My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende is historical fiction mostly about a time in Chile during their civil war. I have read other books by this author which I enjoyed but this book I found to be a very difficult read. The first third of the book follows Emilia as she grows up in San Francisco and convinces the newspaper editor to give her a job as a journalist, which was unheard of in the 1800s. The second third of the book is when Emilia and a fellow journalist travel to Chile to cover the civil war going on there. That is where the book gets bogged down. There are just too many people to follow the story and who is on which side of the war. It really drags on. This is also the time where Emilia finally gets to meet her biological father. The last third of the book is what happens to Emilia after the civil war ends. I didn’t find the ending very satisfying and it seemed some what contrived. While the story was beautifully written, I just didn’t find the characters realistic or very likable.

"In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father - and herself.

In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.

To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man's pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.

As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny.

A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name Is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart."

The voice of Emilia is so strong.

Isabel Allende is a strong voice in historical fiction, especially as it pertains to Chile where she spent much of her childhood and early adulthood. In this novel, a continuation of the story started in "House of Spirits" (but this is a standalone) her protagonist is a female journalist in San Francisico trying to prove herself by writing under a male pen name. Women back then (1880s) were not easily welcomed into a field that was considered to be a "manly" profession. When the call goes out for journalists to cover the civil war in Chile in 1891, she jumps at the chance, since her heritage on her long-gone father's side is in that country and her hope is to research her ancestry while she covers the war. What transpires is more, much more, than what she bargains for and will keep you on the edge of your seat. This story is engrossing as much as it's informative and is full of intrigue, adventure, the horrors of war, and the friendships forged during such traumatic conflicts. It's a love story, a discovery of oneself, and is full of cliffhangers that will leave you pondering what happens next more than once through the story. I've read Ms. Allende's books in the past, and this one ranks right up there among the best. Thank you to #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for my copy. Highly recommend. Pub date is May 6, 2025. A definite must for your TBR list.

I loved this book! Historical fiction about a woman journalist who travels to Chile during their civil war in the late 1800s. The details were vivid. The small details that Allende adds to her characters, they feel so real. This book is slightly connected to the book, Daughter of Fortune (another great book!), so if you liked that one you will also like this one

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

As always, I cannot help but be completely captivated by Allende’s writing. Her setting, her descriptions, take you directly to the scene—whether that scene be at a Chilean lake, a mansion, or a scene of war.

I fell in love with Emilia’s story and the courage she displayed in such extreme circumstances. This was an absolute perfect read for Women’s History Month—a story of historical fiction written by a strong woman about a strong woman who befriends strong women along her journey of finding who herself.

"My Name is Emilia del Valle" follows the journey of a strong and unconventional woman, Emilia. The story unfolds between the gold rush era of San Francisco and Chile during its Civil War, offering a glimpse into the formative experiences. The book's historical accuracy is undeniable, but the story itself felt uneven. The characters remained distant, making it hard to truly invest in their journeys. The novel aims to explore self-discovery, yet it lacks a compelling emotional core. The narrative is presented in a cold, detached tone, leaving little room for emotional depth. The most impactful part of the story, Emilia's time alone in the wilderness, is left largely to the reader's imagination. It's a disappointment

I enjoyed every second of reading this book. Emilia del Valle is the daughter of an novice nun of Irish descent and a Chilean man who shared a brief relantionship. Set in San Francisco in late 1800, Emilia is raised by her mom and her stepdad who she calls Papo, a man who raised her as her own. From him Emilia learns to be curious and pursue her creativity, including writing and publishing novellas under a male pseudonym from a young age. When Emilia is in her 20s and uninterested in marriage, she applies for a job as a journalist in one of the top newspapers in California, where she is given a column written under her male pen name. When a civil war is about to rupture in Chile, Emilia feels in her bones she needs to go explore her Chilean roots and maybe meet her father. She is sent by the newspaper to Chile with one of her coworkers Eric Whelan, as war correspondents. To cover more ground, Eric goes to investigate the rebel's side and Emilia starts to socialize with the government and aristocrats that hold the power in Chile.

Emilia is an admirable character that is confident in her talents and is willing to put herself on dangerous situations for the sake of a good story. I enjoyed the setting and the historic context of Chile's civil war, which I knew nothing about. I very much loved the ending. I know I'll be thinking of Emilia del Valle for a long time. As of any Isabel Allende's books, this is a must read.

My Name is Emilia del Valle tells the story of a woman in the late 1800s as she breaks down gender barriers as author and a newspaper reporter. Her job as a reporter takes her to Chile, where she covers the Civil War, including going to the front lines, caring for the wounded, and ultimately, traveling the country. While the story was interesting and ultimately compelling, at times, it did get bogged down with political details and names of those involved in both sides of the war. I would recommend reading this book but knowing that it gets slow at times. Thank you to Random House Publishing and Isabel Allende for access to the advance reader copy.

Reading at time like a memoir, this novel is the convincing story of the life of a young woman who is determined, resilient, and committed to uncovering the truth. The main character is Emilia del Valle, a young woman raised by a mother who became pregnant while preparing to become a nun, and a beloved stepfather who was a major influence on her life. Toward the end of the 19th century it was not acceptable for women to be journalists, but Emilia prevailed and finally was assigned to report on the political unrest in Chile. She was doubly pleased, because her alleged biological father was a member of Chilean aristocracy, and she was determined to seek him out. She became embroiled in the revolution in Chile and witnessed the horrors of the battlefield, then when volunteering as a nurse she was arrested and brutally punished. Her integrity and indomitable spirit permeate the story, and readers will come to care about her at the same time learning about the history and culture of Chile.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabelle Allende

From the first sentence to the last, this five star page turner will hold your attention. Allende has a way with words like few other authors. Strong characters and equally strong story lines are her hallmarks. I especially enjoyed the author’s descriptions of people and places.

