Violeta
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- Create Date：2022-01-26 11:21:30
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Isabel Allende
- ISBN：0593558855
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Summary
This sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle， a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century。
Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920， the first girl in a family with five boisterous sons。 From the start， her life is marked by extraordinary events， for the ripples of the Great War are still being felt， even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth。
Through her father's prescience， the family will come through that crisis unscathed， only to face a new one as the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known。 Her family loses everything and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country。 There， she will come of age， and her first suitor will come calling。
She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others， recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs， poverty and wealth， terrible loss and immense joy。 Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women's rights， the rise and fall of tyrants， and ultimately not one， but two pandemics。
Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion， determination， and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval， Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional。
Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920， the first girl in a family with five boisterous sons。 From the start， her life is marked by extraordinary events， for the ripples of the Great War are still being felt， even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth。
Through her father's prescience， the family will come through that crisis unscathed， only to face a new one as the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known。 Her family loses everything and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country。 There， she will come of age， and her first suitor will come calling。
She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others， recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs， poverty and wealth， terrible loss and immense joy。 Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women's rights， the rise and fall of tyrants， and ultimately not one， but two pandemics。
Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion， determination， and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval， Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional。
Reviews
Pooja
，
Violeta， who was born during the Spanish influenza pandemic and turns one hundred years old during the coronavirus pandemic， writes a memoir to hand down to her grandson Camilo。I’ve heard a lot of good things about Isabel Allende， and in fact have several others of her books on hand， piled in the tottering tower that is my TBR list。 However， this is the first book by her that I’ve read， and it did not reach the heights I was expecting。Not that this is by any means a bad book。 The writing is so e Violeta， who was born during the Spanish influenza pandemic and turns one hundred years old during the coronavirus pandemic， writes a memoir to hand down to her grandson Camilo。I’ve heard a lot of good things about Isabel Allende， and in fact have several others of her books on hand， piled in the tottering tower that is my TBR list。 However， this is the first book by her that I’ve read， and it did not reach the heights I was expecting。Not that this is by any means a bad book。 The writing is so excellent that I slipped through the novel almost without realizing it， coming up for air at the end like after a swim in an extremely placid lake。 I found the storyline interesting， following as it does the ups and downs of such a long life through such varied circumstances – Violeta lives in poverty and wealth， has romantic attachments with a variety of personalities， has complicated relationships with both her children， and ultimately turns to activism in her old age。 She makes both wise and reckless decisions throughout， and is brave enough to own up to them。However， I felt like the novel was oddly lacking in emotional impact。 There’s a lot of bad things that happen to Violeta， but they felt almost glossed over at times。 This may be because Violeta at the time of the writing is so far removed from those previous events of her life， but I felt that this does the reader a disservice。 The only time where I felt emotion really break through was with Nieves， her daughter。I also had trouble getting close to many of the characters。 Those written about earlier in the story， such as Miss Taylor and Júlian， are more vivid than those who enter the tale later on。 Violeta herself is hard to peg， despite being the narrator and main character – perhaps it is because she stands in the reader’s blind spot， as the purported author of the memoir， but I did wish we got to know her better。Overall， a decent read， but I expect not one of Allende’s best。Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley。 This is my honest and voluntary review。 。。。more
Jean
，
