Isabel Allende's A Long Petal of the Sea is the fictionalised life story of a man she met in Venezuela, who became a refugee twice over- first fleeing the Spanish Civil War to find a new life in Chile; later forced into exile in Venezuela by the brutal Pinochet regime.

I loved this book, it was gripping , moving and intelligent. I did have reservations about the writing. It was uneven in pace and tone, in places classically fictional in tone, in others reading more like reportage or an educational text book. There were lengthy sections of narrative account which were very simply written, with almost no dialogue at all. These felt jarring and contrasted strongly with the first part of the novel which is much more vivid and descriptive.

However, I found as I continued reading that the variations in style and uneven pace bothered me less and less. The life of Victor Dalmau was so moving and fascinating, in fact in the simplicity of Allende's writing, it felt as though she gradually just decided to allow the events of his life to speak for themselves. I dont know how much of the novel is based on real events but the love and admiration of the author for her real life friend feel like they sing through the pages. An inspiring novel.

I’m really glad I read this book. It was beautifully written and thoroughly engaging throughout. I’ve come away from it feeling that I have more knowledge of the Spanish Civil War and Pinochet’s dictatorship, and a greater empathy for the people who suffered through both. Other than that, it’s just a jolly good story too!

My first, and not my last, Isabel Allende book!
A Long Petal of the Sea is my first foray into the books of Isabel Allende, and after reading this, it most certainly wont be my last.

This is the sweeping historical story of the Dalmau family, their role in the Spanish Civil War, their escape in to France (which was horrific), and their journey to Chile as refugees on the ship ‘Winnipeg’ arranged by the poet Pablo Neruda.

It’s a devastating and yet heartwarming look at humanity and it’s ability to endure. I hadn’t known about the concentration-style camps that the French forced the Spanish refugees in to after Franco and his right wing party won the Civil War. It looks as though people have always been able to destroy one another in inhuman ways (this is no surprise to me, by the way). We see more of the use of concentration camps in Chile after the military coup.

The main characters, Victor and Roser Dalmau continue to see Chile as their home, over and above Spain. They show us that home is where your friends, family and community are - and that you can make this home anywhere.

This book really is a joy to read. I’ve learnt so much of the history of this time, as well as having the pleasure of just reading a great story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for my copy of this book to read.

We start by being thrown into the Spanish Civil War, which worries me.  First because I have had trouble in the past with Spanish Civil War books, and have not finished either of the ones I started in the last five years. Second, because it was really horrendous. Barbaric.  Horrific.

By concentrating on a few people, in fact, really, two people and their families, Isabel Allende manages to steer me through. Yes, the horror of brother against brother is there. Yes, the atrocities committed by either side are there. But at last I began to understand what it was all about. Really, both the English Civil War (1640 or so, where we killed Charles 1 and installed Cromwell for a while) and the American Civil War were squabbles over the garden fence in comparison. A snippet Allende throws in, or alleges, is that Hitler supported the Fascist (winners) of Spain's fight, using the opportunity to try out some of his new mass killing weaponry which he was preparing for World War 2.  It makes sense.

It all makes sense. Allende takes us along with the horror of fleeing one's beloved war-ravaged country, only to be thrown into abominable pens described as refugee camps on the beaches in France.

Pause for a while, western world, and think of what we are still doing to refugees from war-torn countries.

And then, an angel from the Red Cross saves our heroine, and the doctor manages to find her as a result, and they squeeze themselves onto the almost slavetrade conditions aboard the Winnipeg, which will sail them to Chile. They think these conditions are paradise compared with the refugee camps.

It's no picnic once they get to Chile, but the reader has already been introduced to Chile's exquisitely decadent and introvert high-society, it's a little more predictable. It's a timely tale, reminding us that society never changes.

In fact, having reached this point, about two-thirds through the book, the author sweeps us through the Chilean revolution and the Pinochet dictatorship with very much more telling than showing.  The difficulties lose their edge.  It was interesting, but lacked the urgency of what went before.

This book is still brilliant, though. It brings these issues squarely into the home of those lucky enough to sit and read in a warm dry house, with food in the fridge, and cooking facilities ready to turn on at a moment's notice. The trouble is, it also reminds me that these basics can be gone in an instant if the politicians fall out with each other.

It's my first read of the year, and it could be one of the best.  It's compelling. Add it to your list!

This is an epic tale that, in Allende’s trademark fashion, sweeps across continents, telling the story of political uprising, repression and the history of dispossessed peoples through the story of one family across the decades since 1939.

I love that Allende bases this work on real events and peppers them with facts about people so that you feel as if you are reading real history as it happens and learning a great deal about the circumstances of the time and how a sense of belonging can be the most important thing a person clings to.

