Thank you to Net Galley, Isabel Allende, and Ballantine Books for a copy of this ARC.
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4.5/5 stars

Oh my goodness, this book tore my heart to shreds. I was so taken by the characters, who really drove the story.

Violeta is told as a narrative by the titular character, Violeta, to her grandson Camilo. The story is her life, lived through some of the most turbulent decades of human history. Her life begins in 1920 during the Spanish influenza outbreak, and she writes the story in her final years.

There are SO MANY GOOD CHARACTERS in this book. From Josephine Taylor to Torito, I was cheering for them, crying for them, hoping for them. I wanted to scoop them all up in a big hug, hold them tight, and not let anything bad happen to them. But of course, a story can’t progress without conflict.

Violeta’s life is a representation of life in South America during the turbulence of The Great Depression, the Second World War, the Cold War, various government coups, and all the events in between that have shaped our current era of human history. There are a lot of layers to every character, and each one had a different story, a different hardship, a different perspective to offer.

If you’re wanting a heart-thumping novel with twists and turns and the like, you may not like Violeta. But if you like the characters taking the rein of a story and a sweeping memoir-esque tale, then I would highly recommend Violeta.

🌟VIOLETA🌟 by Isabel Allende ~to be published January 25, 2022

3.5/5. Luscious historical fiction written as a letter from Violeta to an initially unidentified Camilo. Really engaging! Check the trigger warnings.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Dear Violeta,

What an incredible life you led. In your 100 years (1920-2020), you experienced so much: wealth and poverty, inexplicable obsession and fierce independence, love and loss, joy and tragedy, and of course the two pandemics (the Spanish flu and COVID-19) that served as bookends for your journey here on earth. Violeta, you mention early on that you believe your life is worthy of a novel more for your sins than for your virtues. And I would agree. I was often angry and frustrated with you, Violeta, and the sometimes selfish choices you made and the impact your choices had on your loved ones. It made it hard for me to relate to you, if I’m being honest.

At the same time, I found myself feeling jealous of you. Your strength and intelligence were admirable, your connection to and appreciation for the indigenous peoples of your South American home country (never specifically named) was something quite special, and your support for important causes within the context of famous historical cultural and political developments in your country was commendable. You may not have always made the decisions I would have made, but you lived your life honestly and true to your heart. Overall, I was captivated by your story, as I know other readers will be.

xo,
Monica

This review will be published within one week of publication on Instagram (@sanfranliterarygal) and Goodreads (San Fran Literary Gal). Link to come.

This book is a portrait of a family thorough the eyes of Violeta during her 100 years of life, told through letters to her grandson.
Violeta was born in 1920 during the Spanish Flu pandemic and dies in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. She writes her life story in the form of letters to her grandson, Camilo. We journey with her through her impetuous, rebellious preteen years to her wise, reflective centurian end of life.
I liked the way she described her privileged upbringing, the lifelong friendship that she developed with her governess, her Exile (with a capital E), a loveless marriage, and a passionate love that was really an abusive relationship.
She describes the political upheaval in her country (Chile) in terms of her fears and danger as well as the effects on her family and loved ones.
She incorporates her religious beliefs into her life and the beliefs and traditions of the indigenous people around her who are also a big part of her life.
Violeta learned from every experience in her life (although the learning was often hard won), and while she became wealthy, she never forgot the journey that she followed to get there.
I loved her story, the character development and the wisdom that Violeta shared throughout her story.
I am thankful to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful book, and allowing me to express my honest opinion of it

I liked the historical elements of the novel and the descriptive language used throughout the book. However, I wasn’t really invested in the story or in any of the characters. This was an ok read for me.

