A review by lizclark81
Violeta, by Isabel Allende
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Disappointed there wasn't more character development. The writing was good but it felt more like a synopsis of the events of a novel than a finished novel itself. I don't feel like I really knew any of the characters to be moved by what happened to them, least of all Violeta herself. Mostly archetypes, the people in her life all seemed to have a very unoriginal role to fill: the captivating scoundrel lover; the trainwreck addict daughter; the spoiled grandson. I don't feel like this book really broke any new ground, which it could have if it had fleshed out its characters more.
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Classism, Violence, Physical abuse, and Colonisation
Minor: War, Drug abuse, Addiction, Sexual content, and Death