How to begin to describe this book… fantastic, amazing, and good don’t seem appropriate. Isabel Allende is a phenomenally skilled writer and everything she seems to write has a magical and special way of transporting me through the characters’ intricate journey.

This novel follows the effects forced immigration have on a child and how it is carried with them throughout their lives. The story interweaves many characters, but specifically two. The first starts in 1938, Austria. We follow 6 year old, Samuel Adler, who is secured a spot by his mother and neighbor on the last kinder transport train out of Austria. Which much reluctance, his mother puts him on the train with his beloved violin in hopes of finding her missing husband and then reuniting with Samuel in the future.

We also follow 7 year old, Anita Diaz who in 2019, flees the dangers of El Salvador with her mother. She is blind and seeking refuge with her mother in the U.S. Unfortunately, she is separated from her mother and left alone. She is very imaginative and find some solace in a magical world she has created in her mind. With the help of a tenacious social worker and a lawyer (who at first just wants to impress the social worker), they try and track the mother down. Instead, they find another family member already living in the U.S. and working for Mr. Samuel Adler.

I kept finding myself impatient trying to see how everyone’s story would connect. The patience paid off as I saw how the author interwove the stories together.

This novel conveys themes of forced immigration, the displacement of kids, diaspora, loss, courage, and resilience in the families that take on this mission to get their children to a safer place. The reader is left with some hope in humanity. Overall, this book is heart wrenching, thought provoking, and timely read about the suffering immigrants go through in search of a better life.

All characters are very likeable, and there are plenty of heartbreaking moments. As for the story, if you have never read books set during WWII, I’m sure that you will be impressed and very touched (the story starts in 1938 and ends in 2022 - and yes, the pandemic is mentioned).

This story, spanning across decades and continents, was a heartwarming and courageous display of what lengths parents will go to in order to protect their children.

Samuel Adler was a young boy when his father disappeared during Kristallnacht. His mother, determined to save her son, secured him a spot on the last train out of Nazi-occupied Austria that would take him to safety in the UK with nothing more than a change of clothes and his violin.

Eight decades later, Anita Diaz, a blind young girl fleeing El Salvador, is separated from her mother when she arrives in the United States. Her case is assigned to Selena Duran, a social worker who goes to extreme lengths to find her family and reunite them. Along with a lawyer at one of the top law firms in San Fransisco, Selena discovers that Anita has a relative living in the United States, and she just so happens to work for Samuel Adler.

When I first started reading this book, it felt like I was reading two completely different stories. And in a way I was, but the way that the author gradually tied them together, it brought so much more meaning to this emotional roller coaster of a tale. Though their lives began decades and countries apart, they shared the same experience of escaping from dangerous situations and surviving thanks to the love of their mothers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and while it tugged at my heartstrings, it also left me with a wonderful feeling of hope. I definitely recommend it!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

Isabel Allende once again delivers a fascinating tale that spans from Kristallnacht in the beginning of World War II, which is the event that begins Samuel’s story, to the Covid-19 & the dehumanizing immigration crises at the border, which is where we meet Anita. Along the way, we meet Leticia, who emigrated from El Salvador after a massacre in the 1980s, and Selena and Frank, who advocate for little Anita’s asylum. These characters’ storylines are woven together

Allende tackles big ideas and big “feels” in this novel. She makes the reader wonder how people and governments can be so cruel and how survivors can be so courageous and capable of love. Allende uses these characters to examine the immigration policies and femicide of marginalized populations.

Because of the mature and complex issues , I would recommend this book for independent reading to students in AP English Literature & Composition. I also recommend this to readers who enjoy historical fiction and multiple storylines. I will recommend the title to my book club members.

I would like to thank Isabel Allende, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Isabell Allende has done it again. I love her writing. Easy to follow, understand and carry the story with you. The characters are all amazing. You really get involved in this story. Immigration is the big topic, but wonderfully done in this story. Makes you stop and think. I have recommended this book to all.

AHHHHHH!
I'm so thankful to PRH Audio, Ballantine Books, Netgalley, and Isabel Allende for granting me advanced audio, digital, and physical access to this sweet gem of book that held emotional weight that twisted into my with a sharp knife.

