joaniemaloney's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. The second half or so after Agua Santa was so much better for me and finally it seemed to congeal into something after all the buildup, though I suppose having a messy sort of novel like this with threads going everywhere is the point, and the way of Eva Luna's stories, so this is partly my fault for finding some parts of it a grind to push through. I did want more and better for so many of these characters though. There's a hope and a bittersweet taste to all of it - the stories Eva tells Rolf and the way she writes her own - which is perfect for me. I was a bit out of my depths for the first 1/3 of it, otherwise I would've rated this higher. maybe it wasn't the best book to read on the commute with all the interruptions and instead read in long sittings to lose myself in, like how I read the second half of it, realizing that unless I changed my ways, I was likely going to read this for another month.
silodear's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's the first Isabel Allende novel I've read and I devoured it. There was so much that I enjoyed about this book, that I don't know where to start. Lots of good stuff about queer folks, interesting words on government, a nice approach to writing about love. Wonderful.
bregger99's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
inthecommonhours's review against another edition
3.0
It would be more accurate to say I started it 3/15, and I don't think it is a story meant to be read so quickly. But for several reasons I found myself unable to open a book for most of March. That spell is over, alleluia, and I did enjoy Allende's novel, though not as much as House of Spirits. Parts of it reminded me of my favorite Isak Dinesen stories. There were frustrating moments of straight narrative---in which there was much telling and very little showing. I imagine it read much differently at the time of its publication.
I'm doubtful it will be discussed at tonight's bookclub, but I'd love to hear or read a discussion of this narrator's reliability. There were several moments when I felt Allende standing back from Eva, such as her description of her final night with her adopted father. Eva had to edit the story she had been telling herself when she saw him with his 14 year old wife years later.
It was a dizzying book, that now feels like 10 different books all shuffled together. The time in Germany, the time in the Professor's house, her time with the Madame, then with the Turk. I knew she'd see either Mimi or the old Madame when she walked in that church and was disappointed to be right.
I'm doubtful it will be discussed at tonight's bookclub, but I'd love to hear or read a discussion of this narrator's reliability. There were several moments when I felt Allende standing back from Eva, such as her description of her final night with her adopted father. Eva had to edit the story she had been telling herself when she saw him with his 14 year old wife years later.
It was a dizzying book, that now feels like 10 different books all shuffled together. The time in Germany, the time in the Professor's house, her time with the Madame, then with the Turk. I knew she'd see either Mimi or the old Madame when she walked in that church and was disappointed to be right.
catarina_parente's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and War
julokel's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.75
aotora's review against another edition
2.0
I really, really wanted to love this book, especially because I've read it before and I genuinely enjoyed it, but I simply couldn't. The only reason why this one gets two stars instead of one is that it kept me interested enough that I wanted to see what would happen next but other than that I really didn't like it.
I mainly picked up this book because the premise was about a modern day story teller but … We don't really get any of that, we get two whole stories told by Eva and the rest of the book is just mentioning that she is a story teller and it barely plays any huge role aside from her writing a script for a tv drama that reveals what was going on in prisons in the end. That's the only time it actually seems relevant.
Also, I know full well that this book was written quite some time ago but man did some things bother me- casual mention of one of the main character banging his own cousins for one- that was just disturbing to read, frequent use of the word faggot, it really, really bothered me though I suppose that it wasn't such a bad word back when this was written and the casual mention that Eva's adoptive father married a 14 y o after she left him, it's just brushed over but that's so weird to read. I really did like some characters, I just wish that they were developed more. I had great expectations when I started reading this book but after I finished… it's just not something I'd pick up again any time soon.
I mainly picked up this book because the premise was about a modern day story teller but … We don't really get any of that, we get two whole stories told by Eva and the rest of the book is just mentioning that she is a story teller and it barely plays any huge role aside from her writing a script for a tv drama that reveals what was going on in prisons in the end. That's the only time it actually seems relevant.
Also, I know full well that this book was written quite some time ago but man did some things bother me- casual mention of one of the main character banging his own cousins for one- that was just disturbing to read, frequent use of the word faggot, it really, really bothered me though I suppose that it wasn't such a bad word back when this was written and the casual mention that Eva's adoptive father married a 14 y o after she left him, it's just brushed over but that's so weird to read. I really did like some characters, I just wish that they were developed more. I had great expectations when I started reading this book but after I finished… it's just not something I'd pick up again any time soon.
verafey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
suannelaqueur's review against another edition
4.0
OK, so maybe it wasn't The House of the Spirits which I HIGHLY recommend, but still Eva Luna was extremely enjoyable. I love Allende's writing: visual, sensual, imaginative, magical.. I've heard it described as "fantasy surrealism." There were chapters when I felt like I could eat the words right off the paper, especially the parts about Rolf and the dalliances with his luscious German cousins. Delightful. So much fun.
celestemarin's review against another edition
4.0
I think I might have read this in Spanish about 20 years ago, but I'm sure I didn't understand most of it. Lots of semicolons, which is a plus for me.