The House of the Spirits: A Novel - Kindle edition by Allende, Isabel. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

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The House of the Spirits: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Isabel Allende (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 7,475 ratings

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“Spectacular...an absorbing and distinguished work...The House of the Spirits...is a unique achievement, both personal witness and possible allegory of the past, present, and future of Latin America.” —The New York Times Book Review

The House of the Spirits, the unforgettable first novel that established Isabel Allende as one of the world’s most gifted storytellers, brings to life the triumphs and tragedies of three generations of the Trueba family. The patriarch Esteban is a volatile, proud man whose voracious pursuit of political power is tempered only by his love for his delicate wife Clara, a woman with a mystical connection to the spirit world. When their daughter Blanca embarks on a forbidden love affair in defiance of her implacable father, the result is an unexpected gift to Esteban: his adored granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and strong-willed child who will lead her family and her country into a revolutionary future.

One of the most important novels of the twentieth century, The House of the Spirits is an enthralling epic that spans decades and lives, weaving the personal and the political into a universal story of love, magic, and fate.

Print length

504 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Atria Books
Publication date

October 27, 2015
File size

8937 KB
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4.5 out of 5

7,475 global ratings

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Magical, Lyrical, Epic, Political Family Saga!

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2020

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I had a phase of obsession with Isabel Allende’s books back in my teens and thought I had read them all. Reading this, part of me felt like I had read this before, but the way it “hit” me, I also felt like perhaps I hadn’t. Of course, it could simply be that I didn’t have the emotional maturity back then to read it as I just did. In short, this novel is EVERYTHING! If you’re a fan of magical realism, this novel has that in spades. If you like domestic fiction with messy family drama, it’s there. If you like historical fiction, it’s there. If you like romance, star-crossed love stories galore! If you like political intrigue, lots of that is in here. The lyrical memoir style of writing in this amazing novel is absolutely captivating and yet immensely accessible to any reader.

This novel tells the story of Esteban Trueba and his beloved otherworldly wife Clara del Valle and the way life, patriarchal decisions and the changing political face of their country affects three generations of Truebas. This is a love story, a political history, a family saga, and a story of black sheep and magic that is underpinned by the descent into fascism of a country. It is so pertinent for the world right now and is a familiar tale for anyone who’s ever lived under a dictatorship.

Admittedly, this novel felt long. It never felt TOOO long but it IS telling the story of 3-4 generations, so there’s a lot of story. The writing is beautifully descriptive with lots of gorgeously-phrases sentences and quotes that are as creatively crafted as they are useful and pertinent. The novel is long but not a clause is casual, not a moment is wasted to move the story forward. The narrators are varied- from del Valle grandparents to family patriarch Esteban Trueba, to beloved granddaughter, Alba, to the author herself- there’s a lot of unlabeled jumps in the voice, but yet all the voices are distinct and you’re never confused or adrift as to what’s happening or who is doing what. This book is nearly 40 years old and it’s written in a way that isn’t politically-correct now or before. The heroes and villains aren’t straightforward, the character development is beyond amazing- you swing between love, hate, annoyance, pity, sympathy, anger, frustration, empathy, with the same characters. Equally, the story development is on point and this family packs a lot of experience and pain and life into 3 generations.

Beware of potential triggers of which there are numerous from rape (including of minors), to physical assault to the abuses to persons living under a dictatorship and this feels very real and true to life because there isn’t an easy answer of justice. Even though this is a very heavy book and not a particularly uplifting one, it is incredibly meaningful and readable and you’re not left crushed. You’re left feeling like you’ve lived 3 generations of life with these people and have been through their ups and downs and you’re better for knowing them and learning from the pitfalls of their imperfect lives. This is a full circle novel so in that respect, this is a satisfying read even if not a joyous one. It is only because it is IA that I can believe this was her debut because honestly... What. A. Debut!

17 people found this helpful

House of The Spirits is a fascinating, entertaining novel.