Fascinating novel that spans over a century over continents of the storyteller’s life。 Ms。 Allende， with extensive research of the events and descriptions of the countries， mentioned by Violeta， the nearly centenarian， who is writing to someone she dearly loves。 It is a tell-all tale—from birth to everyday to special events， from poor to wealth to poor to wealth。 A classic written by an author of color; this book ranks in my own Top Ten books I have read。 Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Pub Fascinating novel that spans over a century over continents of the storyteller’s life。 Ms。 Allende， with extensive research of the events and descriptions of the countries， mentioned by Violeta， the nearly centenarian， who is writing to someone she dearly loves。 It is a tell-all tale—from birth to everyday to special events， from poor to wealth to poor to wealth。 A classic written by an author of color; this book ranks in my own Top Ten books I have read。 Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advance review copy。 Amazing that in 100 years we keep repeating how people treat one another but if you enjoy historical fiction and women’s fiction make this book your next read。 。。。more
Letty
，
Wow！ This book is so beautifully written and has left me teary-eyed。More review to come。
Bookworm Blogger
，
Full review to come。
Marie （UK）
，
I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 Written in the form of a letter the book is essentially the biography of Violeta del valle in Chile。 It spans a century during which the world changes enormously - perhaps Chile is somewhat behind the rate of change in more developed countries。 The book feels easy enough to read and kept my attention throughout。 I am not sure how much is absolutely historically accurate - for example i cannot find any evidence of resp I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 Written in the form of a letter the book is essentially the biography of Violeta del valle in Chile。 It spans a century during which the world changes enormously - perhaps Chile is somewhat behind the rate of change in more developed countries。 The book feels easy enough to read and kept my attention throughout。 I am not sure how much is absolutely historically accurate - for example i cannot find any evidence of responses to the Spanish Flu pandemic that mirrors what is happening in our Pandemic ridden society today and yet Violeta talks about such things。I felt that for me it missed the spark that would have created a dynamic narrative， Violeta's letter felt distanced - why does she consistently refer to some of the characters with full names rather than simply as Julian or Roy？ I felt it kept me at arm's length from their true character。I have enjoyed several books by this author this simply isn't my favourite 。。。more
Kimberly
，
Violeta Del Valle was born in 1920， in the midst of the Spanish Influenza pandemic， and died in 2020， in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic。 She lived an extraordinary life filled with extraordinary events， including the fall and restoration of democracy in Chile， World War II， the advancement of the rights of women （including suffrage， the ability to divorce， and the right to an abortion in some circumstances）， several tumultuous love affairs， and the birth of children and grandchildren。 Violet Violeta Del Valle was born in 1920， in the midst of the Spanish Influenza pandemic， and died in 2020， in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic。 She lived an extraordinary life filled with extraordinary events， including the fall and restoration of democracy in Chile， World War II， the advancement of the rights of women （including suffrage， the ability to divorce， and the right to an abortion in some circumstances）， several tumultuous love affairs， and the birth of children and grandchildren。 Violeta's life was full of love and full of courage， and is beautifully told， as always， through Isabel Allende's incredible storytelling。 Like all of Ms。 Allende's novels， this book was educational as well as entertaining。 The vivid characters lived through many real-life historical events， which were described with accuracy and intensity。 The writing truly makes the past come alive。 I was completely mesmerized by Violeta's life。 Fans of historical fiction who appreciate a well-developed strong woman protagonist will devour this incredible book。Many thanks to NetGalley， the publisher， and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this phenomenal book in exchange for my honest review。 Five beautiful stars！ 。。。more
Aida Alberto
，
This book blew me away。 Beautiful， haunting and lyrical。 Violeta"s story will stay with you long after the last page。 Absolute must read。 Happy reading！ #VioletaEnglishEdition #NetGalley This book blew me away。 Beautiful， haunting and lyrical。 Violeta"s story will stay with you long after the last page。 Absolute must read。 Happy reading！ #VioletaEnglishEdition #NetGalley 。。。more
Deb
，
Violeta by Isabel AllendeIf you are new to Isabel Allende， you are in for a real treat。 This is historical fiction at its best。 The family saga of Violeta Del Valle covers her life in South America from a young girl to adulthood; 1920 to the present。 Spoilers are easy to tell and hard to hide， so I will do my best to keep secrets in check。Violeta tells her interesting life story to Camilo through missives and diaries， though we don’t get to know who Camilo is until about two-thirds of the way th Violeta by Isabel AllendeIf you are new to Isabel Allende， you are in for a real treat。 This is historical fiction at its best。 The family saga of Violeta Del Valle covers her life in South America from a young girl to adulthood; 1920 to the present。 Spoilers are easy to tell and hard to hide， so I will do my best to keep secrets in check。Violeta tells her interesting life story to Camilo through missives and diaries， though we don’t get to know who Camilo is until about two-thirds of the way through the story。 Violeta explains to Camilo about all of the people who were important to her throughout her life， how they affected her， and why they should mean something to him as well。 We meet a lot of characters as Violeta brings them in， and then we watch them disappear and return; some many times。 The intriguing weaving of these characters is the strength of Allende。 You always want to know more。 She teases us。Through her letters， we also learn a lot about the history of “her country” （unnamed） and the good and bad of the different regimes and leaders over time。There is truth in Violeta’s/Allende’s writings。 You will be better informed about a side of life unfamiliar to you as you fly through this terrific novel。 My thanks to Random House and Net Galley。 。。。more
