Customer Reviews

Eva Luna (Spanish Language Edition)

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

 

 

This was the first South American writer that I have actually read...and wow! I was blown away by the lush imagery and the incredible characters. The way Ms. Allende wrote this was like a painting, it was so vivid. Eva Luna is an incredible symphony for the mind. I would recommend this to anyone.

This review is for the English language Bantam Book paperback edition published in September 1989, 307 pages. EVA LUNA did not appear on the USA Today top 150 best sellers list, which was started four years after this book was published. However, four of the author's other novels have appeared on the list.

EVA LUNA is the story of an impoverished, illegitimate servant girl, orphaned at age six, illiterate in her formative years for lack of formal education, who simply loves to tell stories and becomes a TV scriptwriter. She is mentored by the evasive ghost of her mother, an opportunistic godmother, a quirky woman who sleeps in a coffin and a confused female transvestite dressed as a woman. The time span is roughly three decades that include the Vietnam War, jet planes, soap operas and the United States meddling in Latin American affairs, which is perhaps not terribly definitive. The setting is supposedly the Caribbean, but the topography is reminiscent of tropical Peru with the politics of Colombia and the economy of Venezuela. The writing style is magical realism and the theme is melancholy.

EVA LUNA is scrambled eggs with a dash of Tabasco, tropical fruit and an aphrodisiac, which turns out tasty and delectable. It reminds me of a quote attributed to Napoleon: You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.

Magical realism pushed to another level, it is difficult not to get entangled in this fabulous account of two different hemispheres. Eva is wonderful as a narrator, the story is filled with humour and casual details. This book was a delicious read.

This book is like new and the price was way below retail. The service was very good too: fast shipment. Very pleased!

El mejor libro de Isabel Allende, y uno de los mejores libros en espanol. Cuenta la historia de Eva Luna y Rolf Carle, en una manera bien inusual. La vas a disfrutar te lo aseguro.

Isabel Allende is an extraordinary story teller. Her narrative is enchanting and exhiliarating. Risky and brazen, Allende tackles erotica, sensuality, sexuality, gender issues, politics with honesty and great taste. Eva Luna stirs the senses and stimulates the imagination!

I read this book for the first time when I was eleven, and since then I've read it over and over. Each time I notice something more that I didn't see before. Everyone should read this!

I loved the House of Spirits, and count it among my top favorites, but Eva Luna was disappointing. The book begins fairly well, then teeters off into a dreamy poorly written romance novel where Allende lives vicariously through the heroine. Allende's character development and plot was unoriginal and unrealistic, and towards the end her writing style left a lot to be desired.

This book is a very different approach to writing...

I love some of Isabel Allende's books, like "Paula", others were really bad like the ones she wrote for kids.
This book is not that good, I was about to drop it. The political part was to long and the story of Eva not very interesting.