This is the story of Victor Dalmau a young man at the height of the Spanish Civil War. He is studying Medicine and helps look after the wounded in battle, while his younger brother, Guillem, fights for the Republic. Told in the third person, mostly from Victor’s point of view the book follows his life. We learn about his family and Roser (his brother’s girlfriend and one of the students of Victor’s father, a musician), and hear first-hand of his experiences during the war. Roser is pregnant with Guillem’s child when he is killed. Victor vows to look after his brother’s lover and so when it is clear that Franco is winning, they escape into France together, entering into a marriage of convenience.

But the French are not welcoming to Spanish Civil War refugees, placing them in concentration camps with poor sanitation and insufficient food. Victor and Rosa decide to emigrate to Chile on the Winnipeg – the ship that Pablo Neruda organised to bring 2,000 Spanish refugees to freedom in Chile (oh the irony). Victor and Roser settle down in Chile, making a new life for themselves. Rosa pursuing her musical work and Victor becoming a cardiologist. But then, in 1973, comes Pinochet and the fascists take root in Chile, leading to a military coup and the mass murders in the football stadium where Victor Jara was murdered. When even the artists are being murdered, it is time to uproot and flee. Victor and Rosa, long-settled and feeling at home in Chile, become refugees once again.

This time Victor and Rosa head for Venezuela. As they yet again flee, their hope of returning to Spain mutates into a longing for Chile that keeps them going. Their role is to bear witness to the battle between freedom and oppression until finally Roser and Victor find that home is closer than they knew.

A Long Petal of the Sea is a sweeping family saga about belonging which shows us the important contribution that refugees can make to society, which gives the book a contemporary message that is important and resonated loudly with me.

Verdict: An ambitious work which blends the personal and the political to depict the life of a refugee. Sometimes a little wordy, this is a story for today. An epic saga that blends fact with fiction until we no longer know what is real and what imagined but which shows us the important contribution that immigrants can make to society.

I've always enjoyed Isabel Allende's writing, but found this more difficult. On occasions it felt like a non fiction book with the characters using very clunky dialogue to explain various political situations to other characters. A very worthy read and many of the horrors will stay with me, but not one I would read again.
Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury publishing for an advance copy of this book.

I am a big fan of Allende’s earlier work but it has been many years since I’ve read any of her work. This was a disappointing return to her work. It felt almost like a non fiction book, so rich in facts of the era and there was very little character development. Not one of her better books.

With characters based on real individuals, in the context of the Spanish Civil War, and Pinochet's reign in Chile, Isabel Allende's novel is demanding - demanding to be read; I could not put this down.

The story starts with Victor, a medical student, escaping the Spanish Civil War to Chile, with his dead brother's girlfriend Roser - both feisty and powerful characters; after a relatively quiet time settled in Chile, during which time Victor becomes friends with the future President Allende, political turmoil again throws their lives into chaos.

Packed with interesting historical and political stories, The Long Petal of the Sea is also poetic, highly descriptive - evoking clearly the different landscapes of the story - and populated with a wealth of rich characters. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review. I have read other Isabe Allende books and like this one find I am unable to give them more than a 3 star rating. In comparison to others this is mercifully short and avoids most of her hyperbole but it fails to give me the lyricism and beautify narrative that others see.

Based on true events ( I wondered if the Allende in the narrative was a relative of hers) I found her storytelling stilted in the telling of events although when recounting the more personal lives of her character she had a more pacy, interesting style. I think in comparison to others of her books I will retain this storyline in my memory better as she does make the main characters come alive in their stories.

I know many view Allende as a mistress of storytelling but having tried several of her books she just doesn't do it for me and I think I have now reached the limit. I am not sure i will try any more

Thankyou to Isabel Allende, Bloomsbury and Net Galley for the ARC. An epic tale taking us from the Spanish Ciil War when if you didnt toe the line you were rounded up and killed, to Pinochet's dictatorship of Chile, when those who had escaped Spain on Neruda's ship, Winnipeg were displaced once again. Expansive and deeply historical this story encompases emotions from the depths of despair to acts of unselfish humanity. Read it.

This is one of those novels that leaves its mark on you long after you finish reading it and will remember it for along time after
An epic history lesson which taught me about the Spanish civil war and the ensuing migration of refugees from that revolution to Chile to find themselves yet again in another conflict.
Through the life of Victor Dalmau a young doctor we learn of the horrors of war for a person on the wrong side of a conflict. It also the lengths a person will go to and endure to protect not only their loved ones but their fellow human beings.