The Wind Knows My Name, the newest book from Isabel Allende is a captivating, heartbreaking tale wrapped in an absolutely gorgeous cover & it’s also a new favorite by this author.

Departing from her usual style of generational stories within a single family, Allende shares multiple POVs in different timelines providing thoughtful & unexpected connections (my favorite kind of story). In it we learn of Samuel Adler, a six-year-old Jewish boy in 1938, who is sent alone on the last Kindertransport train out of Nazi-occupied Austria to the United Kingdom after his family is torn apart. Fast-forward to 2019 in Arizona, Anita Diaz, a blind seven-year-old girl is separated from her mother after they arrive in the US attempting to flee danger in El Salvador. Other supporting characters are also featured, but I suggest you skip reading the synopsis and let the story unfold naturally.

Allende has written a very important story that shares the heartbreak endured during times of war & political unrest that causes forced separation between parent(s) and child(ren). True to Allende’s writing style, it’s a well-researched, beautifully written story that was riveting and wrought with emotion. It reminded me of Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult and if you read it, you’ll see why. The politics are heavy, the climatic scenes are dark, but ultimately this book will leave you with a lasting feeling of resilience, bravery, and hope.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc to read & review. And thank you to my library for getting a copy on pub day since my #netgalley game is off this summer. It’s available now & I’ve heard the audiobook narration is excellent.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year and without a doubt one of my top reads of the year!

What I LOVED ❤️
- A DUAL-TIMELINE historical fiction novel spanning Europe during WWII and present day U.S. detention centers along the Mexican border
- TRIPLE POVs - Samuel Adler as a Jewish child impacted by WWII and him as an adult in the U.S., Anita Diaz, a blind child forced to flee El Salvador, and Selena Duran, a young social worker working at the centers by the border
- The IMPACT of these characters STORIES - each of these characters had incredibly impactful and moving stories, they will each live in my heart forever
- Awareness of the current CRISIS at the BORDER - this novel educated me so much about the crisis at the border and the incredibly inhumane conditions people are held in

This book is so incredible impactful and such a moving story - a forever favorite!

📚📚Book Review📚📚

The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende is a heartbreaking tale of the unfathomable sacrifices made by parents and their resilient children who somehow never give up hoping and dreaming. Allende weaves the past and present seamlessly in a story spanning decades (from Nazi occupied Vienna to the border crisis today), as she writes about some very unforgettable characters. I was really drawn in by Allende's character development, particularly with respect to the characters of Samuel Adler and Anita Diaz. My only complaint about the book is that I felt there was more story to tell. And even though Allende tells us briefly what happened to Adler's and Diaz's mothers, I truly wanted to read more of their stories in the character's own voices, especially once they were separated from their children. Nonetheless, I would recommend The Wind Knows My Name as Samuel and Anita's stories are well worth reading.

Vienna, Austria, 1938; Samuel Adler is a five year old boy when the apartment where he lives with his Jewish parents, is destroyed during the Kristallnacht. Samuel's father never made it home alive, and his mother can't leave Austria anymore. He will never see his parents again. On a cold december day he is put on a childrens train to England, where he lands in the loving care of a childless couple and who become his second parents. There he lives happily and safe untill he is 35, when he leaves for San Francisco, to become a professional violinist in a symphonic orchestra.
Decades later, in 2019, seven year old Anita Diaz and her mother Marisol flee for the violence in El Salvador to the United States. But they get seperated from each other at the American border. Marisol is sent back to El Salvador, while Anita is sent to a dirty refugee camp with lack of any care for her. Months later, a social worker named Selena Duran, picks up her case and tries to get Anita out of the camp. This works, and months later, Anita finds a safe place in the foster home of Samuel Adler. For Samuel it is if history repeats itself. Together with Selena, they work hard to find Anita's mother Marisol, but if seems like Marisol has gone missing, as there is no trace of her to be found, and the question arises, if just like Samuel in his past, Anita will ever see her beloved mother again..

