jesykah's review against another edition
DNF'ing at page 52. Did not like the writing style. Sorry but I just can't get into books with zero dialogue
fkshg8465's review against another edition
5.0
Homerun - just like every Allende book I've ever read. Did have to look up a character index online though, because like every Allende book I've read, she's got a bazillion characters! All rich and worthy of getting to know, but yes, many, many characters.
susanlawson's review against another edition
4.0
Alma Belasco, send by her Jewish parents to live with with her wealthy relatives in San Francisco at the outbreak of WW2 becomes a celebrated artist. Her life is recounted, including her friendship with and marriage to her cousin, Nathaniel who dies of AIDS and her lifelong romance with Ichi, the family's Japanese gardener.
claudia2945's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointing, given how much I have enjoyed her other books. The plot seemed contrived.
lindsey_white's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
xtina114's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
leigh_ann_15_deaf's review against another edition
3.0
Deaf reader reviewing books with deaf characters.
Surprise deaf character: Lillian, Alma’s aunt, is hard of hearing and takes opium in order to sleep, so could not hear Alma’s nocturnal sobbing. Her deafness doesn’t seem to otherwise impact her.
Lillian becomes more deaf with age, shouting when she speaks. When she can’t hear voices anymore, she practically becomes psychic—able to guess what people are about to say and responding before they speak. She becomes suddenly blind after her husband’s death and remains independent.
Also, since Lark House is an old folks’ home, several residents are hard of hearing and use aids, and occasionally become confused by words they don’t hear properly. In another time, an old man who didn’t hear a soldier’s order was murdered near the fence in a Japanese concentration camp (Topaz, UT). These are brief mentions, glimpses of facts, and do not have much bearing on the central characters. It’s nice to have visibility.
This book is listed on my ranked list of books with deaf characters: https://slacowan.com/2023/01/14/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/.
This book is listed on my ranked list of books with deaf characters: https://slacowan.com/2023/01/14/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/.
vickymaldonado's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
Salvo por las últimas páginas, y por un personaje en particular, este libro nunca logró hacerme sentir lo que pensé que iba a sentir. Me enamoré de la narración de Isabel Allende y algunas secciones me gustaron mucho, pero siento que podría haber mostrado más de lo que contó; varias veces sentí que a la historia le faltaba algo.
Salvo por las últimas páginas, y por un personaje en particular, este libro nunca logró hacerme sentir lo que pensé que iba a sentir. Me enamoré de la narración de Isabel Allende y algunas secciones me gustaron mucho, pero siento que podría haber mostrado más de lo que contó; varias veces sentí que a la historia le faltaba algo.