Thank you to NetGalley for the privilege of reading, The Wind Knows My Name. It held my attention through various timelines and countries.

It addressed some themes that our nation is still facing - the large number of immigrants from Central America who are seeking asylum in the US. It's not a pretty story to tell of children and babies being ripped from their parents' arms. Couple that with the pandemic and the lost time in the judicial system and you have an atrocious mess.

It was compared in the book to the Kindertransport that found homes for jewish children in the English countryside.

In two different times, in two different places, under different and horrible circumstances, two children are separated from their families - a young boy during the Holocaust, a little girl during the recent pandemic at the border. Allende beautifully brings them together, when the boy is now an elderly man. This is a story that moved me with touching and sad times in their lives, moved me with their shared grief and the goodness of people who care. Allende, still a masterful storyteller.

I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley

Isabel Allende has written a very sad tale of children caught up in the immigration system. Her story begins in Austria in 1938 where a young Jewish boy named Samuel Adler is put on the Kindertransport heading to England where it is hoped he will be kept safe from the Nazi oppression. He never sees his parents again and eventually settles in San Francisco, CA.

Then there is Leticia who is brought across the Rio Grande on her father's back in January, 1932, 24 days after the El Mozote, Salvadorian massacre. She has a US passport and citizenship and has settled in Berkeley, CA. She remembers little of her childhood and her father never talks about the tragedies that brought them to the US.

But things are harder for immigrants at the US border in November, 2019, when little Anita and her mother try to illegally enter the country. The mother is fleeing for her life from a violent killer in El Salvador but she and her nearly-blind daughter are caught in the desert, detained at the border and separated. Anita is put into the system and bounced between foster homes; she will never see her mother again.

Yet in the midst of these sad times, there is hope. There is Selena Durán, a middle-aged woman who works for the Magnolia Project for Refugees and Immigrants. She goes to the law firm of Larson, Montaigne & Lambert in San Francisco, hoping to convince at least one of their lawyers to volunteer to help with the serious humanitarian crisis at the border. Frank Angileri, a rising-star at the firm, steps forward to volunteer. Okay, maybe it's because he's attracted to Selena but hey, whatever works. These children need all the help they can get. Selena and Frank quickly zero in on Anita's case. Can they find her mother? Or find a way to keep her in the states? Surprisingly all these threads eventually tie together with a satisfying ending.

The story is quite touching and humanizes the news stories everyone sees. One quibble: Allende has a tendency to 'tell' the details of her various characters' lives rather than weave a story which reveals their character. I've noticed that in some of her other books and again in this one. I find it prevents me from becoming more deeply immersed in the story.

I received an arc from the publisher and author via NetGalley. Many thanks. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This novel was generally enjoyable and exactly what I have come to expect from Isabel Allende's later novels. There's a heavy dose of stereotypical characters, or the kinds of characters that seem familiar because you've read versions of them a million times before. Then there are the exceedingly quirky ones. The plot relates historical events with current ones in a very clearcut way. It's easy enough to get, which makes it accessible, but it's not fluff. It has substance to it, but not so much that you feel as if you need a degree in history or politics to be able to understand it. Allende balances all of these elements well.

Allende’s theme in this book is the separation of children from their parents. We begin with Samuel, a musical savant, sent from Austria on a Kindertransport train to England by his Jewish parent as Hitler invaded Vienna. Next, we meet Leticia, who fled with her father from El Salvador when everyone in her rural village was massacred by CIA trained military operatives. And then there is Anita Diaz, a blind child separated from her mother at the Southern border, as they try to seek asylum in the US.
Allende brings the story into the present day: unrest in South American countries, illegal immigration, and the pandemic. She examines love in all its forms: familial love, passionate love, love for mankind. As her trademark, she introduces magical realism into the story as the ghosts of those lost and as the place where Anita escapes when things become too traumatic for her to handle.
Her diverse characters held my attention throughout the book. They came together in the end in a Win
My gratitude to NetGalley, Ballentine Books and Isabel Allende for an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Beautifully written, as always, by the very gifted Allende. It's a story that's touching, heartbreaking, maddening and affirming in turns. In the past, Samuel's family in Austria was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII. He was spared by being taken on the Kindertransport to America, where he was shuffled around until landing with a kind Quaker couple. The trauma of his experience stays locked away in his memories, as we see the course of his life over many years.

