annemariewellswriter's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warning: serial rape, battery, domestic violence, abortion, child molestation
Allende writes characters the way I wish I could write characters. She writes history the way I wish I could write history. She writes details the way I wish I could write details. Aside from the beautiful writing, I found little to enjoy in the storyline.
The story follows the life of an entitled, violent, self-righteous, narcissistic, sociopathic serial child rapist turned wife beater/rapist. You spend 400+ pages wondering when justice for all the violence he committed will be served, and it never is. He is constantly saved and his violence constantly perpetuated by the emotional and physical labor of the women in his life. He dies rich, happy, and peacefully at a ripe old age, with an explicit moral in the final paragraphs that muddles the concept of revenge versus justice.
Justice to powerful men is never served in real life, Allende! Why can't we at least fantasize about shitty people getting what's coming to them!?
My only consolation was following the love story between Blanca and Pedro Tercero. I had to stop reading in order to cry into my hands, both happy and envious, that things turned out differently for them than they did with me and my Pedro Tercero.
I'd love to read a remake of this story that didn't use racist, ableist, or homophobic terminology, and that taught the moral that if you are a greedy, power-hungry, sociopathic, violent, piece of shit rapist, you will be tortured slowly and painfully for the rest of your life.
Allende writes characters the way I wish I could write characters. She writes history the way I wish I could write history. She writes details the way I wish I could write details. Aside from the beautiful writing, I found little to enjoy in the storyline.
The story follows the life of an entitled, violent, self-righteous, narcissistic, sociopathic serial child rapist turned wife beater/rapist. You spend 400+ pages wondering when justice for all the violence he committed will be served, and it never is. He is constantly saved and his violence constantly perpetuated by the emotional and physical labor of the women in his life. He dies rich, happy, and peacefully at a ripe old age, with an explicit moral in the final paragraphs that muddles the concept of revenge versus justice.
Justice to powerful men is never served in real life, Allende! Why can't we at least fantasize about shitty people getting what's coming to them!?
My only consolation was following the love story between Blanca and Pedro Tercero. I had to stop reading in order to cry into my hands, both happy and envious, that things turned out differently for them than they did with me and my Pedro Tercero.
I'd love to read a remake of this story that didn't use racist, ableist, or homophobic terminology, and that taught the moral that if you are a greedy, power-hungry, sociopathic, violent, piece of shit rapist, you will be tortured slowly and painfully for the rest of your life.
april_liebt_libros123's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This story is LONG but not without intention. As a multi-generational tale, I was often left wondering what was the point of it all. There is a rather extended climax of the end of the book, but it ties all the experiences of the many varied characters together in a way the mirrors the story telling of its protagonists. I finished it feeling an appreciation for the journey it took me on, even if it took me a minute to get there. While I won't say I ENJOYED this book, I do definitely feel like I learned from it and have a good representation of this style of writing and what the author is known for. I'm grateful for the read, even if I had to force myself through some of it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, Racial slurs, Rape, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Sexism
motivoslobos's review against another edition
5.0
Apasionante y maravilloso para ser mi primera lectura de Allende, amé su pluma y la caracterización de los personajes, el final me dejó con el corazón en un hilo, pasaron cosas que necesitaba detenerme por un momento para asimilarlo pero no fue razón para abandonarlo. En cambio abrió mi apetito por seguir leyendo y sobretodo saber más de su vida. ¡Paula voy por ti!
filesm's review against another edition
5.0
Magical realism is creeping up to be my fav genre. The connection between magic and Latin America is so beautiful and I wanna learn Spanish so I can read the original bc it’s so good! I listened to half of it on audible and the narrators went tf off. “Marxism did not stand a chance in Latin America because it did not allow for the magical side of things”
Love love love
Love love love
laurassc's review against another edition
5.0
A book about love, hate, money, power, politics, beliefs, life and death, but mostly about people, human relations and family. One of my most recent favourites! So glad I decided to read it.
mightyoscura's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Body horror, Self harm, Violence, Torture, Misogyny, Medical content, Gaslighting, Deportation, Classism, Child death, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, War, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Colonisation, Abortion, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
hiltzmoore's review against another edition
3.0
I had this recommended to me by a site that recommended books if you typed in another author that you liked (long before GR recommendations). I had typed in Barbara Kingsolver, and this book did remind me a lot of The Poisonwood Bible - the story of a domineering jerk of a father figure who thought he was doing the best for his family and the world. They even had mirroring ant scenes, although I loved how the problem was dealt with in this book. I enjoyed these characters and even enjoyed the few segments told in the Patron's voice, but the mysticism came across a little strange to me (maybe that was on purpose?). It also drove me nuts that the author kept spoiling me! It would have been one thing if it was a future told by the spirits as a part of the mysticism plotlines, but usually it was just an aside at the end of a section where the author chose to end with a spoiler from later in the book. Nice to discover a new author, though, I will read her again.
rosassy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booksforjake's review against another edition
3.0
Oof. Tardé mucho en completar esta novela. No fue horrible, pero fue muy largo y a veces, denso. Había muchas escenas descriptivos sin cambios de parágrafos.
Por el cuento mismo, era un épico de la familia Trueba, especialmente sobre Clara, Blanca, y Alba, tres generaciones de chicas en la familia. El cuento me suena mucho de East of Eden por Steinbeck: una larga historia familiar, de algunas generaciones, con temas de violencia, venganzas, y conflictos.
De hecho, había un concepto similar sobre ciclos, balance, y libre albedrío contra el destino.
Por el cuento mismo, era un épico de la familia Trueba, especialmente sobre Clara, Blanca, y Alba, tres generaciones de chicas en la familia. El cuento me suena mucho de East of Eden por Steinbeck: una larga historia familiar, de algunas generaciones, con temas de violencia, venganzas, y conflictos.
De hecho, había un concepto similar sobre ciclos, balance, y libre albedrío contra el destino.