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The House of the Spirits A Novel Isabel Allende Magda Bogin Books

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The House of the Spirits A Novel Isabel Allende Magda Bogin Books

The House of the Spirits was a wonderful read. Allende's description of the viewpoint of the old Chilean aristocracy via Estanban Trueba was fascinating and insightful. Her plot line was complex; it didn't necessarily go where I expected, yet it always made sense. Her depiction of the devastating reaction of the aristocrats to the election of her uncle (lightly disguised) was remarkable and terribly sad - their willingness to destroy the economy and let people across the country suffer rather than lose their grip on power. With the election and then the military takeover, history had a tendency to take over from the novel's story line, but her characters stayed believable and followed their paths in the characters she had given them. Allende doesn't necessarily believe in giving everyone a happy ending, but her ending was appropriate and satisfying for me. I enjoyed the story tremendously, and continue to think about it every now and then.


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The House of the Spirits A Novel Isabel Allende Magda Bogin Books Reviews

I didn't realize until just now. reading the Wikipedia post, that this was the 1982 debut novel that launched her career. I had previously read the Island Beneath the Sea. I thought Island Beneath the Sea was fantastic, but I was at first a bit underwhelmed by House of Spirits. Both are historical novels, but House of Spirits seemed more like a family soap opera, until I realized where she was going with this book. Allende's father was a first cousin of Salvador Allende, President of Chile from 1970 to 1973. So the former head of state is her first cousin once removed. As a result, Allende was forced to flee when Pinochet overthrew the elected socialist government. This book evolved from a letter she wrote to her Grandfather, when he was dying at age 99. Because the book culminates with the military takeover, I found the last third of the book much more compelling, and would in the end give it a thumbs up for a very unique and clever perspective on 20th century Chilean cultural and political history.
Wow! A timely read. I first read this when it came out, and again in the 90s when the movie came out and have always loved Allende's magical storytelling. But this time, it really blew me away. Talk about timely and prophetic. The turmoil that sweeps through the unnamed South American country (Chile) as liberal and conservative ideology clash is eerily familiar. I'm pretty sure I've heard a few of today's politicians spout some of the same inane nonsense that Esteban Trueba and his cronies do in the book. Everyone who thinks "It can never happen in our country" should read this as a cautionary tale for our times. It can never happen here. Until it does.
I think Isabel Allende is one of the greatest writers of the past half century, and this well-known book is an excellent example of that assessment. In a style that draws on the Latin American "magical realism" school, Allende tells the story of the Trueba family as metaphor for the history of Chile through the 20th century, up to the time of the American-backed Pinochet coup against the elected government of Salvador Allende (a cousin of Isabel Allende) in 1973. She creates a family of compelling, sometimes quirky, sometimes tragic figures who each represent a thread of Chilean society as it evolved from a frontier setting into one of the more advanced nations of Latin America. The conflicts among family members mirror those of the different segments of the Chilean population, with the linked themes of development and destruction creating constant tension over a period of 70 years.

Despite what I have written above, this is not some polemic on economics and sociology. It is a beautifully written, well-translated, character-driven novel that will hold your attention right to the end. As with other books by Allende that I have read, she is a master of the sweeping narrative that makes you see the larger picture through the eyes of specific characters. Her ability to describe people and places is unmatched - an enchanting and colorful style without being overwrought.

"The House of the Spirits" was Allende's first major work, but it already showed her ability to spin a yarn that will keep reader engaged right up to the end.
The House of the Spirits was a wonderful read. Allende's description of the viewpoint of the old Chilean aristocracy via Estanban Trueba was fascinating and insightful. Her plot line was complex; it didn't necessarily go where I expected, yet it always made sense. Her depiction of the devastating reaction of the aristocrats to the election of her uncle (lightly disguised) was remarkable and terribly sad - their willingness to destroy the economy and let people across the country suffer rather than lose their grip on power. With the election and then the military takeover, history had a tendency to take over from the novel's story line, but her characters stayed believable and followed their paths in the characters she had given them. Allende doesn't necessarily believe in giving everyone a happy ending, but her ending was appropriate and satisfying for me. I enjoyed the story tremendously, and continue to think about it every now and then.