In another timeline, we have Anita, a nearly blind seven-year-old Salvadoran refugee who was separated from her mother at the border due to American policies put in place under the last administration to discourage immigration. She too suffers greatly as she's bounced around to various detention centers, group and foster homes, all without the comfort of even knowing where her mother is.

Our other two narrators are Leticia, a Salvadoran with her own tragic past who helps care for Samuel, now in his 80's, and Selena, a Mexican-American advocate for the Magnolia Project which pairs pro-bono lawyers with undocumented children to establish residency with the courts and hopefully reunite them with their loved ones.

I loved how the characters' stories paralleled and wove together. The book makes you keenly aware of how many times in history it's been those in power's policy to take children from their parents and how much suffering has resulted from those actions. On the other side, it's a story of hope, healing and moving forward. It sounds heavy, but the tone is nicely balanced and the ending warmed my heart. I particularly enjoyed Samuel and Leticia’s interactions. Read the author's note if you can - it's a great insight into Allende's motivation for writing the book.

My one complaint is that there was too much telling and not enough showing, which made dialogue feel a little unnatural at times, like an info-dump. I would've appreciated seeing events play out a bit more, so it didn't feel like the story was being fit around the facts Allende wanted to share. That said, I was fully enthralled with the story and despite the heavier themes, truly enjoyed it! If you enjoy a well-written blend of historical and contemporary fiction and can tolerate the political overtones, you may enjoy this. In that respect, this one reminded me of some of Jodi Picoult's writing. Both women are incredibly smart and do their research, and they don't hold their punches!

★★★★

TW: Holocaust, American immigration policy, family separation, rape, femicide, genocide, torture, war, neglect, child abuse and neglect

What a beautiful story of love, heartache, determination and family. We follow four amazing people. Each part of this book covers their trials and tribulations as they navigate the good and bad that life offers. I simply loved this and I’m always amazed at how Isabelle Allende can transport you to a part of history that seems to be forgotten. Well done!

4.25 stars: This is the first book by Isabel Allende that I've read and I understand why she is widely beloved. What a patchwork quilt of a story! The abject horrors of (forced) immigration are certainly part of the characters' stories, but the hope associated with found family take over to make this novel cozier than it should have been. Cozy might not be the right adjective, but I was distinctly lacking despair. Maybe that's what passes for cozy in today's world, I don't know. Allende writes beautifully and I am really looking forward to a few of her older titles that are on my shelf. I wish the individual stories were more tightly woven, however...there were a lot of linked people but it took awhile to get there, the pacing lagged a little, and I feel like we missed out on some of the important details. I was also left wanting more...all of the characters deserve for their stories to really be told so I can't help but wish there was a sequel in the works!

The Wind Knows My Name is a poignant story about the atrocities of separating children from their parents. It interweaves two stories of survival from two different eras, the Holocaust and modern day immigration along the US border. This story starts with Samuel Adler, a young Jewish child, who escapes from a Nazi-occupied Austria to England. Decades later, the story shifts to Anita Diaz, a blind child from El Salvador, who is separated from her mother at the US border. In between those time frames, we are introduced to additional characters who all have varying degrees of connection to immigration and survival.

My favorite books typically include multiple points of views, so I was immediately drawn into this story, despite it taking some time for the stories to overlap. I love that each character was memorable and multidimensional. Also, loved that some characters had gifts, which beautifully added to the storyline, in particular the ending.