I truly didn't know what to expect of this book and it is the first book by author Isabel Allende I've read so far. But it truly is a book that I like!
The start of the story where the reader meets Samuel Adlers family in the start of WWII , it truly is gripping and sad, then the story takes a completely different turn and takes you to present time El Salvador to the story of Anita and Marisol. This part felt very realistic because of Anita's sad stay in the refugee camp, which are the sad reality of many immigrants from Central and South America.
At firsthand, it truly made me wonder what the two seperate stories meant, as I was truly curious what happens next to Samuel. It truly takes the reader to far over the middle part of the middle part to find out there is going to be a connection between the two main characters, as other previous parts are sometimes told from Selena's point of view. So it takes a while to figure out how exactly the storyline is build op, but afterwards you can only conclude that this setup of the storyline is truly original and different in a good way than any other book. The characters are very well developed and the conclusion of the book, altough it was not a very happy one, was good. Overall I can say that I truly enjoyed reading this new book by Isabel Allende and I recommend reading it.

Allende can do no wrong and The Wind Knows My Name is no exception. This is beautiful, lyrical, and I can't stop thinking about the characters.

This book was so good -- both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I thoroughly loved it. 

The book follows several main characters over several time periods. The book starts in Vienna where Sam's mother has to make the choice to send him alone on the kindertransport to get out of the country. From there we follow Sam's life as he moves to England and eventually the US. We also meet Leticia, who eventually comes to work for Sam. Lastly we meet Anita, whose mother has brought her to the US and then disappeared, and the two people helping to find her mother. 

The intersection of these characters, as well as the parallels between what is happening now and what happened during the war, was incredibly powerful. I loved each of the characters and loved how they all came together and the beautiful relationships that were formed. 

The descriptions of early pandemic lockdown made me anxious, Isabel Allende captured that so well -- and the new situations and routines we all found ourselves in. I loved the end and was so happy they all found each other. 

Overall I highly recommend this book, it was so beautiful. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I am a big fan of Isabel Allende but this book didn't land for me in the same way as the others I have read. I of course loved House of the Spirits and found her last novel Violeta to be equally compelling.

This one seemed to lack the richness and complexity that I've come to expect in her books. This book also took place mainly in the United States so perhaps that is why it felt disconnected to me. It's also possible that the plot taking place during the pandemic just didn't feel interesting enough to me. The pandemic was mentioned but only in a very vague and cursory way when in reality it likely would have consumed the main character's thoughts a whole lot lore than the story let on.
I enjoyed the characters in this one but didn't feel they were fully developed the way I've come to expect with Allende's books.

All in all I found the storyline somewhat entertaining and enjoyable but wouldn't recommend this book Ober the author's other works.

This is another great time-spanning novel by Isabel Allende. While this story is bit shorter and tighter than the epic A Long Petal of the Sea, Allende still manages to weave multiple narratives from parallel refugee crises spanning over 80 years. The way Allende does this in under 300 pages is a feat in itself, and it really could have probably been longer and still remained compelling. The overarching idea of how history parallels itself, many times tragically, in ways that aren't always immediately apparent is present through these connected stories. While the content and time periods covered definitely ensures that parts of these stories will be deeply saddening, Allende has again written a historical fiction novel that is captivating and humanizing. I would definitely recommend this read from one of the best historical fiction writers of the moment.

I’m not big on fantasy or what I think of as magical realism, so I wasn’t sure about this one… but I had just finished reading Ms. Allende’s stunning memoir The Soul of a Woman, so I was eager to read her latest The Wind Knows My Name, and happy to receive a copy from Random House Ballantine and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

This story is so touching and gripping, and the way it is written is incredibly beautiful. There are actually two stories presented, each centered around a child fleeing something horrible, looking for a place to LIVE and grow. The first child is a musically gifted young boy named Samuel, whose father has disappeared during Kristallnacht in Austria in 1938. His mother, desperate to save her child, sends him ALONE to England. After a series of orphanages, he is adopted by a Quaker couple.

Eighty-some years later, a 7-year old girl named Anita flees with her mother from the horror of her family’s homeland of El Salvador, hoping that the U.S. will take them in. Thanks to the insanity of immigration under the Trump administration, Anita finds herself in a freaking CAGE where she escapes into fantasy using her imagination. Fortunately, a social worker and an attorney work to try to help her.

