This author has such immense talent at storytelling. She uses such beautiful language it’s hard not to be captivated from the beginning! This was my first time learning about the civil war in Chile- I enjoyed learning about women’s roles at this times, and of course loved Emilia in particular. She was so brave and independent.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

I hate to say it but I did not really like this book very much. I have read a goodly number of books by Isabel Allende and the only one I liked less was Island Under the Sea and that was so long ago that I really don’t remember why I disliked it. I just finished the short story, Lovers at the Museum and thought it was very good.
But back to this book. The characters were mostly not very likable except for the stepfather. The historical part was interesting but not really compelling and the end section was kind of ridiculous. I plan to read The Wind Knows My Name soon so I am not giving up on this author just because of this one book but it was just not for me.

This was an interesting read about a time period I’m not familiar with. I really loved the opening section in San Francisco! As Emilia makes progressively more and more dangerous life choices seemingly without any plan (getting involved in war journalism, then joining the battlefield in uniform, then wandering off into the wilderness without any training) I did get frustrated with how she keeps getting saved completely by the grace of other characters risking their lives to help her. It’s interesting in a way, because being able to charm other people into helping you presumably is a big part of succeeding at journalism, but the book is in Emilia’s point of view and so it’s pretty clear this isn’t something she’s doing, it just keeps happening to her. But I loved how vivid the setting was and I enjoyed learning about a part of history I didn’t know anything about previously!

Thanks to Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende.

I love historical fiction and this story has you between San Francisco and Chile in the middle of a Civil War. Emilia is a fascinating character and this is a story of family, self-discovery written by one of the best storytellers in Isabel Allende.

Over the years I have read a number of Allende's book, some I loved and some not no much. With fascinating and detailed research, Allende paints a portrait of a woman, Emilia del Valle, advanced for her time in the late 1880s, leaving San Francisco to go report on Chile as tensions heightened leading to a civil war. This little known piece of history is vividly described, both the political situation and the gruesomeness of the conflict. While the character has substance and pushes against the norms of accepted society, I still felt a certain remove from her. Possibly the translation could be accountable or it may be the author's intention. An excellent example of how historical fiction can transport us to other times.

This started off strong for me but by the second half of the novel I wasn’t interested. I think this was because I wasn’t connected to the characters especially Emilia. She felt very distant even though she was the main character. I appreciated the setting and the rich historical details but wish there was more connection with the characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I have long been a fan of Isabel Allende's writing and while My Name is Emilia del Valle was not my favorite of her books, it was still a fascinating story woven into the Chilean Civil War.

Emilia is born in tough circumstances, she is the result of a relationship where her father took advantage of her mother and then he left them on their own... sort of. Emilia is not fatherless, the man who helped raise her left his imprint on her... in delightful ways. With his help, she publishes some sort of risqué stories under a pen name... which sets her feet on the path of the desire to be a writer. She eventually gets a job at The San Francisco Examiner and heads off to New York to write some stories but eventually she and a co-worker head off to Chile to cover the war. The bonus for Emilia is that she meets and develops a relationship with her father and his family.

Allende does a fantastic job of portraying how challenging it was for any person to cover war... male or female.

For me, the ending was the most moving and it seemed the perfect way to bring My Name is Emilia del Valle to a close.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the digital copy of this book. It was published May 6, 2025.

Would anyone be surprised that this was my first time reading a Isabel Allende novel? I have had many of her works in my radar but I received an eARC for this book so I knew I had to start with this one. And don’t let my rating fool you, I enjoyed it greatly.

The book is centered around our protagonist, Emilia Del Valle, who can be best characterized as a strong, independent woman that wants to experience the world and all of its mysteries. Her backstory begins with her mother and absent father that brought her into this world, which I thought was a clever way of introducing us to Emilia because through the way her mother was fooled by her biological and brought into this world; it determined a lot for Emilia. Her step-father, who she claims is her true father really shaped Emilia into the person we see throughout the novel. I especially loved this one bit: “He said I needed a profession that would allow me to support myself and do whatever I pleased, without depending on a husband or anyone else.” His support and wisdom that first part of the novel really cemented and foreshadowed in a way Emilia’s trajectory which was brilliant.

The historical fiction genre of the novel cannot not be mentioned in my review because I am one that seldom reads the genre but, I learned so much Chilean history and social structures. Isabel Allende doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of history and presents everything with care and precision to ensure the reader knows exactly what is at play. Emilia’s involvement as being a war correspondent that also finds herself reconnecting with her father and his family and assisting in the war with the canteen girls. There are many things that root Emilia to Chile not only familial roots but also the physical environment that calls to her character.

