Scan barcode
the_clueless_tourist's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
gracescanlon's review against another edition
That's the trouble, actually. It's fine. I could only read this before bed, because it kept putting me to sleep. That is, in a small way, also a compliment - Allende's prose, its rhythm, is soothing. But the book is also boring boring boring.
I've been trying to read more diverse books. Even so, Allende in general has been on my TBR, as a renowned female South American author. However, leaving the country where the book is set unnamed was frustrating to me. I've learned since abandoning this book that it's set in Chile, but as I read it, the vagueness of the location irked me. I want to know more about other places. Leaving Violeta's setting unspecified was counterproductive to that - it just wasn't a choice I liked or appreciated. I'm quite aware that that's a personal problem, and that Allende's choice was purposeful and valid, but I don't have to like it.
The amount of people in the reviews who were at all surprised as to Camilo's identity is baffling to me. It's so blatantly obvious to me that he's her grandson, or at the very least a grandson-like person in her life. Y'all need to work on reading comprehension.
Violeta seems, to me, aimless - an odd sensation, given it's the story of a woman's life that spanned throughout tumultuous times. But even 35% through the book, Violeta has only been "involved" with contemporary world events tangentially, if at all.
Also, the older Violeta telling the story has a little personality, but her younger self has very little. Honestly, the side characters were all more interesting than she was, from Torito and the Rivases to her aunts and Miss Taylor.
So, ultimately, I didn't care, don't care, can't care. I'll be donating or selling this book.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
jamieclower's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
leahkarge's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
hillysreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Miscarriage
dreamyy_reader's review against another edition
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Abortion