I am beyond thankful to have received this ARC of My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende, and I’m thrilled to share my thoughts!

Set in the late 1800s, this captivating story follows Emilia, a young, adventurous woman discovering herself and striving to become a writer. Allende’s narrative style makes Emilia’s journey feel intimate and personal, drawing readers right into her world.

Allende masterfully weaves elements of her own life and heritage into Emilia’s story. Both hail from Chile and share a passion for writing, which adds a rich layer of authenticity to the narrative. Through Emilia’s perspective, we explore Chilean culture, the challenges of societal norms, and the drive to pursue one’s dreams.

One of the most touching parts of the book is Emilia’s bond with her stepfather, contrasting with her complicated relationship with her biological father. This emotional depth adds layers to Emilia’s journey of identity and belonging.

Emilia’s character is bold and resilient, and Allende’s vibrant writing brings each scene to life. The novel is a testament to Allende’s gift for creating strong, memorable female protagonists, making this a tribute to every woman seeking her own path.

This was a wonderful read and perfect for fans of historical fiction, family themes, and stories of self-discovery. Highly recommend!

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Lyrical and transportive storytelling.
As always, so enjoy the thread of magical realism in the author's writing.
Not my favorite of this author tho—too much of this story was a deep graphic dive into the Chilean civil war.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine for this e-ARC.

This book was incredible! I loved the setting and the diversity of the character being half Irish and half Chilean. The storytelling was wonderful, though I think Allende has used better translators in the past - I felt like the language was too simplistic at times. I am not really a fan of long descriptions of war, either, so that also made it less than a 5 star read from me. I love Isabel Allende's work though, she is incredible!

Isabel Allende is well known for blending Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, and personal experience into stories of characters that come alive off the page, and in Emilia del Valle we have a personality that escapes from the text into adventure. Emilia relates the story of her parentage even before delving into the story of her formative years in San Francisco, and transitions into becoming an author and reporter in an era where women just did not do such things. Emilia's connections to her parents, especially her step-father provides a solid foundation and a belief in herself that pushes her to defy societal convention. Craving adventure and a connection to the land of her biological father, she eventually travels to report on the Chilean civil war. The story is full of vibrant images of life in the late 19th century, war, and love. I delighted in being taken on Emelia's adventure with her, taking in the beauty and horrors of the world she moves through, connecting with all of the characters that she meets along the way, and finding a certain peace in the story's end. This is an enchanting read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.