I knew next to nothing about the Spanish Civil War and completely nothing about the Chilean role in the aftermath or mid-century Chilean history, so this book was an eye-opener. The characters were also very well drawn and you definitely wanted to see them succeed eventually. The messsge of tolerance was also very strong throughout and it was interesting to see an open marriage portrayed so positively.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC

Can I just say right away, this is one of the best books I've read this year.

This is an epic story spanning decades and crossing continents.
It primarily follows two people. Roser who is pregnant and widowed and her dead lovers brother Victor Dalmau.
Victor is a surgeon who has been working with the wounded in the Spanish Civil war and when their cause is lost they flee to France.
They seek a new start and emigrate to Chile, arriving on the day that WW2 broke out in Europe. In order to emigrate they must get married. This they do against both their better judgement.

There follows an engrossing story as the new family seek to make their way in a foreign country with only each other to rely and lean on.

The story covers a mass of history. The Spanish Civil war to Pinochet's dictatorship of Chile and everything in between.

The book is beautifully written, the story is compelling and the scope of the events, global.

I fear my words cannot do justice to this masterpiece of modern literature.

Just go buy it and see for yourself.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

I may be a historian but I haven't studied Spain at all, so this topic, as the book is set in 1930s Spain was completely new for me, I did not feel confused about what was meant to be going on at all. I thought the author did a great job to immerse me in the time frame of the novels.

Overall, I thought the book was well written, I thought the characters were brilliant, despite not being perfect and having their flaws, I quickly came to root for the characters Roser and Victor as they tried to escape the fascist regime which was quickly sweeping throughout Europe during the 1930s, as I would know more about what was going on in Germany and Italy. Despite not knowing much about Spain, I did think my knowledge of fascism did help me emphasise with the characters. It is clear that the author has done extensive research and looking at her author bio, she may have had personal experience as well.

When I requested this book, I did not expect the ending to be as sad as it was. The ending really made me think about what was going on in the world and the news in regards to racism and immigrants and what they can bring to their new country.

The only reason I didn't give this book five stars was because the book did drag at times and there was far too much description when it really wasn't needed.

A beautiful book covering the 1930s to modern day. A really interesting setting of post Spanish Civil war and the impact of it on one family. I really loved this book.

Thanks for letting me review this book

I struggled to finish this novel because I do not have much knowledge about the Spanish war and I got very confused with so much information about the politics. But that's just me, I am sure someone who is into history or knows more about the background can appreciate this novel way more.

I became totally immersed in this historical and literary novel by Isabel Allende, a story that comes from her heart. Her novels are often based on her personal experiences and this is no exception. She must have grown up hearing family tales of trauma on a large scale. Her grandfather fled Spain and found refuge in Venezuela. Her uncle was Salvador Allende, a physician and politician who became President of Chile and later committed suicide rather than resign at the time of Pinochet's coup d'etat. So many true family tales of violence and home-comings cannot but have shaped her writing.
Contrary to Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls set against the Spanish Civil War and focusing on two protagonists, Allende's story paints with compassion a much wider picture detailing the exodus of thousands and the amazing contribution made by the Nobel Prize Winning Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda who charted an old vessel to transport 2,000 Spaniards from the squalid French concentration camps to the long petal of the Sea, Chile.
Yet in the wide scope of all this political upheaval she gives us a sweeping story of love and loss, of danger and comradeship, a tale peopled with strong admirable characters. I heartily recommend A Long Petal of the Sea.

I have enjoyed other novels by Isabel Allende and this was no exception. She has a strong sense of the history of the period, not just the main events but how they impact on various members of her cast of characters, although her portrayal of the political situation from the left wing perspective is definitely her forte. The book is far more gripping when it details the daily trials of the Dalmau family than when it covers the opposing right wing. At times I felt there was a tendency to overload the novel with factual, political information with rather a sketchy overview of great chunks of time, but on the whole I began to care about the fate of the Dalmaus and wanted to know how the dire conditions could come to a successful conclusion. A fascinating and informative read, especially for those who know little about the Spanish Civil War or the military dictatorship of Chile.

Two young people, refugees from the Spanish Civil War, emigrate to Chile, where they weather further trials down the years together (translated from the Spanish by Nick Caister and Amanda Hopkinson).

I enjoyed the novel's historical focus, as I knew little of the Spanish Civil War or of Chilean history (though I visited that lovely country, 'the long petal of sea and wine and snow' a few years ago).

This is a remarkable story, one that only Allende could write - highly recommended!

This is the story of Victor and Roser. They are born in Spain and Roser is engaged to Victor’s brother. They are caught up in the war with Franco and have to flee Spain. Roser’s fiancé dies in Spain and, in order to get refuge in Chile, Victor and Roser marry. The story then spans the rest of their lives as they experience passions, despair and political turmoil. They are once again exiles. You learn a lot about the historical periods and history of Chile. At times, it felt more like a biography than a novel and I never really felt gripped by the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Allende considered her own family stories to write this, and it shows. There's a depth of perception and feeling in A Long Petal of the Sea which makes it a really good reading experience. Encompassing activities across 60 years, the novel starts during the Spanish Civil War and ends in 1990s Chile, following a couple who made a marriage of convenience in order to escape Chile. This is a warm tale of love and support, and the writing wraps the reader is layers of care and commitment. At its heart this is a love story, but the historical realities meld with the romance to create a story that stays with you after you put it down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Following the characters of Dr. Victor Dalmau and musician and music teacher Roser Brugeura, the reader is carried through a story that is epic in scope. It begins with the Spanish Civil War and ends more than 50 years later in Chile. This historically accurate piece follows the two main characters as they survive the Spanish Civil War, are assisted by the famous poet Pablo Neruda to obtain passage aboard The Winnipeg to Chile only to experience political turbulence in their new home with the election of Pinochet.

