Reviews

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende, Isabel Allende

careycarpenter's review

2.0

Many people like her books and her writing. I am not one of those people. The story is slow and I just find myself dragging my feet to continue reading so I can just get finished with the book and start the next one. Roser gets pregnant and the father dies in the war so she marries her brother in law to help take care of the baby. I thought I’d like the historical perspective but it’s a lot of Chilean politics from the 1950’s. It’s not terrible, it’s just not for me.

juliakobielska's review

5.0

Just extraordinary. So moving and piercing, it's hard to gather the thoughts after finishing it. The quotes from Pablo Neruda are such an impactful addition to Allende's beautiful style of storytelling. However, the power of "A Long Petal of the Sea" lies in its history, the history of Catalans and their unwavering fight for freedom.
The story of Victor (both the imagined one and Victor Pey Casado) and Roser can shine a light of hope for all those who still, in this day, have to escape, wander and search. It truly puts our lives, so easy compared to many others, in perspective. The answer to the question of "where do I belong" may prove to be a tad bit easier to find after reading this book.

ilman002's review

5.0

This book exceeded my expectations. The story was phenomenal and the writing was excellent. A Long Petal of the Sea was my first book by Isabel Allende, but it won't be last. 5 stars.

thetiniestghost's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

lizzy7's review against another edition

5.0

One of the most gorgeously composed books I’ve ever read.

ohjeanna's review

3.0

I liked reading about the Spanish Civil War and the effects of US interference in South America but overall this was fairly slow and meh.

melinha91's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

5.0

ivus's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

dylanasquared's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dsuzno's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated

4.0