Isabel Allende has written a sweeping fictionalized history of Chile over the past 100 years, all seen through the eyes of an extraordinary, independent woman, Violeta. Born in 1920 in the midst of that influenza epidemic, Violeta manages to live a very full life, only to die of old age in the midst of the current coronavirus epidemic. Her life is told in the first person, as a series of letters to her now-grown grandson, Camilo. And what a life it was! She was the daughter of a well-to-do father who managed to lose everything, a wife, a lover, a mother, a businesswoman, a campaigner for women’s rights and more, and a grandmother. She lives through so much, especially the years of the dictatorship. Violeta isn’t a perfect person by any definition; I found quite a few of her actions dismaying. I quite enjoyed this book, but I have to say it’s not a page-turner. It’s more of a gentle journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

"Sometimes our fates take turns that we don’t notice in the moment they occur, but if you live as long as I have they become clear in hindsight. At each crossroads or fork we must decide which direction to take. These decisions may determine the course of the rest of our lives."

This was my first book by Isabel Allende and I loved it. I can see why this book is one of the most anticipated stories of 2022. The book tells the story of Violetta who is 100 years old, born in Chile in during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1920 ending with her death during the coronavirus epidemic of 2020. She details the experiences of her incredible life in a memoir to her grandson Camilo. A story that takes her through the Spanish Flu, World War II, The Great Depression, political upheavals, etc. Violetta experiences so much in her well lived 100 years. I felt very immersed in her world and in all the characters. The book was really great at highlighting the beauty in the big and small moments of life at every age. Amazing storytelling.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This has been one of my favorites so far this year. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Isabel Allende has always captivated me with her writing, and Violeta was no exception. As a historical fiction fan, this was a great book to curl up with next to the chimney with. Isabel Allende always impresses me with her storytelling and she didn’t fail this time.

Violeta by Isabel Allende is the story of Violeta, her 100 years told via letters to her grandson. She was born in 1920 and lived through the Spanish flu, the Great Depression and more. She was born into an affluent family, but lost everything due to the depression. Her family was forced to relocate from the city, to a remote part of the country to live.

The writing is beautiful and descriptive. It gives us lots of details about the author, her family and her life. This book is fiction, but is very much written like a memoir. I did not really grasp that the book was supposed to be letters written to her grandson. I feel that this book gave a great amount of information for historical accuracy. While I was interested in the story, I was not captivated by it.

Well written, interesting storyline but it did not hook me in. I didn't have that sense of not being able to put the book down, can't wait to see what happened, that I sometimes have with other books.

4.6 stars

This was perfect. Allende Perfect (which may not be for everyone as I explain below). Probably one of the best Allende's books I've read,

You'd enjoy this book if you love (really love) Latin American culture and history. I mean LOTSA of it, like LITERALLY 100 years of it, all told with exquisite detail, exquisite writing, through the lives of exquisitely realistic characters

Emphasis in the "told", though.

There is always LOTSA telling and little showing and dialogues in Allende's books. So people that are really into "show not tell" (like me) may find it difficult to get into Allende's books.

The story is told in first person POV in the form of a letter written by Violeta, who has lived over 100 years. So, she is writing about distant memories and the narrative did feel void of emotion to me and I didn't get to connect with the character as I would have liked to.

Howeeeeeever.... Violeta's life, packed with 100 years of wonderful historical facts, is described in such a rich, wonderful way, that it is a fantastic immersive experience despite all the telling. I always say that Allende is her own cross-genre "nonfiction history/historical fiction sprinkled with some supernatural magical realism.

The best way I can describe the experience of reading Allende is that it is like reading a lyrically written, magical encyclopedia.

For me the absolute best of this book was the accurate and relevant social content of the time period about government corruption, colonialism, classism, racism, white supremacy (from actual Nazis living in South America), colorism, gender and sexual orientation inequalities.

This was just such a relevant, beautiful book. A pleasure to read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Violeta was one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. At times, I almost thought I was reading a memoir. The way Violeta tells of her life story is so detailed and raw. It begins when she was born during the dangerous Spanish Flu epidemic as the youngest of five children, being the only daughter. While reading, you feel as if you’re living each step of life with Violeta Del Valle. You cringe through her mistakes, but also feel so proud during her triumphs. I found myself feeling so emotional during many of Violeta’s difficult life moments. She is such a strong and amazing character who experienced so much growth and love throughout her life. It made such an impact on me to hear her state on more than one occasion how it was always important to her to be of service to others in need. This was my first novel by Isabel Allende, and it certainly won’t be my last.