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2018

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Isabel Allende’s House Of The Spirits is, in one word, fascinating. I originally chose to read it for such an insignificant reason as the title of the book- unlike the others offered to me during my period of time, House Of The Spirits’ title barely gives any clue to the kinds of things it holds within its pages. Of course, there is a house, filled with spirits, but it is in no way the center of the story, which may inspire intrigue in the dear reader as it did with me. It is completely warranted, as it is encouraged, here- this book is as brilliant as it is occasionally disturbing, as fascinating as it is bloody, and as fantastically magical as it is intelligently political.
One of the things that gives House of the Spirits its charm is the swapping of point-of-view characters, and not even always that- the ‘narrator’ in a sense, is always the same, Esteban Trueba, who has given me quite a challenge when it comes to being able to read this book. However, his story is not the only one being told- Allende swaps his point-of-view several times in the story, using it to great effect to detail her characters’ lives in their entirety. For example, we are introduced to the book with Clara (the common choice for a point-of-view switch in this novel, as she writes down everything in her life), which we can tell from the line “the child Clara wrote in her delicate calligraphy.” (1). It is very hard to tell when one character’s point of view begins, for is it simply Clara writing down the story she has seen unfold?
However, this is a review section, so I’ll get straight to the point- this is not a happy book. While it is fascinating, it is also filled with all sorts of violence, which is understandable, given the setting. One thing that is so incredibly interesting about this book is that if you don’t know, going into the book, what event surrounds this novel, you will be understandably surprised when you finally understand that this book builds up to- the Chilean coup d’etat, in 1973. However, if you already know two key pieces of information- the name of the overthrown President, Salvador Allende, and that this book was originally published in Chile, you will finally understand from what point of view Allende finds herself in- the niece of the assassinated President.
The novel, in itself, can feel at times like a dream- a dream which contains some of the most fascinating parts of the book. Clara’s magic is not always overt, but in the ways it shows itself, it is incredibly interesting. One incident mentioned is that Clara believed “that just as the power of her mind could move the saltcellar on the table, she could also produce deaths, earthquakes, and other, even worse catastrophes. In vain her mother had explained that she could not bring about events, only see them somewhat in advance.” (42). Details like this are what make the magic not feel forced- it feels real, like how a real child would react to something horrible they predicted coming true. While they aren’t always the most significant parts of the book, I find these little pockets of incredibly well-chosen detail and fantastic magical realism incredibly enjoyable.
I enjoyed this book, but I should say a warning- it is not for everyone. It is fascinating, it is incredibly written, but it is also rather bloody, and, to be frank, Esteban Trueba (the main character) is a rapist. There is murder, there is domestic abuse, and there is torture. However, the most important part of this book is that the characters who are forced to deal with this can still manage to get up and keep going. They are kept alive by sheer determination and the incredible forces of their wills, and no Estebans can change that.

6 people found this helpful

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Muy practica y liguera fácil de separar y cargar !

Libros

Reviewed in Mexico on February 13, 2024

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Es una historia muy bonita he interesante de mis favoritos

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Nancy Chiao

I thought it would be a boring read

Reviewed in Canada on January 28, 2024

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This book has delighted me and is continuing to delight me. Because of the movie, I had thought the book would be very long and difficult to read. But I was wrong. It turned out to be one of the best books I've read. Maybe it's the translation but I find her very easy to follow, even with many different characters and Spanish names. The door has opened for me to search more Isabel Allende books, and for this I am grateful.

María

fast and perfect

Reviewed in Italy on May 18, 2022

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thanks!

Henrique Rozenfeld

A classic

Reviewed in Brazil on May 31, 2018

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Second time in my life I read this book. On the beginning it takes sombre time to have a rithm. But suddenly you cannot stop reading. The passion, the fantastic reality of so many similar dictatorships get you involved. It brings a world of dream and at the same time advice about our thoughts of justice and utopias. Always actual this book is worth to read if you want to embark in this voyage.

Cliente Amazon

One of the best books I've ever read.

Reviewed in Spain on February 5, 2019

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this novel is one of the best I have ever read so far. I recomended 100 %

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