Mary Fabrizio
，
Received an ARC of this book and couldn't be happier。 Written as a letter to her grandson， this reads like a real memoir of a South American woman who experiences so much history in her 100 years。 Although the country isnt named， its based upon similar history of many countries and rang true to life。 I enjoyed spending time with Violeta and the special people in her life。 Received an ARC of this book and couldn't be happier。 Written as a letter to her grandson， this reads like a real memoir of a South American woman who experiences so much history in her 100 years。 Although the country isnt named， its based upon similar history of many countries and rang true to life。 I enjoyed spending time with Violeta and the special people in her life。 。。。more
Victoria Huscilowitc
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VIOLETARATING: ALL THE STARS QUICK THOUGHTS:t• VIOLETA - she's an INCREDIBLE MC t• EVELYN HUGO VIBES - calling all my Evelyn Hugo fans， this is your book！！！ I'll tell you more on why belowt• HISTORY - this novel covers a TON of South American history I knew nothing about and can't wait to start researching and learning more about Isabel Allende is truly one of the greatest authors of our time and her newest novel， Violeta， is no exception。 This is an incredibly beautiful story told by Violeta he VIOLETARATING: ALL THE STARS QUICK THOUGHTS:t• VIOLETA - she's an INCREDIBLE MC t• EVELYN HUGO VIBES - calling all my Evelyn Hugo fans， this is your book！！！ I'll tell you more on why belowt• HISTORY - this novel covers a TON of South American history I knew nothing about and can't wait to start researching and learning more about Isabel Allende is truly one of the greatest authors of our time and her newest novel， Violeta， is no exception。 This is an incredibly beautiful story told by Violeta herself as a letter to Camilo del Valle， who I won't tell you about to prevent spoilers， about her 100 year life and the learnings she's had along the way。 This story is broken over the span of different decades and phases of her life。 Violeta was an incredibly powerful MC and her life was no exception。 It was shaped by family turmoil， tragedy， political events， love， history， forgiveness， resilience， and strength。 Apart from Violeta， the characters is this story were so special。 All played an important role in Violeta's life and are one's I'll hold in my heart forever。 This will absolutely be one of my favorite books for the year。 I can't wait for you all to read it and share your thoughts！ So Evelyn Hugo vibes - two reasons why I feel like Evelyn Hugo lovers will also love this one！ First， is that both these books are written in the same format， the main character telling the story of their life to a specific person and reflecting on their journey and growth through that time。 Second， is that both Evelyn and Violeta were incredibly powerful women who were breaking down barriers in their times and just lived incredible lives。 You just read their stories and are in awe of what they lived through and feel it so deeply。 。。。more
James Costa
，
Another winner from Chilean author Isabel Allende。 This time we have the story of Violeta 。 She tells her story in letter form。 At first I found it distacting but then I truly felt like I was in her world and was part of history。 You learn of her difficult childhood， her family life， loves and what it was like to be a woman in her 100 years on the planet。 Their were stories about the Spanish Flu， The Great War and the hardships people had to go through and we complain about having to wear a mask Another winner from Chilean author Isabel Allende。 This time we have the story of Violeta 。 She tells her story in letter form。 At first I found it distacting but then I truly felt like I was in her world and was part of history。 You learn of her difficult childhood， her family life， loves and what it was like to be a woman in her 100 years on the planet。 Their were stories about the Spanish Flu， The Great War and the hardships people had to go through and we complain about having to wear a mask！ It was a truly inspiring read and there are so many topics you could talk about in a book club。 I predict this book will be。 a big bestseller because it has all the beauty of her earlier novels and transports you to a world that you can escapse to during the difficult times we live in today。 A tonic for the soul。 Read it！ 。。。more
Amie
，
Violeta is a lyrical story that tells the life story of a character who witnesses 100 years of history - through the Great War， Spanish flu pandemic， Great Depression， and so on， she and her family show resilience and persevere。 This book is well written and allows the reader to look back at history though the eyes of Violeta as her story unfolds。
Nancy
，
