, which was 100% true of Violeta, and that can be a hard sell for some readers, but I encourage you to push through because it'll be worth it.

This was my first Allende, but it will definitely not be my last.

Violeta is written as a letter from a grandmother to her grandson. Born during the Spanish Influenza outbreak in 1920, Violeta recounts her life in an unnamed Latin American country. She winds her way through her different relationships, the lives of her children, and the changing political climate. Like many novels it seems, this one ends on a COVID note, but does not dwell upon it.

I grew to love Violeta, through all the missteps and mistakes she made throughout her life. I wish that she was a real woman, because she would have been a force to be reckoned with. But even in the fictional character, you can see the roots of real women's experiences in Latin America during the 20th century.

This novel is a truly epic story enclosed in a relatively short book. You cover so much time that things obviously get glossed over. I wish we had spent more time with Violeta's children, for example. Similarly, because we are looking at things through Violeta's perspective, we are getting only part of the picture. There are things that she goes through quickly, which makes you wonder what actually was going on.

Fans of historical fiction or literary fiction will really enjoy this book. I look forward to exploring other books by Allende.

Beginning with one pandemic and ending with another the tale of Violeta's life is enthralling. Told in the form of a letter to her grandson, Violeta shares her story, never shying away from hard truths. Her life begins as the daughter of a South American "aristocrat". She is pampered and spoiled, then fortunes change and she is raised in a remote rural area. There is romance, crime, revolution and more. She lived in an exciting century and was a bold woman. Enjoy this feast of a story.

Violeta follows the life of a South American woman named Violeta. It chronicles both personal events and historical political events that occur during her lifetime. I really enjoyed getting to know the main character and experiencing her heartbreaks throughout her life. I also really appreciated that historical events of her lifetime were covered. Starting in 1920 when she was born and ending in 2020 it was fascinating to read about the experiences of one woman and her family throughout time.

Violeta follows the 100-year life of the titular woman through a letter she is writing to her grandson, Camilo. From the heels of the Spanish Flu to the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Violeta's life spans a period of extraordinary historical events and upheaval.

There's no denying that Allende is a storyteller, and reading her work conjures the exact feeling of listening to my grandmother share her life story, down to the dry humor and matter-of-fact approach to historical events. While I can respect this style, much of this book fell flat in its execution. Overall, Violeta lacked emotional depth and left me grasping for any sort of connection to her character or her life.

Violeta dryly recounts everything from her father's death to her sexual escapades throughout the course of the novel, but never gives me a reason to care about her story. The novel struggled to grab my attention until nearly Chapter 20, when she began to outline the events leading up to the 1973 military coup and following Pinochet dictatorship. Even here, these events primarily hooked me due to my prior reading in the time period, because Allende moves quickly through details and declines the opportunity to expand on topics like Operation Condor and Colonia Dignidad (that could truthfully be entire books on their own).

Ultimately, Violeta does both too much and not enough, with a 100-year storyline that lacks the central themes and magical realism that make Allende's other works memorable. There are a few notable ways Allende has grown as a writer (with more respectful references to difference issues of class and race), but in the end, this book lacks heart.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHzVHFrPoG/

TW : war , rape , domestic abuse , abortions , violence , drug use , addiction , loss of family members.
CW : divorce , cheating , use of the r word , use of the f word....

If u liked Evelyn Hugo this is for you. That is not to say it isn't if you disliked that book. Violeta is definitely heavier and i think I'd describe it as "if generational trauma induced by colonialism and imperialism combined with the regular struggle of women was compacted into one book."

I'd go on to talk about the characters one by one but they were many and I hope that doesn't deter you because it would me BECAUSE I REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE NAME AND BACK STORY AND I SIMPLY WANNA CURLE AND CRY OVER ALL OF THEM!

Violeta's life was a hell of a roller coaster and I felt for her and everyone she'd loved her whole life. Both of her aunts, the farm family, miss Taylor, josè, TORITO AND RYO!!!!!! I have tears still.

The reason I mentioned Evelyn is because both stories are about women who did everything they could to survive in a hellish society thats against them. Both of them went thru men who were worthless and sometimes immemorable. Tho violeta is not bi. She just falls in love multiple times and you have no choice but to root for her every time.

I can already hear people talking about bad decisions but let me see them in her place :) it's easier to talk when you're just an observer. Violeta though? She took matters to her hands a lot. She learned from her mistakes and the mistakes of the men around her and ran multiple businesses only to end up using her fortune to help others and raise a child that would do the same if not more.

The book was written as a letter from her to camilo and seeing her break the wall to remind us its a letter was smooth and engaging. I loved the simplicity of the writing mixed with a little magical realism that felt beautiful to me.

Its a great book. You should definitely read it.

Ps. I feel like you should see reviews from indigenous reviewers and Jewish reviewers. I couldn't figure if the reviewers were either or non </3

What will you see when you look back on your life?

Violetta was born during the Spanish Flu pandemic on a stormy day 1920 and at 100 years old during the coronavirus pandemic she is writing to her grandson as her life winds down. In her writing, she tells of her childhood years, being the first girl born after five sons. She lives an affluent life until the Great Depression and her family suffers immeasurable losses.

The only thing to do is to move on, and start over in a quieter, remote area where she will mature, grow, have a suitor, and begin a life full of many triumphs and sorrows. She writes of family, of love, of loss, of hardship, and joy. She has seen and experienced many things in her lifetime - pandemics, wars, love affairs, the fight for women's rights, loss, motherhood, achievements, advancements of science, poverty, wealth, and peace. She has lived a full and long life.

Isabel Allende blew me away with Inés of My Soul. It was the first book I have ever read by her many years ago and it is still my favorite. Allende writes of women who overcome obstacles against the odds, they are all on some journey both emotionally and physically, they have an inner strength, intelligence and find a way to live life on their terms.

Allende is a gifted writer and storyteller. You know when you pick up one of her books that you are in good hands. As she weaves her tales, I find myself immersed in the world she has created. Her descriptions are vivid and lush.

If you haven't read a book by Allende, do yourself a favor and give her a read. This book is a good place to start.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.