Similar to Allende's last book, Violeta, she also incorporates the pandemic into the storyline, which was done so seamlessly that it brought me right back into those first few days of the unknown.

I very much enjoyed this book, and I think it would make a great book club selection. I plan to continue to read Allende's books, and also am committed to slowly making my way through her backlist.

The Wind Knows My Name is unlike any other Isabel Allende novel I've read. Multiple timelines and points of view allow Allende to draw comparisons between WWIIs Kindertransport and the more recent influx of family and child refugees on the US border. I loved this hard-hitting story of child refugees, the legacy of childhood trauma, and the lessons we don't learn from history.

Isabel Allende's prose is often subtle and poetic, resonating with a solid sense of place and time. The Wind Knows My Name feels like a blunter read - perhaps because Allende feels passionate about the issue of child refugees and our country's dubious policy of separating children and parents. Some people will not like this and best pass on the book. I align with the author's position and found the book compelling and heartbreaking.

It took a while before the storylines of the novel merge, but it is worth the wait. Yes, there are some coincidences that are out there, but they do not detract from the plot.

Many states, schools, and libraries will ban this book, which is one of the highest forms of praise a story can garner, IMO. Bookclubs will find a lot to discuss.

I thank NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

The beginning of this book brings us into Vienna in 1938 where two friends are trying to figure out how best to survive Nazi rule when one is Jewish. Through mobs, meeting enemies and unlikely allies, terrible decisions are made that shape a man’s life. Samuel was probably one of my favorite characters, especially toward the end of the book. As far as characters go, Allende has created a caste that are wonderful, as alive and spellbinding as all her previous characters. You see snippets of her magical descriptions and lyrical writing voice with Anita’s narrative, which I was grateful for. I have always enjoyed Allende’s writing.

There were pieces of this book that didn’t sound like Allende’s work at all. The first section, while interesting, dragged for me because I was looking for pieces of the author and found nothing. It was good, but somehow dry. It did set the scene, though, and explain much of Samuel’s trauma.

Selena’s section, as she moves through 2019’s immigration crisis trying to help, was interesting but seemed disconnected. Even the writing style seemed different, making this feel like two different books… at least, until the end of the book. I do wish there was more consistency, a better flow between the voices. It is an interesting take, though, considering each narrative is so different; it’s possible that I just like historical fiction where the ties are traced through the book and everything seems more connected.

All in all, it’s a good book, but not my favorite of hers. It was too choppy. The parts I loved were glorious, the others nearly made me stop reading. I am glad I continued, though. This was, in parts heartbreaking, but left me feeling hopeful. For me, this was a three star book.

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
As far as adult content goes, there’s violence, language and some light sexual content. It’s definitely geared toward adults but I can see an older teen liking this as well.


I was lucky enough to recieve an eARC from Netgalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

This is a heart wrenching story of immigration that draws parallels between the separation of children at the border and children during the Holocaust while also mentioning the history of children being removed from parents in America such as Native American children being sent to boarding schools.

This book was simply extraordinary! I was captivated from the get go and invested in each character’s story immediately. The author has such a great way of writing that completely pulls you in.

I really enjoyed the multiple POV and when they finally all merged. I would unsure what they all had to do with each other but it was perfection how they came together. I would definitely recommend this one.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc

Stories and lives merge over many decades in this novel about childhood trauma due to parents trying to give their children better futures. This book was gripping, heart-wrenching, and hard to put down. It might be one of my favorite books that I've read so far this year. The reason that I am not giving it 5 stars is that it did not feel like it lives up to the literary standards of an Allende book. This book should quickly rise to the top of book club lists.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Penguin Random House, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In typical Allende form, the setting is primarily Latino. The story focuses on immigration into the United States with a young girl, Anita, from El Salvador. It is a multi-faceted story with Samuel, a WWII orphan, and Anita, a blind child coping with separation from her mother after attempting to enter the U.S. Allende is superb in presenting difficult situations in a thought-provoking way. Happily, all loose ends are tied up at the end of the book. I am a huge fan of Allende and have read many of her books. This book does not disappoint. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in understanding history, immigration issues and a great story. Thank you to the author and publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy.