This is a quiet but elegant story that makes me want to read more of Allende's work. She has a style hat is almost lyrical and the translator needs to be acknowledges for making that come across, even in a another language. Recommended!

Violeta (English Edition)
by: Isabel Allende
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books

This is a sweeping, important piece of historical fiction by acclaimed author Isabel Allende. Violeta's story is told through in letter format, covering her remarkable life journey. Readers will find this book compelling, moving, and full of passion.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my review.

Imagine living 100 years … one complete century of, not only your own life evolving and changing, but your country and the world around you as well. What stories would you have to tell about what you’d lived through and experienced, and what would you leave to those who continue on after you?

Violeta del Valle was born in Chile during the Spanish Flu pandemic and she dies during the Coronavirus pandemic, but what an incredible life she lives between them! This work of historical fiction reads much like an actual memoir, written by Violeta in a long letter to her beloved grandson, Camilo. In it she details a life that sees prosperity and ruin due to the Great Depression, re-forging her own prosperity in a time where society frowned on women in business, marriages and affairs that range from sedate to tempestuous, the joys and sorrows of motherhood, war in the world at large and political upheaval and danger in her own country, a plethora of social issues, and ultimately finding new purpose in her later years.

I’ve never read Isabel Allende before, but she truly has a gift of immersing you in the story and allowing you to see and experience through the eyes of another, the world she’s describing. I felt transported and invested in the people and places she took me to, and there were a LOT of them. This is a character-rich novel, and there are so many vibrantly drawn characters to enjoy. Each one brought a wealth of personality and interest to the story, and Violeta’s travels took her to so many places that you almost felt you were traveling with her.

Although they’re two different stories, I felt the same draw to this story that I did to Sofia Segovia’s book The Murmur of Bees, and there are points the two have in common, such as the descriptions of the Spanish Flu pandemic, and some parallels between the character Simonopio in Segovia’s book and Torito in this one, both of whom I loved.

It’s a wonderful story, both joyful and heart-breaking, and it’s beautifully told. Honestly my only minor issue is just that the retelling of a hundred-year life can, understandably at moments, feel a little long! Having said that, we should all be so lucky to have a life as full as Violeta!

★★★★ ½ (rounded to 5)

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Netgalley and author Isabel Allende for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. It’s due to be published January 25, 2022.

This historical epic novel is written as a letter from Violeta to Camilo about her life - a relationship we come to understand later in the book. Spanning a century and several countries and loves, Violetta is a lot stronger than she recognizes. We see over the course of her life that began in one pandemic and ends during another - that political upheaval, war, poverty, domestic abuse, tragedy, and grief are ever present but we don't need to accept or succumb to what the world throws at us.

I love how Violetta grows and learns from life lessons - not in a way that sanitizes the suffering, but in a way that is rooted in finding her place in the world and leveraging her privilege. From the people who touch her and those she touches who are closest to her and those whose lives are impacted through the ripples she creates, we see how one life finds its place in the enormity of time and place. It's a beautiful story that reflects the imperfect lives we lead that are filled with joy and love and meaning even in the midst of challenge. I almost wish it could have been longer to go deeper into different periods of her life. I was especially moved by the way she lives in the second half of life - she flourishes as awakens to self awareness and she embodies her best self.

Some minor critiques:
The way it was written to Camilo felt disjointed. For most of the book, it didn't really matter that it is was a letter. Talking about Camilo in the third person in some places and then in others recounting memories that he would have shared didn't feel natural to me. A cover letter and closing would have been more seamless.
The name of their home country is not identified. Perhaps this was to allow for literary license around the political climate, but the use of "our country" seemed a little distracting.
It was hard for me to keep track of all of the characters especially since many of them are referred to inconsistently. Also there were several J names of men close to Violetta which took more of an effort. It was helpful to have connections and reminders woven in - especially later in the book.

Overall, beautiful and moving writing as expected from Isabel Allende. I appreciate the ARC from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books #VioletaEnglishEdition #NetGalley

Quiet the book to follow: BUT what a life. This book tells a lot about the early years of our neighbors to the south (history) the easy way! Interesting life

I just knew I would get a beautiful Spanish story about a woman and all of her triumphs. Violeta was the thing that came right on time during this current pandemic situation, and I believe her story and ours will mirror how our future may become.

