Allende takes readers on another epic adventure with her latest book, My Name is Emilia del Valle. The illegitimate child of a Chilean aristocrat, Emilia grows up never knowing her biological father. Nevertheless, she is thoroughly loved and cared for by her religious mother and supportive adoptive father who encourage her writing ability. Emilia grows up to be a journalist and author who doesn’t let her gender block her entry into the world. After traveling to New York on her own, she embarks on a journey to Chile to cover the civil war and to track down her father before it is too late. Along the way, Emilia finds love but she never lets romance derail her ambition and curiosity. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and tales of strong adventurous women are sure to love Emilia del Valle.

I’m not usually a fan of historical fiction, but My Name is Emilia del Valle really called to me. In my search for Latine authors and stories, I knew I had to fully immerse myself. This was my first time reading something by Isabel Allende, and I’m so glad I did.

At times, the story felt a little wordy with a lot of information—but if you're a fan of historical fiction, I imagine you'd really enjoy that. For me, it lost me for a little while, and I started to lose interest. I’m really relieved I kept going, though, because the story turned out to be incredibly touching and empowering.

This book really shines a light on the terrors of war and how it can transform people. The violence is brutal, but seeing it through Emilia’s eyes was refreshing. She’s powerful, determined, stubborn, proud, independent—and yet, she’s also sympathetic and has moments where she's soft. I loved her at every turn of the story. I want to believe I see part of myself in her, especially my younger years of rebelling against the “norm” of Latino family expectations and what good, faithful women are “supposed” to look like. Having a character who is so confident, so set in her ways, so determined to share her story—and knowing she is worthy, talented, and a force—was my favorite part of this book.

You can really tell there’s a lot of research and personal experience behind this story. The details of growing up in a Hispanic household, even while being raised in America, really resonated with me. The feeling of belonging to two different countries, your heart and soul constantly split between them—it’s something I know all too well.

Overall, I think this will be a great read for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction. Emilia's character will stay with me!

This historical novel set during Chile’s civil war did not quite live up to what I have come to expect from Isabel Allende. The historical details were impressive, but the pacing was uneven and I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. As a novel of self-discovery, I found it missing an emotional center, stuck as we were with the telling of events in a tone that felt cold and didn’t allow for much nuance of feeling. The most important piece of the story was left almost entirely to the reader’s imagination as we finally catch up to Emilia after she has spent some time alone in the wilderness. A disappointing, flawed work from a skilled storyteller.

There was a lot I loved about the book -strong female lead, I loved learning about her relationship with her family in the beginning. The writing was beautiful and well done. The descriptions of war were very detailed - to the point where this was a much heavier read than I anticipated. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will be looking into more from this author!

Isabel Allende once again has given us a story of a strong woman, deeply connected to her family and culture, a story full of heart and courage depicting a piece of history of her native Chile. The story telling is alluring from the first page. Her writing is as usual mesmerizing with descriptions of places such as San Francisco, New York City to Valparaiso to Santiago that brought me right there. The depiction of events and the mores of the times and the people, not just the political situation in Chile gives a genuine feel for the time. In the late 1880’s when it’s unheard of for a female journalist to even have a byline other than for the gentler issues, Emilia del Valle is sent to Chile on assignment during the political upheaval of civil war. It’s a fascinating story of a young woman looking to make her place in the world and discover something about her roots as she seeks out her birth father at the same time .

The first person narrative gives it the feel of a memoir . We experience Emilia’s story first hand and intimately as she connects with the people she meets along the way, allowing us to make acquaintance with some interesting characters. It’s so much more than the story of a journalist, but of a young woman staking her claim in life and love . The sign of an impeccable translation is when you don’t feel as if you are reading it in translation. I originally gave this 4 stars and after thinking about it more as I write my thoughts , it’s deserving of 5 stars.

I received a copy from Random House through NetGalley .

I received an advanced copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a life long Allende fan, I am proud to say this is her finest work yet. Allende masterfully crafts the story of a novelist turned journalist and her lover on a journey through war torn Chile at the turn of the century. All of the Allende hallmarks are here: passion, adventure, war, family secrets and the most memorable canine companions.
Allende has grown in this novel through the inclusion of plot twists, she is playing with her usual formula and adding mystery that leaves you guessing about the characters fates until the final page.


