I truly loved reading Isabel Allende 's forthcoming book, My Name is Emilia del Valle. The title character is a young woman who lives with her mother and stepfather in Victorian San Francisco. Her parents encourage her in her desire to pursue a career in writing. Beginning with the writing of dime novels, she eventually lands a job with The San Francisco Examiner. When civil war breaks out in Chile, Emilia begins the journey of a lifetime to cover the war for her newspaper and to find her real father, a member of a prominent and wealthy Chilean family. From the perils and brutality of war, the joys and heartbeak of family, to the limits of self and the triumph of love, Emilia's journey is one you won't want to miss.

3.75

Isabel Allende has a mesmerizing ability to weave tales that traverse the realms of history, emotion, and personal awakening. However, I initially found myself grappling with a sense of disconnection from the main character. I struggled to embrace the protagonist's journey. Her challenges and triumphs felt distant. The historical and political upheaval taking place in the story seemed to overshadow the character's voice.

However, as I delved deeper into the narrative, layers of the storyline peeled away, revealing the protagonist's quest for identity, resilience, and the desire to belong.

And then came the ending—the climax of this emotional swell that left me breathless. Allende crafted it with such exquisite finesse. I found myself reflecting on the main character’s evolution and on the domestic and historical forces that shaped her journey.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced reader copy.

Isabel Allende's Emilia is larger than life, an incredible female for any age, let alone the mid to upper 1880s! Born to a teenage Irish novitiate and rejected by her Chilean nobleman father, she is brought up by her extraordinary mother and eventually her loving, doting father from San Francisco's Mission District. He is both her teacher and her protector, though Emilia is strong-willed and ambitious. She is fluent in Spanish and has a surprising career as a writer at an early age. "My Name is Emilia del Valle" gives us an historical peek at early San Francisco history, what journalism might have been like in that period, and also an excruciatingly detailed, on-the-spot recounting of war in Chile. Emilia has traveled there for work, but more importantly, to find the birth father her mother has never forgiven, trying to put at rest the angst and mystery surrounding him. The story keeps readers engrossed with its detailed descriptions of people, locations, and the brutality of war. I found Emilia's love life a bit difficult to believe and the eventual love story needed far more background than the book provides. One final thought, for now: I am in awe of the translators who preserve the beauty of the author's words and present us with a compelling book.

The story was interesting about a time in history that I knew nothing about but the writing seemed
very simplistic or sort of not literary, dumbed down. But I enjoyed the story nonetheless.

It is rare to find a book with character development that is so vivid you feel that you grow to know the character deeply and descriptions of historical events that are so evocative that you feel like you are living through the described events. My Name is Emilia del Valle achieves both of these objectives. I cherished every minute of traveling with Emilia from San Francisco to New York and then to Chile in the late nineteenth century to experience the civil war. Allende is a genius of developing strong female protagonists in the backdrop of important historical events and she has done it again with My Name is Emilia del Valle. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

We love a woman who knows who she is and Emilia Del Valle is that woman. Such a poignant perspective, being a woman in a man's world. Growing up in the shadow of her mother and having to make her own way. The writing is captivating and so is Emilia Del Valle.

An absolute treasure that is as informative as it is spellbinding. When Allende lends her hypnotic style to historical fiction, the story seamlessly unfolds. She is a master storyteller. I love novels like this because it feels like no single genre can hold them. Plot expectations float right out of the window, and the unpredictable threads add to the allure.

This novel reads like a memoir only it's centered on a fictional character. Emilia del Valle is a forward-thinking young lady with career aspirations and dreams to see the world. The only issue is that she lives in the 1800's and most believe her sole focus should be marriage. Luckily, her stepfather encourages her to achieve all the dreams she holds dear. Their relationship was lovely to witness. She travels from San Fransico to Chile as a journalist to cover the civil war raging there and with an ulterior motive to research her paternity.

"My Name is Emilia del Valle" has plenty to offer: travel, picturesque settings, danger, romance, war, and a magnetic heroine to explore it with. Another mesmerizing novel by Isabel Allende loaded with emotional depth.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the Advance Readers Copy

Emilia Del Valle, growing up in the shadow of her mother's scandalous past, sought to forge her own path. To support her family, she began penning dime-store novels under a male pseudonym. But her ambitions extended beyond fiction. Boldly seeking a career in journalism, she landed an assignment to cover the Chilean Civil War. Immersed in the chaos of battle alongside the Chilean Canteen girls, she experienced firsthand the horrors of war. I was riveted by this novel until the last 10%, the ending somehow did not sit well with me.

