A rich family saga which it took me a while to sink into but I loved once I got into the rhythm of. Allende has a lyrical and beautiful style of writing.

A Long Petal of the Sea is a beautifully told historical fiction book based on true events. Set during the Spanish civil war, Victor Dalmau upon hearing of his soldier brother's death, convinces his brothers pregnant girlfriend Roser to emigrate to Chile with him. A ship with 2000 other refugees leaves Spain to make new lives in Chile. Victor and Roser have to pretend to be married and Victor brings up the child as his own.
The book follows them over the course of decades. It's interesting to see how history repeats itself, because even though the refugees were fleeing from war, a lot of Chilean people were against them. But the Spaniards did all they could to have a better life and improve and contribute to their new home. And in the end a lot of them didn't want to return to Spain.
This book is full of love and I fell in love with the settings and the characters. I'd love to read more from this author.

A big-hearted novel that moves from 1930’s Spain to post-Pinochet Chile. With immense humanity Allende tells the story of one family’s journey through the horrors of the Spanish civil war, via internment at the Argeles-sur -Mer concentration camp to Chile. Woven into this story are real life people such as Pablo Neruda and Salvador Allende. Isabel Allende has written a clear sighted, tender novel about Chile, the “long petal of the sea” as described by Neruda in one of his poems.

A Long Petal of the Sea is a deep, complex and beautiful novel.

I knew absolutely nothing of the historical events covered when I began reading, mainly the Spanish civil war and events leading up to and proceeding from the military coup in Chile. I learned a lot of history reading this, and it was so fascinating seeing it from the inside like this.

A Long Petal of the Sea tenderly tells the story across a large period of the twentieth century, telling it from the perspective of the refugee and the immigrant, people who run from a war, or the ashes of an unsuccessful war, and have to move countries again and again. It's deeply moving and powerful, and as timely as ever. We see elements in the rise of fascism like the rejection of liberal thinkers, poets and artists and political philosophers, the demonization of the "other", people from different backgrounds and different cultures. We see working class people siding with their masters against those fighting for their best interests, and it's all so poignant and relevant today.

There's so much more to this novel though. I loved its portrayal of love, especially the failed love affair between Victor and Ofelia. "It was a plant without roots that was bound to wither." That captured the swiftly burning and rapidly burned out flame of a brief affair so beautifully, so poetically and really moved me. Then we see how easily love can turn to resentment and bitterness. But throughout it all, through that hurt and pain, there's this beautiful love between Roser and Victor, and I loved the platonic but complete nature of their love, and seeing that grow and develop.

I also absolutely adored the use of the Pablo Neruda quotes at the start of each chapter. They were so appropriate and beautiful.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

A Long Petal of the Sea is a story about war, and seeking refuge, about what we're each prepared to do and to sacrifice. It's a story about loves of many different types and how they make us feel and grow as people. It's a story about loss and hardship, loss of homes, of countries, of loved ones but never hope. It's epic, powerful, sweeping and beautiful.

Not my typical type of book but this was a decent read and one that i'm glad I stuck with to the end.
Thanks for the ARC. Apologies for delay in completing feedback.

This is a story drawn directly from history with fictional characters based upon real people known to the author. The title itself is taken from one of Pablo Neruda's poems and actually refers to the long thin country of Chile.. The story is as much about the country itself and the impact of fascism on peoples lives as it is about the characters themselves. It begins in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and spans over half a century depicting the plight of Spanish refugees who attempt to flee Spain into France. Victor Dalmau is a young medical assistant. His brother, Guillam, is a soldier in the conflict. Roser Bruguera is a young music student who becomes Guillam’s lover and eventually falls pregnant to him before he is killed during combat. When Franco's army defeats the republican army Roser and Victors mother, along with thousands of others, attempt to flee into France. But the borders are closed and the refugees are stranded. Pablo Neruda persuades the Chilean government to accept two thousand Spanish refugees for resettlement. Victor, feeling responsible for Roser decides they must be married. Thus begins a long marriage born initially out of necessity but which develops over time into a deeper kind of love as they become inseparable. When Chile also succumbs to fascism the couple then flee Venezuela hoping to one day return to Chile which they now think of as their real home. Thus their story is set against the historical backdrop of the events taking place around them and they are saved from despair by love, friendship and the satisfaction of helping others.
Overall this is a sweeping saga of love and war that grips from start to finish. The historical strain throughout is fascinating, raising many questions, and leaves an indelible mark in the reader’s mind.