I wanted to love this， I really did。 The story of a woman born during one pandemic who is dying during another is pretty intriguing。 And I did like Violeta and her story， and many other characters， especially Torito。 But there were things about it that bugged me。 The setting is obviously Chile， but it's always called "my country。" I also didn't love the format， it's written addressed to her grandson， which is jarring at times and downright took me out of the story at the end。 Events that are pre I wanted to love this， I really did。 The story of a woman born during one pandemic who is dying during another is pretty intriguing。 And I did like Violeta and her story， and many other characters， especially Torito。 But there were things about it that bugged me。 The setting is obviously Chile， but it's always called "my country。" I also didn't love the format， it's written addressed to her grandson， which is jarring at times and downright took me out of the story at the end。 Events that are pretty life-changing are referred to without much detail， while politics are overly detailed， so you feel somewhat distanced from the main character。 I seem to be in the minority though and many others loved it。 。。。more
Sam Law
，
This is a captivating novel。 It is a retrospective on a life by a 100-year old dying woman， narrating the events of her life to her grandson。Born into a well-to-do family in 1920 South America， Violeta （the protagonist） careers through her life， her family， friends， loves and lovers。 The pace is not breath-taking， but well-measured， with beautiful details， well-observed nuances， and characters you can empathise with， if not identify with。Historical fiction it may be， but it reads like a memoir， This is a captivating novel。 It is a retrospective on a life by a 100-year old dying woman， narrating the events of her life to her grandson。Born into a well-to-do family in 1920 South America， Violeta （the protagonist） careers through her life， her family， friends， loves and lovers。 The pace is not breath-taking， but well-measured， with beautiful details， well-observed nuances， and characters you can empathise with， if not identify with。Historical fiction it may be， but it reads like a memoir， with Violeta growing and deepening throughout the book。 Her life is one of Riches to Rags and back to Riches， interspersed with the main events of the 20th Century （globally， cold-war South America， Great depression， etc）。 Her supporting cast are well-drawn， with each role they played in her life clear and plausible。 Violeta struggles with class， machismo and "women's place in society"， but also finds her inner strength and eventual purpose。 Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine Books for gifting me this ARC。 Thoroughly recommended 。。。more
Book Minded Mag
，
TW: domestic violence， drug use， suicideOk so for the most part， I enjoyed this book。 I enjoyed the storytelling， the vivid details of Violeta’s family and her surroundings。 Isabel Allende has always been good at those things， in my opinion。 What drove me crazy is Violeta herself。 This book is basically about what happens to a woman when she meets the wrong man and refuses to give him up。 Generally， Violeta is a smart woman。 She has a knack for coming up with great ideas that make money。 But whe TW: domestic violence， drug use， suicideOk so for the most part， I enjoyed this book。 I enjoyed the storytelling， the vivid details of Violeta’s family and her surroundings。 Isabel Allende has always been good at those things， in my opinion。 What drove me crazy is Violeta herself。 This book is basically about what happens to a woman when she meets the wrong man and refuses to give him up。 Generally， Violeta is a smart woman。 She has a knack for coming up with great ideas that make money。 But when it comes to her personal life， she is a Class A dodo。 I’ll forgive her earlier mistakes because she was young。 And we all remember how stupid were were when we were young， don’t we？ Violeta’s bad decisions are the result of having incredible sex with an exciting man。 A man who， frankly， sounds like the most interesting （and hot） man in the world。 But men （and women） like that cannot be contained， causing Violeta to turn into the biggest simp on the planet。 Throughout her story， all I kept saying to Violeta was， “girl， get rid of him！” But when you’re in the outside looking in， it’s so very easy to say。 But when you’re in it， and I mean REALLY in it， it’s almost impossible。 Violeta is no exception。 One of the main things I enjoyed in the book is the author’s inclusion of love after a certain age。 Not many people write about sex and love among older generations and I’m glad Ms。 Allende did。 Society makes it seem like men and women stop having sex at 30 and that is far from the truth。 It may not be as passionate and adventurous as it is at 23， but it can still be fun， sexy and very intimate。 I would definitely recommend this book to my readers。 Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Cindy （groundedinreads）
，
This book has left me wanting to read more by this author！ This is a story about a woman who’s life began during the pandemic of 1920 and ended 100 years later during another pandemic。 Violeta was the only daughter of a wealthy family and was a feisty， strong willed child of which she never outgrew。 Violeta’s life was full of love & losses but she always stayed true to herself and always fought for what she wanted。 Reading about Violeta， was like traveling through time and stopping at all the ma This book has left me wanting to read more by this author！ This is a story about a woman who’s life began during the pandemic of 1920 and ended 100 years later during another pandemic。 Violeta was the only daughter of a wealthy family and was a feisty， strong willed child of which she never outgrew。 Violeta’s life was full of love & losses but she always stayed true to herself and always fought for what she wanted。 Reading about Violeta， was like traveling through time and stopping at all the major events of the past century from pandemics to wars to economic fluctuations & social standards。 This was so beautifully written that I’ll be thinking about this one for awhile。 。。。more