Some things in this book didn’t work for me, I found some things over explained and sometimes that would stop the flow of the novel for me. The pacing, despite it being a short novel with 287 pages, it was slow and hard to get through those muddy bits.

In short this is what I liked about this book: the beautifully written prose, the progression of Emilia’s character, and the rich history that co-leads the novel’s plot. But if you find it difficult to fully get into a book when the pacing is a bit slow, then please proceed with caution or have that in mind when picking this book up.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A courageous young woman who has seemingly been more influenced and supported by her stepfather than her bitter, scorned mother finds a way to become an author at a young age. Wanting to break free from her pen name, Emilia finds her way into Journalism while covering the Chilean War of Independence.

I received this book as an ARC from netgalley and the publisher. When I’m reading historical fiction I prefer when the main character is an actual person, but in this story this isn’t the case. However, the Chilean War did actually happen and the depictions of war and the lush beauty of Chile are on full display in this descriptive, well written novel.

This is my third book (don’t worry- I plan on reading a lot more) by Isabel Allende. She has a way of capturing you and sending you back in time.

The pace felt a bit off in places and the ending left a bit to be desired, but I will always find myself drawn to Allende’s works.

I also didn’t realize how many of her books follow the del Valle family! I’ve read 2, but I need to get to them all!

I love a book about a strong and bold woman, and Emilia was just that!

The best thing about this story is Emilia’s sense of adventure.
At a time when women were bound by social convention, Emilia defied that. A reporter who had to write under a pseudonym she traversed sea and land to discover not only the story but also her roots.
In typical Allende fashion, it’s a sweeping narrative that straddles both Americas, enhanced by the richness of the details.

i loved the beginning of this (the photograph image brought me right in!) and the way history was conveyed kept me invested throughout. i wish that the romance had been scaled back or removed entirely, because it paled in comparison to that for me!

I am a huge long-time fan of Isabel Allende and was really excited to read her new one -- this one didn't really work for me and I found it pretty dull and not too memorable.

I enjoyed the parts in San Francisco as I love the city, and I love the idea of writing under a pen name - I enjoyed the time period and felt anxious for Emilia. The love story felt sweet and was surprised by the very end, but overall I wasn't very drawn in to this one -- which is not my experience with her previous books!

I will definitely read what Isabel Allende writes in the future - her last one was one of my faves - but sadly didn't connect with this one.

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

Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors ever since I blew through The House of the Spirits years ago. I always make her books a priority. Not only is she the first author of magical realism whose book I actually enjoyed, but I’ve also loved reading her historical fiction, no matter where it is set. So it was clear to me that I’d be reading this book, whether I got approved through NetGalley or had to wait until it was released.

You know the kind of books that are written in a way that manage to always get me to identify with a character, enjoy the journey through their life, and always fit just right when I read them, no matter the location or characters or time period. So I was already expecting that same feeling with this book, and Allende didn’t let me down.

We are introduced to Emilia del Valle, an Irish-Chilean woman, who grows up with her saintly mother, who was a candidate to become a nun before she was wooed by a Chilean aristocrat, then left alone and pregnant with nothing to give her daughter except his last name. However, she marries a Mexican-American man [her Papo] who raises Emilia as his own, offering her love, attention, and security, while encouraging her self-confidence, and teaching her never to let anything or anyone hold her back. It’s really easy to love both Emilia and her Papo, as well as her mother, who has kept the nunnish habit of selflessly giving to the needy, while also nursing her resentment towards the man who abandoned her. The whole family is immensely likable, but especially Emilia.

Emilia herself is intelligent and confident, and although the story is set in the late 1800s, she’s a modern thinker. The fact that her parents encourage her in whatever she chooses to do only helps her take on increasing challenges with success. She dreams of being a writer, and by her teen years, she is writing dime mystery novels under a male pen name. But she sets her sights higher, and soon finds herself writing a column at the San Francisco Examiner and paired with Eric Whelan, a man who writes news pieces, while her column is more of a human interest topic.

Always thinking out of the box, it felt like each situation or subject that Emilia approached was approached with interest and honest curiosity, and her writing earned her a devoted following. As the newspaper is looking to cover the civil war in Chile, Emilia mentions that she is part Chilean, and speaks fluent Spanish, and is sent to Chile along with Eric to cover both the war and her human interest topics. While she is there, she reaches out to the prominent family of her father.

The story is a fascinating one. It is set at a turbulent time in history, and focuses on a part of the world and events that I was just learning about through this book. A lot of times, I will follow a book up with a nonfiction about the same events, just to see the historical facts and learn more about Chile. This is one of those books. Seeing the world through Emilia’s eyes felt intrepid and exciting, while also highlighting some of the challenges she faced as a woman in a those times, when reporting on anything more than the social scene was viewed as ‘too strenuous’ for women. Her byline is attributed to her male pen name, but she dreams of being able to report under her own name.