Going by the reviews, if you like books by Isabel Allende, you'll love this. Alas, this was my first book by her and it just wasn't for me. It was nothing to do with Allende's skill, which is superb, but I found it a little too lyrical and not fast paced enough. It's certainly an epic tale and the history appears to have been highly researched, but I found it hard to connect emotionally and felt it could have been tighter.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written historical novel set in Spain, France and Chile, and spans from the 1930s to the 1970s. I loved the characters and the story. I found this book far more accessible than her early books such as The House of the Spirits. Recommended for historical fiction fans.
With grateful thanks to Netgalley, Bloomsbury Publishing plc and Isabel Allende for my copy.

I read ‘The House of the Spirits’ a few years ago and have since been meaning to read more of Allende’s work. But time and a huge TBR pile mean that I’ve only just got round to this (newish) book.

And it’s as wonderful as I expected it to be – an absolutely beautiful book. Allende has a brilliant command of both the history and politics of the Spanish Civil War and of Chile and Venezuela, brought out through the compelling stories of a variety of interesting and authentic characters.

Their stories, the terrible things they endure, the happiness they find in life and in each other make this an outstanding read, and one of the best books I’ve read in ages.

It is heavy on the history, but, in my opinion, the level of detail is necessary, because you need to understand that history to understand the motivations, actions and reactions of the characters. The historical and political aspects don’t drag the narrative down in any way – in fact they add so much to the story and are told in an accessible way. And I learned so many things, particularly about the way refugees from the Spanish Civil War were treated – it really does seem that humans never learn. You could swap out the nationality for any number of alternatives, and the rhetoric, the inhumanity, the cruelty would be the same.

There are plenty of lighter moments too, and lovely, warm characters whose resilience and love are a joy to read.

Highly recommended.

This is the first book I’ve read of Isabel Allende’s. This story was a very full, historical tale. I had never heard this part of history and so found that very interesting. I did find the story a little dry and had to push myself to read it. I would like to give this author another try though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is a family saga with well developed characters. This book had a lot of political detail which could be rather dry at times.
This book is closely based on fact so is very educational as well as entertaining

A Long Petal of the Sea is a sweeping tale of love and loss - and it is is also my first Allende..

The story begins in Catalonia, Spain during the Spanish Civil War, where young doctor Victor Dalmau and his family are caught up in the political upheaval that will change his country for ever. As Franco and his fascist forces bear down upon Barcelona, Victor and is forced to flee to France with his brother's widowed, pregnant wife, Roser- a dangerous journey that finds them housed with other refugees who have fled from the fighting in Spain. By chance, they are offered the opportunity of a new life in Chile, but only if they go as a couple, so Victor and Roser marry and head off to a life of exile on foreign shores - but their fight for freedom is not yet finished, and it seems that love is also not done with them yet...

This novel is full of wonderful themes of the bonds of family, love that is lost and found, bitter recriminations and forgiveness, that weave deftly through a tale of political troubles and the fight for freedom. Its scope is immense, sweeping you along over four generations and bringing in a cast of rich and varied characters. There is so much history to take in with this book, especially if you do not know much about the Spanish Civil War or the politics of Chile, and while much of this is fascinating, at times it was a little tricky to keep up with the political machinations that dictated the course of events - so it helps if you do a little homework as you go along. I did also feel a bit disconnected from the emotional intensity of the story, and could not work out if this was a product of the translation or simply because I did not really like Victor all that much!

However, there is a lot to immerse yourself in with this book and since I read the same time as absorbing Allende's The Soul Of A Woman this served to add an extra dimension that helped me see the characters through her eyes too. I think this may have made me more partisan towards the female characters, who I wanted to know more about, and perhaps this is why I failed to connect with Victor - it's interesting to speculate on that one.