This is a new classic and i’m so jealous that come May millions of readers will be able to read it for the first time.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. I really liked this book. It was slow at first, but then picked up. Im so happy I stuck with it, it's worth reading.

Isabel Allende is one of my all-time favorite authors of historical fiction, and this novel about Emilia del Valle, a young woman who becomes a journalist and travels to war-torn Chile, lives up to this legacy. Well-written and compelling, and a great story about a strong woman overcoming the limitations of her time. Nearly docked a star for the final chapter but the rest of the novel makes up for the shortcomings of the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5 stars
RECOMMEND

This novel had the usual beautiful writing by Isalbe Allende, but the character development and storyline didn't work for me. This novel is more about the Chilean Civil War of 1891 than about Emilia. The description of the book was not what I expected at all. It was all about the war, which was devastating, horrific, and ugly.

If you REALLY like Isabel Allende or her writing, this book may work for you. The graphic war descriptions are gruesome and were too much for me. I prefer more character-driven novels, and this novel missed the mark on that aspect.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7328025559 - posted 3/5/2025

StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/0dd95b7d-232e-4a77-9339-cfaa02eac314 - posted 3/5/2025

Books by Dorothea blog: https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/03/review-my-name-is-emilia-del-valle.html - posted 3/5/2025

This is a beautifully written novel, narrated by Emilia del Valle. It is her story bifurcated by her life and journalism and her experiences during the horrible civil war in Chile.

Emilia goes to Chile to write about the war, instead her life becomes tangled in the bloody excess of the war. Because Allende writes so well, I felt the pain and bloodshed. She is there in search of her biological father as well. This part of the narrative was certainly what I enjoyed the most. Ironically, finding her father and her inheritance becomes her own future.

This is a very interesting novel, but not an easy read. I think anyone interested in South American history will find this fascinating.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read another novel by Allende.

First of all, a big thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC of My Name Is Emilia del Valle. It was not my usual genre, but I ended up truly loving this expressive narrative.

Emilia del Valle was an author and later became a war correspondent during Chile's vicious Civil War. I paused to ask myself how I ended up with this book but I plodded on. So glad I did. It was both heart stopping and so vivid in the descriptions of humanity and the countryside.

Set against the backdrop of the Chilean Civil War of 1891, My Name is Emilia del Valle follows Emilia, a young journalist who defies convention by traveling to Chile to cover the conflict. Along the way, she finds herself in the trenches of battle, navigating political turmoil, personal loss, and a journey of self-discovery. When she unexpectedly inherits land in a remote part of southern Chile, she embarks on a new adventure that challenges everything she thought she knew about herself and her place in the world.

The story is intriguing, but the pacing is uneven—some parts move too quickly, jumping abruptly from intense moments, like being on the battlefield, to quieter ones, like a stay in a hotel. Other sections slow down considerably, making it feel like the momentum stalls. I also found parts of Emilia’s journey hard to believe. In 1891, it seems unlikely that a woman would be allowed to work as a journalist, travel to Chile during a civil war, somehow make it onto a battlefield, and then go off on her own to claim inherited land in a remote part of the country. While historical fiction doesn’t have to be perfectly accurate, these details felt a bit too modern for the time period. That said, the story is engaging, and Allende’s writing is as vivid as ever—just be prepared to suspend some disbelief.

I love reading books by Isabel Allende and this one truly did not disappoint! It is a great historical fiction read about the state of affairs in Chile and a young woman becoming a nun and falling under the spell of a Chilean aristocrat. And along with that, a woman pursuing a career in writing and traveling to the trenches of the Chilean war.

I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Isabel Allende's newest book, My Name is Emilia del Valle. Emilia is from San Francisco. Her mother was the daughter of an Irish immigrant who had planned to become a nun until she met a dashing, wealthy Chilean man, who is Emilia's father. Emilia is raised by her mother and stepfather, whom she loves dearly, and she never seems to miss her absentee father. She loves writing and aspires to become a reporter, a profession that was not available to women at the end of the 19th century. She is permitted to report on the Civil War occurring in Chile and finds herself in danger, living a life she could never have imagined. Emilia must decide who she is and who she wants to become after meeting her father and his family, experiencing the Civil War, and observing how other people live.

