This book tells the epic tale of the life and legacy of Violeta De Valle. Violeta herself tells this story in the form of a letter to someone she obviously loves greatly. This person’s significance is revealed later in the novel.
“There’s a time to live and a time to die. In between there’s time to remember.”
Violeta was born in 1920 in South America and lived to the astonishing age of one hundred.
“The world is paralyzed, and humanity is in quarantine. It is a strange symmetry that I was born in one pandemic and will die during another.”
She was born to wealthy family, in the aftershock of The Great War and the Spanish flu pandemic. At a young age, she experiences the effects of the Great Depression and the social discontent that followed.
“It’s much easier to be generous with a full belly than an empty one,” they said. I’ve never believed that, though, because I’ve seen that both kindness and cruelty exist everywhere.”
Living through some of the greatest historical moments of the 20th century, the author creates a vivid and immersive world, taking the reader on a historical and fictional journey, experienced through Violeta’s eyes.
“The journey of life has long and tedious stretches, step by step, day by day, without anything exciting happening, but memory is made up of the unexpected events that mark your course.”
Her personal experiences in an ever-changing, diverse, and complex world were fascinating. She shares the details of several relationships and passionate affairs – living through extraordinary time, a life filled with extraordinary moments.
“Sometimes our fates take turns that we don’t notice in the moment they occur, but if you live as long as I have, they become clear in hindsight.”
Refusing to be silenced, defying the patriarchy and the social expectations and stereotypes of the times, this strong woman also experiences grief, loss, and tragedy.
“Teresa said that until men gave birth and put up with husbands, as women do, they should not have an opinion – let alone decide on – abortion and divorce. She didn’t believe that men had the right to an opinion, much less to pass laws on the female body, since they’d never know the exhaustion of gestation, the pain of labour, and the eternal bondage of motherhood.”
I found Violeta De Valle to be an intricate and fascinating character. She is strong, but also vulnerable. Defiant, but also loyal. The character development in this book is a steep curve right from the start, and as a result, I found her wise beyond her years.
“That fairy tale that all humans are equal before the law and in the eyes of God is a lie, Camilo. I hope you don’t buy into it. Neither the law nor God treats everyone the same.”
Addressing themes of authority, righteousness, fate, family, love and revival, this book is a celebration of female courage and resilience.
“Exert some independence; you’re not a little girl. You can’t let anyone else decide things for you. You have to take care of yourself in this world, she said.
I’ve never forgotten those words.”
This book was truly captivating, and is beautiful written, I now fully understand and appreciate the hype around Isabel Allende’s books. She really does know how to celebrate life’s beauty and tragedy with sensitivity and delight, just like Violeta!
“Uncle Bruno and I celebrated the miracle of life with every chick that hatched from its egg and every tomato that came from the garden to the table; he taught me to observe and listen attentively, to get my bearings in the woods, to swim in freezing lakes and rivers, to start a fire without a match, to enjoy the pleasure of sinking my face into a juicy watermelon, and to accept the inevitable pain of saying goodbye to people and animals, because there is no life without death, as he always said.”
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
The Details:
Category: Historical Romance
ISBN: 9781526648365
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback
About the Author:
Isabel Allende https://www.isabelallende.com/en/books