Luis Smith
，
La verdad sobre mi membresía: cómo me convertí en miembro Illuminati。 Quiero que las personas que quieran unirse a los grandes Illuminati sepan cómo me ha ayudado un gran miembro Illuminati。 Su nombre es Lord Morgan。 Me ayuda a recuperar mi vida de la etapa de la muerte。 Dado de alta después de unos 5 años y seis meses。 Después de ser traicionado por tantos miembros de los Illuminati。 A lo largo de los años estuve sin esperanzas y financieramente en el piso。 Pero un día， mientras navegaba por In La verdad sobre mi membresía: cómo me convertí en miembro Illuminati。 Quiero que las personas que quieran unirse a los grandes Illuminati sepan cómo me ha ayudado un gran miembro Illuminati。 Su nombre es Lord Morgan。 Me ayuda a recuperar mi vida de la etapa de la muerte。 Dado de alta después de unos 5 años y seis meses。 Después de ser traicionado por tantos miembros de los Illuminati。 A lo largo de los años estuve sin esperanzas y financieramente en el piso。 Pero un día， mientras navegaba por Internet， encontré la publicación del Gran Miembro Illuminati， Lord Morgan， y dije que si eras miembro de los Grandes Illuminati， puedes ser famoso， rico y exitoso en la vida。 Inmediatamente me comuniqué y le expliqué todo y me recomendó y me ayudó con el formulario de registro de membresía que se usó para iniciarme y fui iniciado en el gran nuevo orden mundial de los Illuminati。 Después de eso， me dieron todas las pautas y me dijeron que después de la iniciación， todos los miembros nuevos serán recompensados con la suma de $1，000，000 en efectivo。 Y todas aquellas personas que me traicionaron antes fueron arrestadas por los illuminati y mi dinero que pensé que se había perdido me lo reembolsaron。 Con la ayuda de Lord Morgan。 Fui completamente iniciado como miembro completo de los Illuminati。 Si ha fallado con los estafadores antes o está buscando a alguien que lo ayude a unirse， mi consejo es que pruebe con Lord Morgan。 Es tu mejor oportunidad de convertirte en lo que quieres en tu vida futura。 Póngase en contacto con él por correo electrónico: illuminatiofficial@gmail。com o WhatsApp +2348056051569。 。。。more
Kristine Mckenna
，
“Tell Me， what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life”This was a beautiful book about the life of Violeta Del Valle。 It starts in 1920， when Violeta is born at the time The Spanish Flu is occurring。 She lives with her family， who had lived as Aristocrats。 Life changes dramatically though。 I loved the journey Violeta’s life took her on over the course of 100 years。 This is a rich story that introduces an entire family and also friends who become family。 The characters are reall “Tell Me， what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life”This was a beautiful book about the life of Violeta Del Valle。 It starts in 1920， when Violeta is born at the time The Spanish Flu is occurring。 She lives with her family， who had lived as Aristocrats。 Life changes dramatically though。 I loved the journey Violeta’s life took her on over the course of 100 years。 This is a rich story that introduces an entire family and also friends who become family。 The characters are really well developed and I was so interested in them。 I would recommend this to anyone who likes reading a wonderful character driven story， enjoys Isabel Allende’s writing， and is interested in learning about life over a century。 There were so many events that occurred in Violeta’s life。 This book shares how a person develops over time shaped by occurrences in one’s life。 Violeta makes some choices that work well for her and some that don’t。 She learns and grows throughout the book。 She always has family or her chosen family members around to lift her up and carry her along。 So， this is a tribute to that。 Violeta lives through the Stock Market crash， poverty， uncertainty， moving， World War II， conflict in her own country （which is not specified， although I believe it was supposed to be Chile）， living under a dictatorship that is highly repressive， marriages， good relationships， destructive relationships， having children， love， loss， heartbreak， developing independence， and balancing having freedom vs the desire to be active with her family。 She does many unconventional things for her time。 She is especially talented developing housing units and is able to support herself。 This was a huge accomplishment and one she values strongly。 Working allows her greater freedom to makes choices for herself， as well as help other people。 The book is broken into four sections that I think express how Viola is living。 It is 1-Exile， 2-Passion， 3-Absence， and 4-Rebirth。 It is a life fully lived and one that is now being reflected on。 The book is written to her beloved grandson， Camilo。 It is the type of book that you savor and patiently read。 I felt as if I was with Viola many times throughout the story。 The incredible descriptions of the scenery， landscape， smells made the story that much finer。 I did not want the book to end and leave so many characters I got to know such as Aunt Pilar， Aunt Pia， Miss Josephine Taylor， Teresa Rivas， Abel Rivas， Lucinda Rivas， Bruno Rivas， Jose Antonio， Torino， Juan Martin， Nieve， Camilo， Facunda and her children， and many others。 Yet， life is the same， you must take it in when you can because people do not stay the same and are not always there for many reasons。 This book celebrates life and the wonders it offers and the torment， too。 That is a challenge all of us face until our final days on earth。 This is a tribute to all who lived in this book。 Isabel Allende is a master story teller and I loved how she wove so many elements into this story。 Thank you NetGalley， Isabel Allende， and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book。 。。。more