Both stories are heartbreaking. There are sporadic glimpses of hope in both stories, but they are both definitely emotionally challenging, particularly for hyper-sensitive readers. But I highly recommend this, and give it five stars. Oh, and by the way, Allende is a genius.

Isabel Allende's "The Wind Knows My Name" is a dual timeline story about two children in two places and times as they find their way to new countries. In one timeline, Samuel leaves Vienna on his own survives the Holocaust due to his mother's foresight and sacrifice. Leticia narrates some of his section as she cares for him in his old age.

In the 2019 timeline, El Salvadorian Anita is separated from her mother at the border to the United States when they enter illegally. Anita is blind and has an imaginary world to help her cope with the loss of her mother and little sister who died before the immigration.

A social worker and lawyer get involved and try to help Anita until she can be reunited with her mother.
Allende knows how to craft a story that makes us root for her characters. We so want them to find their place in the world and family to enjoy it with.

Thank you so much to Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this story.

Preview for Netgalley: I did not find this as engaging as Long Petal, but it was still enjoyable. Where as her previous book read as though it could be true, this one was more obviously fiction. But the story kept me engaged and invested in the outcome of the characters, especially the mystery of the missing daughter.

The Wind Knows My Name is a masterfully crafted novel that seamlessly weaves together the lives of two unforgettable characters, Samuel Adler and Anita Díaz, who are separated from their families by very different circumstances but bound by their shared quest for family and home.

Set in Vienna in 1938, the story begins with a five-year-old Samuel Adler and the heart-wrenching disappearance of his father during Kristallnacht. As the shadows of Nazi-occupied Austria loom over Samuel's family, his mother makes the difficult decision to secure his place on a transport train to England. With nothing but a change of clothes and his beloved violin, Samuel embarks on a journey that will shape the rest of his life.

Fast forward to Arizona in 2019, and we meet Anita Díaz and her mother, fleeing danger in El Salvador and seeking refuge in the United States. Their arrival coincides with the family separation policy, and young Anita finds herself alone in a camp in Nogales. To escape her harsh reality, she immerses herself in Azabahar, a magical world of her imagination. Alongside Anita, we follow Selena Durán, a dedicated social worker, who enlists the help of a determined lawyer in her search for Anita's mother.

The author expertly intertwines past and present, seamlessly shifting between the experiences of Samuel and Anita. Their individual journeys are emotionally compelling, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable challenges. Through their eyes, we witness the sacrifices parents make for their children and the indomitable power of hope that drives them forward.

The historical backdrop of Nazi-occupied Austria adds a layer of depth and poignancy to Samuel's narrative. The author's meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy transport readers to Vienna in 1938, allowing us to witness the harrowing events and feel the weight of the characters' experiences. The parallels between Samuel's journey and Anita's displacement in modern times serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by refugees and the enduring human spirit that refuses to be extinguished.

The Wind Knows My Name is a love letter to the resilience of the human heart and the unbreakable bonds of family. The prose is beautifully written, capturing both the innocence of childhood and the profound wisdom that emerges from life's trials. The author's vivid descriptions and evocative imagery bring each scene to life, allowing readers to feel the emotions and immerse themselves fully in the characters' journeys.

This story is a timeless tale of resilience, hope, and the power of the human spirit. Through the interwoven stories of Samuel and Anita, the author reminds us of the sacrifices made by parents and the enduring strength of children who never stop dreaming. It is a poignant and captivating novel that will resonate deeply with readers long after the final page has been turned. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a profound and heartfelt reading experience.

This is such a dark story, I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
I love Isabel for shedding light into South and Central American history and politics. Really threw me for a loop with the story starting off in WW2 for a while. I was still hooked but El Salvatore got me anxious to find out what happens next. The audiobook is excellent to listen to and I enjoyed most of the characters. I wish there was more interactions with them with dialogue than statements in the book. I don't think it's as good as Violeta but a close second!

Oh, I loved loved loved this book. This was my favorite of all of the authors books that I read tying together, the horrors of the holocaust and the horrors of the child separation at our border. Was genius and so moving.