Thank you NetGalley, Isabel Allende and Ballantine books for this beautiful ARC.

The story of Emilia Del Valle will capture hearts as you journey with her in her fight to find her purpose. And fight her identity as a woman in a man's world.

She heals. transforms and even fall's in love.

What I took away from this book was her perseverance to keep going knowing she was Emilia Del Valle and noting was going to stop her.

This book is a treasure and will be revered for years to come.

I love everything that Isabel Allende writes and this epic tale was no exception. Thank you to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for the advance review copy!

Another wonderful book by Isabel Allende! A novel including a family saga, a love story, international intrigue, adventure, history and humor! I only wish it had more magical realism because Allende is the queen of it!

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende is a rare look into the Chilean civil war and that culture.We are introduced to Emilio and a cast of memorable characters.
Emilia grows up very independent and begins to write using a male name. Her journey of self discovery is undaunting. I was captivated by this story from the very first chapter. It's filled with magical realism, historical fiction and this author's incredible storytelling is amazing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read several books by Isabel Allende, her books are always enlightening, engaging, and interesting. Ms Allende has a wonderful writing style, the story flows, her words are very descriptive , you really feel like you are there. The story of a young woman , Emilia in the late 1890’s is an interesting read, it follows her life in California, her desire to be a journalist. she ultimately travels to Chile to cover the civil war there with another journalist for a California newspaper. Emilia’s story in Chile is one of true adventure, peril, discovery of her true self, her heritage and her ultimate destiny.

I enjoyed the main character of this book, however she was given far too much modern sensibility to be believable. Like all books by this author, it's heavily weighed down by the intricacies of the Chilean Civil War in a way that makes it feel like your slogging thru the story. However, it's interesting to learn the broad strokes of that history and experience a different culture thru the eyes of an American character.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars.

Feeling slightly unfulfilled after reading this book about Emilia del Valle and the Chilean civil war.

Isabel Allende returns with My Name is Emilia del Valle, a stirring novel that breathes life into a fierce heroine amidst the tumult of the Chilean Civil War. This time, Allende brings us the story of Emilia del Valle, a young woman caught between two worlds—her Chilean roots and the Irish upbringing of her stepfather—as she forges a path as a writer in a man’s world.

Emilia’s journey begins in San Francisco, where she dreams of breaking through as a writer for the Examiner. Surrounded by men paid more to cover “hard” news, Emilia endures the expectations that women stick to “softer” topics like fashion and home life. But her ambitions won’t let her settle. Determined to cover meaningful stories, she’s drawn to the revolution unfolding in her father’s homeland, Chile—a war both historical and deeply personal. I really enjoyed reading about San Francisco in the late 1800s - I just wished there was a little bit more of the historical side added to the book. It was interesting to read about the Mission District, a place I am familiar with.

The novel takes readers through Emilia’s search for her father, her quest to capture the war’s brutal reality, and her brush with Chile’s fierce canteen girls who brave the frontlines to support soldiers. Though the plot sometimes skims over pivotal moments, the story never loses focus on Emilia’s emotional journey as she grapples with identity, love, and the calling to write. It's a fast read - almost surface level.

In the end, while this 300-page novel leaves some threads untied, My Name is Emilia del Valle is a gripping tale of courage, heritage, and resilience.

You always know when you are reading a book by Isabel Allende. Words are like colors, vibrant and penetrating. My Name Is Emilia del Valle is no exception. A work of fiction about a brave woman, Emilia, who gets caught up in the Chilean civil war.
The details of life, in Chile, at this time draw you in, colors your imagination. You see the battles. This is truly a gripping read. Isabel Allende never disappoints. Special thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors. I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book due not fully connecting to the main character and it being focused on the history of Chile. The ending was beautifully contrived and written.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The beauty of this story lies in its ability to weave historical fiction with a personal tale of growth, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy narratives that delve into the heart of a character’s emotional and cultural identity. It’s a book that stayed with me long after I finished it, and Emilia’s story is one I won’t soon forget.

This is the first historical fiction story I have read in quite some time and it was wonderful. I really enjoyed Emilia’s character; her bravely, her wild spirit and determination was invigorating to read. I enjoyed following her journey and learning about the culture and people she met along the way. The worry was way to follow along and very well written.

I got through the first two chapters and something was just not clicking for me. This unfortunately is not the book for me at the moment, but I wish the author the best and I appreciate the opportunity given by the publisher for this arc!