Elyssa
，
Beautifully written and captivating， Violeta has the authenticity and intimacy of a memoir。 Violeta Del Valle's story is written as a letter to her beloved grandson Camilo， recounting her life of 100 years。 Violeta is born in South America in 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic， and her story recounts a century and a life full of great transitions and turmoil in her country and in the world。Throughout her story， Violeta ponders her purpose， experiences， and relationships， and how they have shap Beautifully written and captivating， Violeta has the authenticity and intimacy of a memoir。 Violeta Del Valle's story is written as a letter to her beloved grandson Camilo， recounting her life of 100 years。 Violeta is born in South America in 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic， and her story recounts a century and a life full of great transitions and turmoil in her country and in the world。Throughout her story， Violeta ponders her purpose， experiences， and relationships， and how they have shaped and molded her throughout her life。 The story spans both her personal history and reflects on global events from the perspective of someone who lived through them。 Detailed and mesmerizing accounts of Violeta's world around her draw the reader in， and Allende's characters are well-developed and masterfully written。 The story is immersive， and really allows you to see the world from Violeta's eyes。Both joyful and heartbreaking， Violeta is a beautiful story of loss， growth， and love that I truly enjoyed and would highly recommend。Thank you to Ballantine/Random House for the ARC。 。。。more
Alisa
，
Quite an epic and well-written story of a life lived from one pandemic to another。 Violeta's life stretches from 1920 to 2020 and is chronicled here in the form of a letter to a surviving member of her family。 This isn't a story driven tale although things do 'happen'。 It is mostly the narrative of a life， birth to death， of a South American woman。 Quite an epic and well-written story of a life lived from one pandemic to another。 Violeta's life stretches from 1920 to 2020 and is chronicled here in the form of a letter to a surviving member of her family。 This isn't a story driven tale although things do 'happen'。 It is mostly the narrative of a life， birth to death， of a South American woman。 。。。more
Lindsey
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I've been wanting to read a book by Allende for a long time， and I'm so glad I finally did。 In this book， Violeta writes the story of her life through an extended letter to Camilo， someone who she loves dearly。 Born during the 1920 pandemic and writing during the 2020 pandemic， her century of life spans these two public health crises。 While the pandemic focus is minimal， it appeals to some great curiosity of what life was like for people who witnessed both pandemics。CW: mention of pandemics and I've been wanting to read a book by Allende for a long time， and I'm so glad I finally did。 In this book， Violeta writes the story of her life through an extended letter to Camilo， someone who she loves dearly。 Born during the 1920 pandemic and writing during the 2020 pandemic， her century of life spans these two public health crises。 While the pandemic focus is minimal， it appeals to some great curiosity of what life was like for people who witnessed both pandemics。CW: mention of pandemics and public health crises （but VERY minimal discussion of COVID pandemic）⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Genre: historical fiction， literary fictionLocation: an unnamed South American country in the Southern ConeReminds me of: Silvia Moreno Garcia （without the magic/fantasy element）Pub Date: Jan 25， 2022 🎉 This is a book to be savored slowly， not devoured， I think， and through the slow pace of the book， Violeta walks us through her 100 years of life - her family life， her great loves， life challenges， and multiple people fleeing from dangers the 20th century held for them。 Because of the slow pace of the book， I don't think I realized how invested I was in the characters until close to the end when the book absolutely shook me。 Her writing is masterful， and I'm so glad that this was my first Allende book。 I've been meaning to read her writing for years， and this definitely won't be my last。As a historian， I love how this provides an overview of the last 100 years through the life of one woman。 She shows the impact on her life of things like these two pandemics， the Great Depression， World War II， the Cold War， various political movements， cultural changes （like hippie culture in the U。S。）， los Desaparecidos and mothers advocating for an end to disappearances， women's rights activism， and SO MUCH MORE。This book was incredible， but probably isn't for everyone。 Read this if you like:⭕️ slow burn， character-driven writing⭕️ historical fiction⭕️ learning more about South American culture and politicsThanks to Random House Publishing Group， Ballantine Books， and #netgalley for an advanced ebook copy of this book！ 。。。more
Joy