Chile was a revelation. Emilia fell in love with the country, and by the end of the book, so did I. It makes me want to travel alongside her and experience all of the things too, but I was born more than a century too late to see this version of the world. As a reporter, she faces the world with an enthusiasm and curiosity that makes every experience an adventure, and it was exciting to read her tale.

Overall, this is one of my new favorite books as well as Emilia becoming a new favorite character in literature. After reading more than a few of Allende’s books, I’m always surprised at how she manages to create characters and situations that simply draw the reader in and builds an emotional rapport to at least one character in every one of her books. With her usual unwillingness to shy away from approaching heavier topics, she discusses themes of misogyny, racism, colonization, and the classism rampant in Chilean society, while also addressing them with sensitivity. I normally include both positives and negatives of any book I read, but I didn’t notice any negative things in the story, so I didn’t try looking too hard for flaws. This is a book that I can eagerly recommend to anyone looking to learn more about history or just to ease into reading a literary legend of South America. No matter which of her books you choose, you can’t go wrong—she’s a talented author who somehow manages to make every book of hers that I read into my new favorite. So go on and check it out for yourself!

What a powerful book!
In My Name is Emilia del Valle, Isabel Allende tells the moving story of a strong, resilient woman set against the backdrop of Chile’s civil war. It's a compelling narrative about identity, family, love, and a profound connection to one’s homeland.
The writing is mesmerizing, filled with vivid descriptions and historical detail about the Chilean civil war. Allende masterfully weaves fact and fiction, bringing to life not only a turbulent time in history but also the deeply personal journey of a woman discovering who she is.

Emilia del Valle is the daughter of an Irish novice nun, Molly Walsh, who had a brief, passionate relationship with a wealthy Chilean man who abandoned her when she became pregnant. Emilia is raised by her mother and a kind, loving stepfather, growing up to become a strong, independent young woman with a passion for writing.
Her talent lands her a job as a columnist at the San Francisco Examiner, where she meets Eric Whelan, a talented reporter who becomes the love of her life. When political unrest in Chile escalates into civil war, Emilia’s heritage and journalistic instincts draw her and Eric to the country to report on the conflict.
While in Chile, Emilia reunites with her biological father and begins to uncover the complex and painful truths of Chilean history. As the violence intensifies, she is forced to confront the horrors of war, question her identity, and ultimately discover a deep love—for Eric, for her family, and for the land of Chile itself.

One of the reasons I love reading historical fiction is the opportunity to learn about different cultures and moments in history through powerful storytelling. Before reading this book, I knew very little about the Chilean civil war, and I’m truly grateful to have gained insight into this important chapter of Latin American history.
This book is clearly well-researched and beautifully written. I especially appreciate the author's thoughtful portrayal of Chile’s political landscape, as well as the emotional depth she gives to Emilia's personal journey. The characters feel real and their struggles relatable, even set against such a historically significant backdrop.

Overall, My Name is Emilia del Valle is a moving and eye-opening novel that blends history, love, and personal discovery. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and anyone who enjoys stories of resilience and self-discovery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House – Ballantine Books for providing a copy of this book.

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 feelings 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!

Let me start by saying I am a big fan of Isabel Allende! Her last book was amazing and I rated it 5 stars and have loved her previous works as well.

Unfortunately, I could just not get into this book. The first 15% or so I found interesting but there just wasn’t enough character development for me to feel invested in the story. I found myself often spacing out while reading and decided to call it at 30%. I was just bored.

I think many will enjoy this book and I might even come back to it at some point but right now, it was for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

This story starts in San Francisco in the 1800s when Emilia's mother is seduced by a wealthy Chilean aristocrat and gets pregnant. She leaves the convent and eventually marries Francesco who helped raise Emilia. Emilia wanted to be a writer and Francesco encouraged her to write dime novels under a pseudonym (women did/t write novels at the time).
The author describes SF in the late 1800s beautifully and develops Emilia as a strong protagonist, with determination and grace. Emilia gets a job with the SF Examiner and is assigned to cover human interest stories from the Chilean civil war. Her mentor, Eric, covers the nitty gritty of the war from the rebels side, but advises her on her assignments as well.
She meets her biological father, and some of his family although she is not readily accepted.
The descriptions of the war and violence are gritty ,and bring death and suffering up close. However, the historical setting is rich and the character development is fascinating.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and am leaving my opinions voluntarily.

Great book about a strong women. Love her journey. This book would be great for your next book club read.