Reviews tagging 'Violence'

El viento conoce mi nombre by Isabel Allende, Isabel Allende

12 reviews

lego28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Violence

lovelyoutliers's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

A beautiful, empathetic story weaving together experiences of family separation and tragedy separated by half a century - a young boy (Samuel) sent on the kinder transport after Kristallnacht on the kindertransport trains and a young girl (Anita) who was separated from her mother at the US-Mexico border. 

Sensitively weaving stories of loss, the obstacles people will face to find safe places, and how families can be built in many different ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation

Moderate: Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Violence, War, and Trafficking

rani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Murder, Trafficking, Stalking, Sexual assault, Deportation, Child death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Genocide, and Car accident

lilcubana31's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

Moderate: War, Xenophobia, and Violence

Minor: Trafficking and Child death

bendercath's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

I have read several of Isabel Allende’s books and I always finish having learned something new — often about humans’ capacity for violence and humans’ capacity for healing. This did not disappoint. Before reading this, I did not recognize the parallels between the Kindertransport and children separated from their parents at the US border. I was aware of both. But this novel has intertwined the two in the form of Samuel and Anita … and I will not forget them. While overwhelming at times, this book presents people whose courage and compassion help to heal “the holes in the hearts” of Samuel and Anita. There is hope in this book. 
I was very grateful for a little magical realism sprinkled in with Anita’s narration to her younger sister and the world she created to cope with unimaginable pain. This book will stay in my heart for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Genocide

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

kathyovalle01's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, War, Murder, Genocide, Deportation, Child death, Violence, Misogyny, and Antisemitism

elevy2's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

marla_arguelles's review

dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Deportation, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Genocide, Racism, and Violence

soupqueen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.25

Isabel tells more than shows, but the characters are engaging and the story is heart-wrenching. Could be a quick read if you wanted, or you can sit with it for a while.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Trafficking, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Grief, Rape, Stalking, Death, Genocide, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pedophilia, and War

Minor: Deportation

pomoevareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

Telling the stories of a young boy separated from his family during the time of Nazi controlled Germany and moved to England via the Kindertransport and many years later in the United States at the Mexico border where a young girl is detained separately from her mother and goes into the care system while their asylum is considered, The Wind Knows My Name is a special book.

I have been a reader of Isabel Allende’s since 2005/6 when I first read The House of the Spirits. I have read almost all of her books and they are all dear to me.  Much like her previous novels, Allende opens the door to parts of history (and present in this case) and creates an emotional tie to the periods.

The two timelines converge and if you don’t shed tears then what kind of monster are you. It is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming. Allende was first inspired to write this story after seeing a play about Kindertransport. From there she used some of her personal connections to a Foundation she started many years ago after losing her own daughter, Paula. This organization works to serve women and children and works with refugees along the U.S. border as well as internationally. The best reads are those that are passion projects and I hope that readers will pick up The Wind Knows My Name.

Oh and if it wasn’t obvious, I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Murder, Child abuse, War, Trafficking, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Confinement