Reviews

De amor y de sombra by Isabel Allende

pilesc's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense

4.0

cappog's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective 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

ludsvica's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

pensavo meglio. mi è piaciuto l'intreccio che c'è tra i vari personaggi, ma mi sembra che alla fine siano stati buttati un po' così. non ho nemmeno capito più di tanto come finisce

m7lissa's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Da tempo non sentivo il bisogno di postare una "recensione" ma questo libro mi ha lasciato davvero una sensazione di "wow"!
Dopo decenni in cui chiunque mi consigliava di leggere qualcosa della Allende mi sono convinta, e rimpiango non averlo fatto prima- gia' ne ho ordinati altri!

Ammetto di averlo trovato un po' spaesante all'inizio- ci sono tanti personaggi, famiglie e storie da seguire, ma dopo un po' sono riuscita ad orientarmi. Era anche il primo libro di letteratura latina che abbia mai letto - lo sfondo del regime cileno e degli scomparsi e' interessantissimo, e ho sentito molto vicino il tema della patria (e dell'espatrio).

nanikeeva's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

meh

balladares's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

De Amor y de Sombra es la historia de una valiente pareja chilena que se une en profundo amor para rescatar la verdad de los abismos de la política y los secretos de la dictadura. Irene Beltrán, periodista, hija de familia acomodada y por ello, ciega de los derrumbes sociales e ignorante de la crudeza del mundo. Francisco Leal, psicólogo desempleado y fotógrafo que busca sobrevivir en este país regido por la dictadura militar de "El General".

La historia esta buenísima, una historia romántica que no se olvida del mundo al rededor. Irene y Francisco, se unen física, emocional y espiritualmente en esta aventura por desenterrar la verdad. Su amor va más allá de abrazos y besos a cada minuto del libro, su amor consiste en saber que el otro está ahí, para protegerte, para cuidar de ti, velar por ti, luchar por ti y tú por él.
Todo esto sumado a las maravillosas historias de todos los demás personajes, cada pasado que determina el presente, algo tan característico de Allende, con su elección meticulosa y perfecta de cada palabra. Isabel puede incluso hacer de una ida al baño un viaje etéreo y sobrenatural, que cosa más maravillosa y placentera de leer, para perderse en sus palabras y emprender el vuelo junto a ellas.

Algo random, me pregunto si este libro fue censurado en la época de la dictadura aquí en Chile, las cosas que menciona e incluso las "palabras mismas" de Pinocho que lo dejan en ridículo. No sé, curiosidad.

Un saludo especial a Josefina Bianchi y a la flor del nomeolvides :(.

En fin, muy adorable todo. No me canso de Isabel Allende, una pluma envidiable que simplemente no se puede al menos no intentar.

"Cuando Francisco se quitó la ropa fueron como el primer hombre y la primera mujer antes del secreto original. No había espacio para otros, lejos se encontraba la fealdad del mundo o la inminencia del fin, sólo existía la luz de ese encuentro."

"Se miraron y comprendieron que ambos aceptaban llegar al límite de esa aventura que podía conducirlos a la muerte y más allá."

"—¿Volveremos? —murmuró Irene.
—Volveremos —replicó Francisco."
((Chúpate esa John Green))

erin_oriordan_is_reading_again's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This is a beautiful, beautiful book.

boxcar's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is a trickier one to review. I just finished, and in some ways this is my favorite allende and in others my least favorite. At times she does a sort of stream of consciousness that i haven’t seen in her other works, and that works to perfection. once again, she managed to devastate me totally while also warming my heart with a passionate romance. This book was more horrific though, and the romance felt a little unimportant in light of the devastation. Death and love exist in the same breath, with the same magnitude. I’ll be honest, i found that weird at points. The most intense moment of love and desire happened directly following the first and most intense confrontation with death. Obviously, this is intentional and the collaboration of love and horror in a story dealing with an oppressive militantly regime certainly works. However, it was jarring, and this is not a complaint, because I think it was meant to be. I’m rambling, but I thought that theme was pertinent. Fantastic book once more; she somehow still shocks me and draws tears from my eyes. I should know her tricks by now, right?

Same deal with many characters being some amount of bad and some amount of good, complex, humans. some are just evil but it goes like that. graphic graphic graphic, painful to read at points. More than her others I think Allende did not allow atrocities to be left unsaid or simply hinted at—something important but extremely extremely uncomfortable and at times nauseating. 

pazzdv's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring tense medium-paced

5.0

pandaintheshelves's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0