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My favorite Allende works are her historical ones that stay rooted in one time and place。 This one has some elements of that， yet it covers an incredible distance （a full century）， forcing a more superficial look at times。 It starts simply and builds in complexity along the way。 We gradually develop an understanding of and genuine connection with the characters。 Allende’s first-person approach makes sense， but the way the narrator addresses the other character throughout becomes a bit contrived My favorite Allende works are her historical ones that stay rooted in one time and place。 This one has some elements of that， yet it covers an incredible distance （a full century）， forcing a more superficial look at times。 It starts simply and builds in complexity along the way。 We gradually develop an understanding of and genuine connection with the characters。 Allende’s first-person approach makes sense， but the way the narrator addresses the other character throughout becomes a bit contrived and， in places， it is difficult to see it as genuinely conversational。 Overall， Violeta is another strong woman in the cast of Isabel Allende’s characters。 The literary and historical strength make it a good read。 Thank you to Isabel Allende， Frances Riddle （translator）， Ballantine Books， and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jessa S。
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This beautiful Latin American historical fiction novel is full of incredibly lush details， unforgettable characters， and a century of experiences and changes in the world as experienced by the title character， Violeta。 In true Allende form， this epic tale takes the reader on an intimate journey through the life of Violeta， and immerses us into the beginning of her life in 1920， bringing us all the way to 2020 when the story ends。 This is an incredible human story， with ups and downs， heartbreak， This beautiful Latin American historical fiction novel is full of incredibly lush details， unforgettable characters， and a century of experiences and changes in the world as experienced by the title character， Violeta。 In true Allende form， this epic tale takes the reader on an intimate journey through the life of Violeta， and immerses us into the beginning of her life in 1920， bringing us all the way to 2020 when the story ends。 This is an incredible human story， with ups and downs， heartbreak， turmoil， and trauma alongside humor， love， and endurance and above it all， hope。 Thank you to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for the ARC I received。 The above opinion is my own。 。。。more
Carla Suto
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VIOLETA by Isabel Allende is the epic and emotional story of the life of character Violeta del Valle， who lived one hundred years and witnessed some of the most influential events in history during her lifetime。 Born in 1920 in a South American country in the midst of the Spanish Flu， Violeta lives through incredible upheaval until her death in 2020 during another global pandemic。 Violeta tells her story in a long letter to her beloved grandson， Camilo。 In it， she reveals the events of her life VIOLETA by Isabel Allende is the epic and emotional story of the life of character Violeta del Valle， who lived one hundred years and witnessed some of the most influential events in history during her lifetime。 Born in 1920 in a South American country in the midst of the Spanish Flu， Violeta lives through incredible upheaval until her death in 2020 during another global pandemic。 Violeta tells her story in a long letter to her beloved grandson， Camilo。 In it， she reveals the events of her life including the intimate details of her relationships with husbands， lovers， her children， family and friends。 She recounts the highs and lows of her long and dramatic life and lays out the tumultuous political times in her country and the world。 Like the many other Isabel Allende books I’ve read previously， I was totally immersed in the story and the setting。 The characters were beautifully-portrayed and memorable。 I enjoyed this heart-wrenching and moving story and highly recommend it。 Thank you to the author， publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy。 。。。more
J。
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Beginning with one pandemic and ending with another the tale of Violeta's life is enthralling。 Told in the form of a letter to her grandson， Violeta shares her story， never shying away from hard truths。 Her life begins as the daughter of a South American "aristocrat"。 She is pampered and spoiled， then fortunes change and she is raised in a remote rural area。 There is romance， crime， revolution and more。 She lived in an exciting century and was a bold woman。 Enjoy this feast of a story。 Beginning with one pandemic and ending with another the tale of Violeta's life is enthralling。 Told in the form of a letter to her grandson， Violeta shares her story， never shying away from hard truths。 Her life begins as the daughter of a South American "aristocrat"。 She is pampered and spoiled， then fortunes change and she is raised in a remote rural area。 There is romance， crime， revolution and more。 She lived in an exciting century and was a bold woman。 Enjoy this feast of a story。 。。。more
Gabriela
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Violeta follows the life of a South American woman named Violeta。 It chronicles both personal events and historical political events that occur during her lifetime。 I really enjoyed getting to know the main character and experiencing her heartbreaks throughout her life。 I also really appreciated that historical events of her lifetime were covered。 Starting in 1920 when she was born and ending in 2020 it was fascinating to read about the experiences of one woman and her family throughout time。
L A
