Customer Reviews

Of Love And Shadows

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Of Love and Shadows" is Isabel Allende's novel about life under military dictatorship in an unnamed Latin American country (the dictator is simply called "the General"). Margaret Sayers Peden has translated the Spanish original into a very readable English. Although the book was slow to grasp my close attention in the opening episodes, I ultimately found it to be a powerful and moving story of love in the midst of violence and fear.

Allende, who is Chilean, mixes a naturalistic style with several surreal touches in this novel. As the story progresses, her main characters investigate a disturbing mystery, and their ultimate discovery has a profound impact on several interconnected families. Allende uses this narrative framework to explore such issues as gender identity, philosophical conflict, religious difference, censorship, and the role of both the journalist and the soldier in the modern state. "Of Love and Shadows" is an important book for those interested in contemporary Latin American literature.

I loved this book. I think a lot of the low ratings are from people who are disappointed because they were expecting a magical realist novel. Allende's first novel, "The House of the Spirits," is a wonderful example of magical realism, but this is a completely different beast. While it contains a handful of supernatural events, most of them are one-liners, which I suspect may be throw-away references to other writers (there's at least one of these). There is one significant happening which can be seen as supernatural, but which can also be explained completely realistically.

I think this book should actually be read as a Greek tragedy. It comes complete with a chorus (the inhabitants of the old people's home), with a fatal flaw in the heroine's character (albeit one which would be a virtue in any reasonable society), and with a tragic ending. This book is amazingly poetic. It's about love, and living in a military dictatorship, and doing the right thing regardless. But it's not magical realism, and if that's what you're looking for, don't read it.

This book was about a journalist Irene Beltran and a photographer named Francisco Leal. They are assigned and assignment and uncover the dark secrets of the governments military. They uncover a mine full of decaying human bodies. This tradegy brings them closer and allows them to uncover a passionate love. Afraid but presistant Irend convinces Francisco to presue the investigation. Their lifes are then put in danger, when the government learnes about their investigation. Near death, almost captured and killed they are forced to become exiles and refugees. They leave their country and in return are given a new life.

This book was compelling and captivating. It took me to the world of Latin American dictorship. It showed me the cruelty and unjustices of the form of goverment that people have lived through. The preserverance of Irene and Fransisco demostrates the capability and strength of love.

I have read this book over and over again and I never get tired of it, it is Isabel's second novel and is written in a more journalisitic way than the others. The point of this novel is to understand the horrible crimes that were commited in latin america during a time when almost every country was under dictatorship. She is trying to prevent people from forgetting about the brutal represion of the people, the people who were killed, the people who dissapeared and the overall dispair of the population. I have to agree with another review that stated that there is no compairison at all betweet this book and Gabriel García Márquez's book "One Hundred Years of Solitude", but that is becuase the book that is frequently compared to it is Allende's first novel "The House of Spirits". I highly recomend this book and all others that Isabel Allende has written!

Althougth this book gathered dust on my shelf for over 3 years I finally sat down to read it. How glad I am that I finally finished this book. We are taken to an uncertain world with in these pages. A Latin culture so immersed in magic, spirituality and love of family battels their political deamons. The question is what happens to the political prisoners who mysteriously disapear? Although many of the people know the answer, it is too horrible for them to admit until they are awakened by the discoverys of the main characters, Fredirico and Isabel. These two characters are not only our heros but they are also madly in love with one another. Great work!

As a major in Spanish Literature, I believe that De amor y sombras takes the reader to the tumultous years of the dictatorship in South America. It not only detalils what occured in Chile but what occured in Argentina in the late 1970s and correlates to many situations that are occuring today in Latin American. This work not only relates the happenings of Latin American history but it also gives the reader a face to the dictatorship. Thus, it endears the reader to the situation. The love story that unravels is charming! The book was exciting and it kept me interested. This is the second book that I have read by Isabel Allende y ¡está muy bien hecho!

Of Love and Shadows was a great book. I have never been to South America or known the things that took place there under a dictatorship. I love the books becuase it helps me imagine in great detail where these events took place. It takes me to this place "Of Love and Shadows". I thought it was a great book.

There is no question that Allende masters the art of mixing story telling and political propaganda. We experienced that unique taste in her novel "La casa de los espiritus" and with " De amor y de sombra" she does it again. In her novel "De amor y de sombra," Allende provides the reader with a wonderful love story directly tied to the political abuse and oppression of the Latin American countries. A great narration of a young couple from different social classes and different political background united by their search for truth and justice in their country. It is in their search for that justice that they find themselves inlove and force to escape to the exile. In essence, "De amor y de sombra" is the story of thousands of Latin Americans who have been victims of the political system of the region but Allende has made of this historical fact a work of art. Great job as usual!!!

i saw the movie before i ever heard about the book, i thought it could

never live up to the movie but i was so wrong. the book told more than the

movie did and even though i some times love the movie more than the book

this time i have to say both are amazing. i have to say even though i read

and watch movies that have war and death in them i'm not a real fan but it

takes writers like isabel to change my mind. i especially love the part

where even though their dealing with death and war all around them irene

and francisco fall in love. i think every one should read this book, it

would change their lives......i know it's changed mine because before reading this book i never knew or even cared about what was going on in

countries like chile but now after reading this book i do and i think after other people read it they will too.

I think this book is great. I don t really agree w the fella from NY who says that it is weak and that the charatceters don t develop really well. I think the characters develop beautifully.

It is another great book by Allende. This was her second or third book written, and makes a great read almost any time and to me is a bit better than Eva Luna.

Reccomended to folks who want to read a book like no other where the characters make the book very interesting.

Others recomended: 100 years of solitude by Garcia Marquez.