The novel begins with the Adler family in Vienna in the days of Kristallnacht. The focus of this part of the book is Samuel Adler, a 6 year old boy who is separated from his parents and sent to England. The parallel Allende draws from this is the border crisis of 2020 with an 11 year old girl, Anita who is also (like so many others) separated from her mother.

I see how Allende was weaving the story with the two children (in different eras and in different times of crisis) and bringing them together, and I appreciate that, but I also think she didn’t go deep enough into the original characters or the original story of Samuel and that caused some issues for me. While she juxtaposed the two situations, they were made to be parallels (i.e. two children separated from their parents) and while that makes an excellent story for the latter part of the novel, I wish she had explored the differences of the two situations. The Holocaust and the crisis at the border are different and the reasons for the separation of the children from their parents were as well and I would have liked a little more acknowledgement and description of that. It was a bit like looking at one issue with the lens of the other.

While that brought me some discomfort during my reading of the novel, in the end I really did enjoy the story and what she was trying to achieve.

Allende is able to snag my attention with her heart wrenching themes of forced separation in US immigration. I did not see how each POV was going to intersect, but of course it did. It was an engaging and emotive book. Though, the characters did not stay with me when finishing the book. I thought it was really good and enjoyed the read but also not one I will remember in the long run.

It seemed to me that the purpose of this writing was to remind the reader of all the “man’s inhumanities to man” over the past 90 years. The story started with the Nazi invasion of Austria in the last 1930s with the kindertransport, removing many children to England and safety. We move on from there to the US where we are informed of racial problems during the 50s and 60s and the assassinations of ML King and Bobby Kennedy. Then the narrative moves on to the current illegal immigration into the US of those affected by mob violence in Mexico and Central America.

As always when reading Allende’s books, I’m eager to learn the history she’s espousing. Generally her books lead me to research that I so much enjoy. Her previous books have featured strong characters and strong characterizations causing me to embrace their lives and their difficulties. The Wind is not that type book, but, I guess, like the wind, itself, just goes here and there and yonder without rhyme nor reason.

I truly appreciate this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was a well written compendium of certain societal ills the past century, but not much of a story to carry it along. It was disjointed and had too many characters, too many foci, and too many settings in my opinion.

Allende weaves a beautiful yet tragic story of the hardships of immigration. The message and themes are great but I felt like I was reading two different books stitched together at some points.

It’s an important story that’s relevant to today’s fight for the rights of immigrants that unfortunately fell a little flat for me. (I like to use my reading as a form of escapism so reading a novel about current events probably wasn’t the best idea on my part.)

The cover of The Wind Knows My Name drew me in. I fell in love with Isabel Allende’ s writing and ability to create a world of art. I was so excited to be able to receive an ARC of this beautiful piece of writing and excited for the world to share.

#thewindknowsmyname #netgalley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Isabel Allende’s The Wind Knows My Name. In addition to a gorgeous cover, this novel is a beautifully written, heart-rending novel while also inspiring love and hope.

Samuel Adler’s dad disappears in Vienna in 1938 on Kristallnacht. He is sent to England on a kindertrain to escape the threats posed by the Nazis. He grows up in England and then eventually ends up in San Francisco.

In 2019, blind Anita is separated at the border from her mother after they arrive in the US seeking refuge from dangers her mother faced at home in El Salvador. Anita’s social worker Selena is a wonderful advocate for her and works with a lawyer to connect Anita to a relative in the US so she can escape the camp she has been living in since being separated from her mother. That relative works in Samuel’s house…

The plot and characters are so well developed, and the novel does a great job exploring this highly relevant issue facing the US. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel. It will be released June 6th so preorder now!

Thank you to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARc in exchange for my review.