Another very enjoyable book from Isabel Allende. This one if filled with complex characters, interesting Chilean history and a wonderful story!!

4/5 stars

I have been reading Isabel Allende since her first published novel, “La Casa de los Espíritus”. I can said, “My Name is Emilia del Valle” it’s one of her latest best works. It kept me engaged and captivated from the first page. There is many great things to enjoy and love about this book. Beautiful written, full of likable characters and historical facts. The pace is a roller coaster, sometimes suspenseful, others nostalgic, but always realistic.

It takes readers through Emilia’s childhood, culture, personal and professional journey in the late 19th century. I enjoyed Emilia’s strong and brave personality. She went against society, achieving her passion and challenging gender inequality. Allende has a special gift describing emoruons and the landscape, without giving long nonsense details. She transports readers to different places and situations with a simple and engaging language. I felt I was part of the story. I appreciated the historical recount. I didn't knew anything about the Chilean Civil War before reading this novel.

Hardly recommended it to all historical fiction lovers and Allende’s fans!

I came in with high hopes of getting swept away. This book didn’t do that. Everything felt rushed or like a dull lecture. The fmc wasn’t engaging or interesting. In fact all characters were underdeveloped and forgettable. I never saw the romance between mmc and fmc.

I am a fan of Isabel Allende. I have read almost all of her books and have loved many of them. This one, however, fell flat. There were many reasons why I should have found it captivating. The early part of the book is set in my hometown of San Francisco in the 1860s. It follows a young nun who becomes pregnant by a wealthy Chilean rascal who then shuns her. I should have been captivated by the descriptions of the neighborhoods and early San Francisco life, but they felt rote. The rest of the book follows the daughter produced by this union, Emilia. She becomes a writer and journalist and ultimately travels to Chile to chronicle the unfurling civil war and to meet her father's family. While I enjoyed learning more about this period of Chile's history, many of the historical and location descriptions were thin. The plot also felt more contrived than usual. As a writer, my pet peeve is when the same descriptors and verbs are too-often repeated, and this was the case in this book. I also found the characters less developed than usual. By the end of the book, I felt as though I had read something written by AI: the right ingredients were all there, but they did not combine into a savory dish. I hate writing negative reviews, but I'll confess I am glad I did not have to buy this book. I hope Allende's next book will be written with the care of her earlier works.

Isabel Allende is my absolute favorite author, so I was thrilled when I got an advanced copy of the book! Her book “House of Spirits” completely changed who I am as a person, and I’ve read all of her other books. This book is about Emilia, a woman who becomes a journalist and goes to Chile in search of her story and the war raging on in the country.

This one fell a bit short for me though, and I’m not sure why. I loved her writing, it’s as clear and precious as always. I loved the real life history that the story was based on. Allende always does an incredible job of researching her history, and I always end up learning something about Latin American history that I didn’t know before. And of course, her main character was a complete bad ass and didn’t fit into society’s norms of how a woman should act.

But I just felt like this story didn’t go as deep as I wanted it to. I felt like it was very surface level, and I wanted to know more about our main character. I almost feel rushed through this book, and would have loved more pages so that Allende could have really fleshed out every character and scene. Everything was just a little too abrupt for me. But all in all, a good read! Just wanted to explore our characters a little bit more Thank you #netgalley for the book!

My Name is Emilía del Valle is another brilliant and exciting novel written by Isabel Allende about a very strong, independent and fierce female character: a young woman, in the end of the 19th century, who lives in California (born to an Irish mother and a Chilean father) and aspires to be a writer and a journalist. She first writes short novels - under a male pseudonym, that are published in the local paper, but she wishes to became a journalist and not hide under another name.
She manages to travel alongside the most respected male journalist of the paper they work for and they go to Chile to report all about the current civil war in that country.

It's a touching story about the horrors of war and how to find yourself, your true self and identity, in the midst of tragic events and uncertainties.
Isabel Allende, as usual, writes beautifully and the readers are gripped by the very first chapter. This book is divided into different parts, which makes, in my opinion, the reading experience more dynamic and fast-pacing.
The conclusion is heart-breaking but also compelling.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read a book by this author before and enjoyed it, and even if you haven't read a book by Allende yet, you should consider picking this one up.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.