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It’s an Isabel Allende book， it’s not going to be bad， is it？The eponymous Violeta is born into a wealthy family in an unnamed South American country （Chile maybe？） in the early twentieth century。 This is one of those family saga type novels that Allende does so well and her remarkable gift for storytelling is on full display here as Violeta recounts 100 years of her life to her grandson Camilo。 Some of the defining moments of the twentieth and twenty-first century appear in the novel including It’s an Isabel Allende book， it’s not going to be bad， is it？The eponymous Violeta is born into a wealthy family in an unnamed South American country （Chile maybe？） in the early twentieth century。 This is one of those family saga type novels that Allende does so well and her remarkable gift for storytelling is on full display here as Violeta recounts 100 years of her life to her grandson Camilo。 Some of the defining moments of the twentieth and twenty-first century appear in the novel including the Spanish Flu， the First World War， the Great Depression， military coups and the feminist movement before coming full circle to the current Covid-19 pandemic。 Although the actual country is never actually defined， the novel’s South American setting feels believable and vivid， I particularly enjoyed the sections detailing the fading grandeur of the family mansion and the family’s subsequent move out to the countryside。 Some of the political commentary might be a bit heavy for some but it makes complete sense within the context of the novel。 I also felt the passion was lacking somewhat in her relationship with Julian， the great love of her life， despite her putting up with his crap for so long。 To me， the book had echoes of one of Allende’s previous books， House of the Spirits， as well as Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels， and Colleen McCullough The Thorn Birds。 Allende writes a great sweeping family epic and she’s pulled it out of the bag again this time。 。。。more
Crisgburbu
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No es el mejor Allende， pero es Allende。 Eso implica amor desenfrenado y libre， pasión， deseo en cada célula del cuerpo， olores， especias， revoluciones， lechos matrimoniales， sábanas enredadas， sudor， piel cálida， cárceles， consignas， manifestaciones， feminismo， lucha， gritos， pancartas， tierra， rituales， muerte， sofocos， dulzura， vino， embriaguez。 Con eso basta。
Dani
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Rating: skip it Truthfully I have little to say about Violeta。 Nothing much happens and though the writing is poetic it can’t save the fact that nothing happens。 The book is written as Violeta writing to Camilo to tell him about her life。 Violeta tells her story free of emotion。 Despite death， tragedy， etc the story is cold and detached。 Violeta is quite unlikeable （which y’all know I like in a main character） but she’s also boring。 Those two together do not work。 Camilo， who the book is written Rating: skip it Truthfully I have little to say about Violeta。 Nothing much happens and though the writing is poetic it can’t save the fact that nothing happens。 The book is written as Violeta writing to Camilo to tell him about her life。 Violeta tells her story free of emotion。 Despite death， tragedy， etc the story is cold and detached。 Violeta is quite unlikeable （which y’all know I like in a main character） but she’s also boring。 Those two together do not work。 Camilo， who the book is written to， is Violeta’s grandson yet she talks about her sex life， who showed her good sex， etc and it’s definitely weird。 If my grandma tried to tell me these intimate details I’d simply perish。 Violeta does not live up to the Allende name。 I love the author but this one was a huge miss。 I suggest skipping Violeta and picking up one of her backlist titles instead。 Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC。 。。。more
athomewithmylibrary
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Violeta by Isabel Allende is an epic sweeping novel spanning a century of South American culture， history and political turbulence framed by two pandemics。 Violeta is recounting and reflecting upon her life in a letter written to her beloved grandson as she prepares for her own death in 2020。 Born during a storm in 1920 in the middle of the Spanish Flu pandemic， Violeta is raised in a wealthy home surrounded by her parents， aunts， and eldest brother。 Along her journey she encounters and develops Violeta by Isabel Allende is an epic sweeping novel spanning a century of South American culture， history and political turbulence framed by two pandemics。 Violeta is recounting and reflecting upon her life in a letter written to her beloved grandson as she prepares for her own death in 2020。 Born during a storm in 1920 in the middle of the Spanish Flu pandemic， Violeta is raised in a wealthy home surrounded by her parents， aunts， and eldest brother。 Along her journey she encounters and develops lifelong ties to a variety of remarkable characters who each shaped and influenced Violeta giving her strength and character during the most difficult times of her life。 Allende’s is truly a master of storytelling， I adored this book and Violeta for all her flaws and virtues， she is a strong character， making the best of the situations she finds herself in along her long life and working these to her advantage but remaining loyal to those she loves dearly。 Allende brings to life each character in these pages， and I cared deeply about each one， I didn’t want to reach the end。 Violeta is an unflinching account of dangerous and ever-changing times during this period in South America， full of emotion and adversity combined beautifully with the deep bonds of family， friendships， and love。 This story is a brilliant piece of historical fiction and has firmly secured Isabel Allende as one of my favourite authors。 Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an advanced digital copy for review。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Violeta
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Violeta&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Violeta&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0