WOW WHAT A READ!!!!!!
Historical fiction at it's best. The gripping story of a family caught up in the Civil War in Spain. An eye opening read. I learnt a lot, for example how Nuruda the Chilien poet and diplomat sponsored the ship Winnepeg to bring hundreds of refugees to freedom in Chile. This read transported me back to this period in time. Beautifully written and as I said before historical fiction but based on fact!!!! So highly recommended and an easy five stars.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I love Isabel Allende's books-she is such a wonderful storyteller ,and the story moves along here at a fast pace.It starts off during the Spanish Civil War,when the main character, Victor, and his family are supporters of the Republicans .The war is described very realistically in all its horror and the suffering of the Catalan people is powerfully portrayed.
Victor and his wife Roser are finally offered asylum in Chile and life improves for them for many years,as they take advantage of the opportunity for Victor to complete his studies as a doctor and Roser as a musician.However,Victor is a friend of Salvador Allende so when the military coup led by Pinochet takes place in 1973,Victor is once again penalised.
The characters in the book are beautifully portrayed and the relationship between Victor and Roser is especially moving..
I would highly recommend this book.

How to begin to describe how much I loved this book?

For me personally it was interesting because I lived in Catalunya for many years and so am aware of the civil war and the devastation it caused. Famiies that I know have parents and grandparents who were directly affected and I even know of some who were imprisoned in the dreadful camps on the sands of France.

But I had never heard of the voyage of the Winnipeg - that the Chilean poet and diplomat Neruda funded and organised to bring hundreds of refugees over to freedom in Chile.

This is a gripping story of a family caught up in the conflict and in the repression of the dictatorship after the war. They escape to Chile on the incredible Winnipeg and create new lives. Then of course Chile is later rocked by a military coup and again they are forced to cope with state violence and repression.

But they are all strong and creative people, generous with their gifts (of music, medicine, love) and they survive.

this book is a joy - it inspires us to use our own gifts to help others and to build friendships and communities wherever we find ourselves in the world.

I read it as often as I had time to sit down. Highly recommended.

PS I had only read Isabel Allende's magical realism before - just to mention that this book isn't in this genre, in case you are not keen. It is more of a historical novel based on fact.

I loved this book, what a great saga. I learnt lots of things I had no idea about such as how badly the Spanish fleeing Franco were treated by the French (put into "concentration" style camps) and reminded me of the heartbreaking disappearances and stadium carange in Chile under its dictatorship. The book starts bang in the middle of action in the Spanish Civil War with lots happening and details about people who are quickly killed to cope with, so for me, it was a bit confusing at the outset. However, stick with it, after the first few chapters everything falls into place and the narrative becomes much more flowing and a great family saga of heartbreak and loss (along with some happiness) begins as the lives of two families are charted through the Spanish Civil War, exile and emigration up until almost the end of the century. I found it fascinating. Isabelle Allende even has her uncle in the narrative for the the real life role inplayed in Chilean politics. Allende in the afterword says she felt the narrative wrote itself and it does flow wonderfully well. I looked forward to finding out what was happening to the main players every night when I got some time to read. The mark of a good read for me.

A Long Petal of the Sea is a fascinating, often heartbreaking book about a period in Spanish and Chilean history. Going into this book, I knew quite a bit about the Spanish civil war but very little about Chilean history and the dictatorship that controlled the country. Most of the characters may be fictitious but the story reads like a non-fiction historical book. It is a story that sneaks up on you and gradually draws you in, until in a blink of an eye, you have witnessed these characters lives and feel great empathy for them. The story itself covers a lot of ground, often introducing characters you believe will never be heard from again. However, the ending is bittersweet but satisfactory.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for anyone interested in the history of this time.

Just sublime and touching, it makes me cry so much! This book make you realise how important it is to enjoy the little things in life and the people you love around you as you never know what might happen next. Great historic book about Spain and Chile during the 20th century.
I strongly recommend to read it

This was an interesting read. Set from the time of the Spanish Civil War and then onto Chilli during the revolution there, it follows one man's life, Victor Dalmau, through this turbulent time in history.

I certainly learnt a lot more about the Spanish Civil war and Chilli's history than I knew before; which was interesting. I did, however, feel this story is more of a history lesson than a work of fiction. I didn't really engage with the characters and I think that is because their story was so interspersed with factual information. Sadly, it was too long and too fragmented for me to really enjoy it.

It is however well written and if you want to improve your knowledge of this era in history this would be a good book to choose.

This book is an epic read and will speak more to readers who enjoy history. It's a challenging read at times and explores a time in history that I have little knowledge or understanding of, so I found this of interest and a bit of an eye-opener. It's clear the writer has a thirst for historical detail, and I felt at times it was a little too heavy handed, but at the same time important.
Allende weaves the fictional and the history well, and I enjoyed the family saga elements of the book. It's a book of love, family endurance, suffering, brutality, sadness and hope. Victor's story is epic, and I loved the Pablo Neruda aspect and quotations throughout. If you are interested in finding out more about the Spanish Civil War then reading this novel is one way to do that, merged with Victor's harrowing and uplifting life story.
This is at its heart a powerful piece of literature.

As usual, a beautifully written book by the talented Isabel Allende. Her descriptions are amazing and the story compelling.
An intense book about Spanish history which may be too in depth for some readers.
Put some time aside and immerse yourself.