If you like your fiction on the sweeping scale, with a big dollop of historical fact woven into the story, then this is definitely going to be one you will enjoy, and it has definitely made me want to explore more of Allende's writing.

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing, and the author Isabel Allende.
This was a beautifully written story, lyrical and evocative, with engaging characters and a gripping plot line.
It was fleshed out with historical detail and context, which was fascinating, and I have to agree with other reviewers that Allende is a master storyteller.
Highly recommended, 4 stars.

another superb, engrossing story from Isobel Allende. The story starts with a very dramatic healing of a soldier with a wound to his heart in the Spanish civil war and the plot moves through the brutality of that war , to the refugee crisis as the families migrate from Spain to Chile. Against this background are the love stories and trials and tribulations of two families. I loved this book and will definitely recommend it.

Sometimes historical fiction, especially war-time historical fiction can feel a bit stale, overdone and unoriginal. However, a novel about refugees fleeing the Spanish civil war, aided by Pablo Neruda, now that sounds so much more interesting!

This is a truly epic novel, spanning a whole lifetime, incorporating the interpersonal with society and politics. We follow a family, that of Victor Dalmau a trainee doctor through the Spanish civil war and see them through tragic event and happy ones, life changing moments and the banal everyday of all of our lives. We also follow a Chilean family who's lives intersect with the Dalmaus over many years. Allende weaves an incredible tapestry of these character's lives, with so much colour and vibrancy, reflecting an aspect of history that has been much neglected in the West.

At the same time as telling this incredible history, Allende reflects the issues of our own moment back to us - namely that of the refugee crisis. Allende highlights that this is not unique to our moment - people have fled their countries and required sanctuary all throughout history, and while some have sought to help them, others have been opposed. Equally, the division between left and right, socialism and fascism, democracy and dictatorships is a pervasive theme of the 20th Century, just as much as it is now. Allende shows us that our times are not unique, and by virtue that there is hope - for progress, for love and in the interpersonal. While our characters try to fight for what's right and what they believe in, they also fight for love and happiness. That's not to say that this novel does not have its moments of sadness - on the contrary, there a moments of real trauma and it can be emotionally devastating.

This is an exceptional novel and one of the stand out reads of 2020. If you are looking for your next book to read, it's this one.

I have been an avid reader of Allende's books in the 00s and "The House of the Spirits" will always be one of my favourite books. I have been disappointed with Allende's latest books and I stopped following her writing endeavours until this new book came along. The blurb and the name of Pablo Neruda definitely did the work for me. So when I managed to ask for a free copy from NetGalley, I had to grasp the opportunity and voila, I'm here to share my opinion.

I'm pleased to say that Allende is back in form. I really enjoyed her writing style and I found the plot intriguing. The plot takes place in a famous historical era that I'm barely familiar with. From this perspective I found the book interesting, and in combination with Allende's lyrical writing, I had everything I needed to feel connected with the story and its characters. I would totally recommend it to those who enjoy historical details and are not afraid to delve further into the story.

I was looking forward to reading this book but unfortunately just could not get into the story. Not for me on this occasion.

You can always depend on Isabel Allende to immerse you in a time and place so completely the modern world recedes into the back ground. Fantastic characters, beautiful scenery and an emotional storyline keeps you engaged u til the last page. Beautiful

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it, the writing style combined with other factors stopped me from connecting with the characters and the story. I do really appreciate how much work went into the research side of the novel however, I did learn a lot about history, politics and the general climate of Spain in the 1930's. I enjoyed this aspect a lot in fact, which added a star for me in an otherwise disappointing read. I can imagine other readers really enjoying this so perhaps it's just a case of the novel not being for me.

I have been a fan of Isabel Allende’s for a long time, The House of the Spirits is one of my favourite books of all time. This novel didn’t quite live up to the genius of some of her earlier work – but that is a very high bar! I still really enjoyed reading it and would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in the history of the 20th century. I found the historical elements of The Long Petal of the Sea fascinating; my only real criticism was that sometimes I felt Allende was leaning too heavily on history and forgetting about character.