What started as a beautifully rich texted love letter, turned into a memoir that should be passed down to generations for ages to come. Violeta is a wholesome story about a girl's life, with exclusively detailed background information on other people's lives, politics, religion, agriculture, and war. There is so much historical context between the Wall Street Crash, the Women's Rights movement, the war on drugs, the Cold War, etc. it's almost hard to keep up with the woman's life during it all. With all of what's going on in the world, Violeta is experimenting with love, loss, gains, and turmoil.

At some point, I did start to get bored with the book. The first half grabbed my attention immensely, but I was ready to get on with the story by midway through. I even skipped a few chapters to see how it ended (which it did gracefully). Still, I think this is an elegant read.

I gave this book a 3.5-star

Violeta is STUNNING. This is soulful telling of Violeta del Valle's life to her grandson. She shares memories of from youth that shaped her womanhood to lovers she had up until her death. The intimacy as which we learn her life is beautiful, making her real on the pages.

Violeta experiences it ALL - riches, poverty, grief, joy, regrets and peace. Her story represents her love for the gift of life. This was my first read by this author, and it was absolutely fabulous. From its stunning cover to words inside, this novel is a MUST READ!

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary copy.

Violeta's life is framed by two pandemics- she's born as the Spanish flu killed millions and dies as COVID does the same. This is a novel in the form of letters- letters written by Violeta to her grandson Camilo, a Jesuit. She's lived a big life which she recounts rapidly and, oddly, without much emotion given both world and personal events. There's suicide, drug addition, abuse, political repression, world wars and so on. This genre - a narrator looking back over a life well lived (or not) - has become popular in recent years so Allende's contribution is welcome because she brings a different geopolitical perspective. There are some gorgeous turns of phrase. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of Allende will be pleased.

Who can resist an Isabel Allende novel? Violeta, her latest, certainly doesn’t disappoint, and the epigraph from Mary Oliver’s “A Summer Day” sets the tone: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

Written as the recollections of Violeta Del Valle to an initially unidentified person named Camilo, this is a first-person account of a centenarian’s life, one lived within the context of history. In a brief September 2020 letter opening the book, Violeta explains to Camilo: “My intention with these pages is to leave you a testimony of my life. . . . I think you’ll see that my life story is worthy of a novel, because of my sins more than my virtues.” Despite her addressing Camilo directly now and then throughout the early chapters, Camilo’s full identity and part in Violeta’s life do not become clear until far into the novel, and readers should avoid all possible spoilers and, instead, let Allende have her way. Fully understanding Violeta, herself, requires until the end of the book, but the gradual process of getting to know her is well worth readers’ time and patience.

Allende divides Violeta’s narrative into four parts: Part One: Exile (1920-1940). Part Two: Passion (1940-1960), Part Three: Absence (1960-1983), and Part Four: Rebirth (1983-2020). Part by part, Violeta unfolds her life story, describing her family, her husbands and lovers, her friends and acquaintances and the parts they fill within the context of a century. As readers get to know Violeta and the succession of people who play roles in her life, those characters seem to step of the pages into history, moving not only from year to year and decade to decade, but also from country to country. As Violeta tells Camilo, “There’s a time to live and a time to die. In between there’s time to remember.”

Allende is a master. Through Violeta’s narrative, she causes readers to experience every conceivable emotion—some evoked by the effects of natural and political events on the characters, some by characters’ treatment of one another, still more by the slowly unfolding and changing woman that is Violeta. Only rarely has a fictional character seemed so real.

My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for an advance reader copy.

Violeta's life spans a century, from one pandemic to another, and through her eyes readers will see the cultural and geopolitical changes she observed and experienced. The novel's format is loosely designed as a letter to Camilo, a young member of her family dynasty, but in fact he has little to do with the overall story except as a bookend to the history described. I think that if I were not such a fan of Allende's earlier work, this book would not stand out for me at all; as it is, I'' remember it as another narrative about a remarkable woman who endured many trials and triumphed over great adversity.