Emilia is not your typical female from the 1870s. She is from California and wants to work as a journalist. Determined and encouraged by her stepfather Papo, she finds success on her terms. A newspaper job leads Emilia to Chile, where she hopes to meet her birth father for the first time.

It’s 1891 and a civil war between the North and the South of Chile is brewing. Life will be very dangerous for a woman, but Emilia needs a story of interest to send back to her boss. She starts the trip with Eric, her co- worker, but they separate and have very different experiences. Much of the story focuses on this internal war, which is largely based on fact.

This novel was translated from Spanish to English by Frances Riddle, who deserves praise for her work as well.

Like most of Isabel Allende's books, we are given a strong female character who is a non conformist. The beginning of the book takes place in San Francisco with the remainder of the book taking place in Chile during the civil war. I found the pacing good and the book enjoyable.

It is a classic of Allende while being in a slightly different location. It is a beautiful while heart wrenching as only Allende can do.

I enjoy reading Isabel Allende's books, some more than others. This was an interesting story and well written in her usual style and form. The book was entertaining and kept me going through the end. Thanks for the advance copy and good luck.

Sweeping and interesting story of a non traditional woman in a traditional setting. I love the way Allende writes and will.always jump at her new novels.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed reading My Name Is Emilia del Valle. I enjoyed how the story was set up with Emilia's childhood, and then providing a contrasting story with the background on her mother's own less than ideal immigrant story. Allende writes a lovely portrayal of San Francisco in the late 1800s, with all the multicultural elements in one city. Emilia's sense of adventure, hampered as it was by being a woman of the time, was the best part of the book for me. I thought the book was enjoyable but really kicked into high gear once Emilia started getting published. Allende does not shy away from describing war and the darker events surrounding a revolution. I thought the book would end on a vague magical realism note, but nope, it didn't chicken out with that, and it made for a very satisfying read. Note: There is a dog featured in this book who is exposed to dangerous situations, but the dog itself is not harmed.

I'm so excited for this novel but unfortunately the formatting of the download was off and difficult to read.

Setting a 3-star because NG requires one.

This was not good. Zero character development. A travelogue of this character's life with little to no explanation of her motivations, reasons, drives. LIterally at one point the main character says "and then we fell in love" and that's the end of it. Why? What does she love? Nothing. Please give this a pass.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an eARC of My Name Is Emilia del Valle. I have been a longtime fan of Isabel Allende, I’ve read every book she has written and The House of the Spirits remains one of my favorite books of all time. I was so excited to see that the main character’s last name is del Valle as we have met numerous del Valle characters in The House of the Spirits, Daughter of Fortune, and Portrait in Sepia. I love that all of these books can be read independently of one another, but that there are easter eggs thrown in for the more discerning readers.

My Name is Emilia del Valle is about a woman growing up in San Francisco in the late 1800s. Her mother was a nun who was impregnated by a Chilean man who then abandoned her. Emilia is a strong female character who forges her own path in life. She finagles her way to a job as a reporter for a local paper and gets sent to Chile to cover the civil war there. While covering the war she is able to trace her roots and reconnect with her birth father and his family.

Allende is able to transport the reader to another time and place so effectively and her characters are full of depth. She has mastered the art of prose which makes her novels so enjoyable to dive into and so hard to put down. I have enjoyed all of her recent books but felt like they are missing something that the older works had that really made them special. This novel feels more like a return to what I loved about her older works, though there is none of the magical realism that she is known for in this particular book.

Set in the decade prior to the Chilean civil war of 1891, this new novel of Isabel Allende is first and foremost the tale of the lives and people of Chile during this horrible conflict. The horrific particulars of the war were vividly portrayed in all their horror and gore.

The restrictions (to put it nicely) imposed upon women during that period in Chile and in the USA were well defined, especially those having to do with sex. Men ruled the world and especially anything having to do with women.

There were a lot of similarities to previous novels of Allende’s. I loved the history as I have with all her books. And of course with all previous novels, the protagonist was a very strong willed woman fighting against all odds. But somehow this one didn’t grab me the way others have. Personally, I guess I just didn’t like Emilia. I didn’t like the way she seemed to defy all those willing to go the extra mile for her. She was selfish and seemed to care about no one except herself.

So it’s a conundrum for me. This book was beautifully written, very informative, but (for me) featured a woman highly unlikeable.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher, Ballantine, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emilia del Valle a young woman trying to find her place in the man’s world of journalism. Yet Emilia is a fighter and go getter. Her mother was left pregnant and alone by Emilia’s father. It wasn’t till her mother married her papo that Emilia felt a family love. Then came her love of writing and finally got a job contributing stories to the Examiner under a man’s name. When finally a civil war in Chile broke out. This would talk Emilia on her next adventure , finding her biological father.
This journey takes her to Chile when the country is in a political mess. She meets the women who fought on the front lines to defend their country. She meets her aunt who wants no part of her. Then she meets her father who is at deaths door and tells her he has nothing for her except the fact she is his daughter. Emilia reminds this man her father is in the United States. She now goes on a journey for truth.
Emilia was a courageous women that even in the darkness facing danger and death, Amelia trudged on to find what was hers. Something that she was missing, and it wasn’t until she escaped being killed that she decided she would look for her inheritance going on this journey alone Amelia was able to write the last great story her story. Emilia traveled from California to New York and finally Chile where she saw the terrible effects of war.
Thank you bums. Allende for a beautiful written story of courage and the fight for what is right. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC. 4.5 stars