Allende masterfully scripts the many intersecting plot lines and engages the reader in each of the character’s destinies. Nuanced love stories born out of necessity and passion bring some positivity in antithesis to the horrors of concentration camps and extreme politicking.

Thank you to @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is in stores January 21, 2020.

“A Long Petal of the Sea” is an incredible literary novel. It is effectively divided into three parts, each one representative of a different country and time era in which Victor and Roser find themselves.

The story starts dramatically in the midst of the Spanish Civil War as Victor finds himself holding the heart of a fallen soldier, which he massages back to life. His vision of working within cardiology is set from this moment.

The first part of the book is captivating, heartbreaking, emotional. It’s epic, yet often tender and personal as the reader is introduced to the various characters, especially, Roser, Victor and his brother Guillem.

At times in this first section the story is interspersed with succinct history ‘lessons’ about the Spanish Civil War which are equally fascinating and horrifying. As Roser and Victor’s mother are forced to join the half million refugees walking to France from Spain I felt deep shock. How had I never heard of this mass exodus – The Retreat. A retreat which killed thousands, both en route and later in appalling conditions in camps in France.

Once in France Victor and Roser are among the lucky two thousand accepted onboard the rescue ship M/S Winnipeg chartered by the famous Chilean Nobel-prize winning poet and politician Pablo Neruda. Throughout the book, Pablo Neruda’s poems are quoted at the beginning of chapters, his words reflecting his belief in humanity, his love for his country.

Once in Chile the writing style is transformed. From the stark description of the terror in Spain, which at times left the main protagonists feeling remote from the reader, the attention moves alongside Victor and Roser as they build a new life in their adopted country.

Here they find warmth, comfort and opportunity. Whilst Victor works in a bar to fund his medical training, Roser continues piano playing, increasingly at a higher level. Their lives become interlinked with a Chilean family whose son Felipe was a young diplomat and welcomed them to Chile on their arrival. Felipe’s sister, Ofelia de Solar immediately catches Victor’s eye.

One of my concerns as I read about the book was that it would skip from one generation to next with just a brief time in each. Rather Isabel Allende has skilfully woven generations of history through the eyes of the two main characters and their friends. This is inspired and as they live through each new trauma or coup, it’s as if we experience it ourselves.

The sweeping story of the book is captivating and I found myself transported across the globe to a country about which I knew nothing. As Victor and Roser both become successful in their chosen careers, as their son Marcel happily grows up as a Chilean, the threat from Pinochet is increasing.

After the coup, Victor blithely and naively feels invulnerable. Until the day he is denounced by a neighbour whom he had helped many times. Once more, nearly forty years after leaving Spain, he finds himself being tortured in cells, taken to a work camp and almost starved to death. It is with Roser’s determination, courage and perseverance to find him over eleven months coupled with the fortuitous near-death of the camp commander that saves Victor’s life.

Once he is freed, the couple flee to Venezuela who is welcoming all refugees from Chile.

Throughout the book, the themes of hope, exile and belonging are thoroughly explored … topics that personally touch the author and reflect her life. As a young Chilean her grandfather fled Spain during the civil war, and years later she too found refuge in Venezuela.

Once again in exile, Roser’s inner and positive spirit helps them to rebuild their lives. The melancholy that often overcomes Victor fails to do so on this occasion and their relationship enters a new level. The epic nature of the book has never felt more intimate and close, the political events of the countries are sweeping, the horrors perpetrated in Chile unimaginable yet there is love and life in their new adopted country.

Victor’s and Roser’s years of exile in Venezuela is brought to an end when a list of those free to return to Chile is published. Victor’s name is on the list and on the advice of their son, they return to a country that has and is still suffering terribly under the regime of Pinochet. Against the odds, they forge a new life, one which flourishes as Pinochet dies and the country slowly reverts to democracy.

As the book headed towards a heartfelt and compelling conclusion I found myself reading slower, not wanting to leave the book, its story, characters.

This is a stunning historical literary novel and one I cannot recommend highly enough. It is a book I will never forget and one I feel that changed me.


I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and impartial review

Isabel Allende's semi-autobiographical books can be rather challenging and difficult to read due to the subject matter. However, they are always interesting and well-written. This one in particular (of those I have read) has a lot of slightly confusing political content, but that could be down to my lack of knowledge about Spain and South America. It is worth reading this book to gain a better understanding of what Franco's regime was like, and it's affect on ordinary Spanish people.

Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book

The blurb "This is a story of displacement and love, of sorrow and hope, of a couple trying to find their place in a world in shambles, torn apart by violence. It starts in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War, when half a million refugees escaped Franco by walking from Spain to France. There, they were held in concentration camps by French authorities. Thousands died."

I have not read any of Isabel Allende's other work so didn't know what to expect but the blurb looked good. I thought it would appeal to me hugely. I'm afraid this wasn't the case. The book didn't live up to my expectations and I was sadly disappointed.
The initial pages were interesting, but after that it became rather dull and tedious for me. It read more like a history book than a novel and I found it difficult to find any kind of feeling for the characters. After a few, 'he said this, she said that's' I decided it wasn't for me.
There was too much history and not enough story. Although I love to learn of historic events, and I want some background to the period the book is set around, this was too much of that and not enough of the other.
Rather a disappointment.

A perfect blend of historical fact and fiction that follows the lives of the Dalmau family, torn apart by the Spanish Civil war. They flee to safety across the Pyrenees only to face the deprivations of a refugee camp. It is a story full of love and loss as they struggle to survive yet more political turmoil in South America. This was my first experience of one of Isabel Allende's books but I will certainly look for more.

I love Isabel Allende's books and this one is up there with the best. Her writing is beautiful and I find the whole Spanish/ Chilean history fascinating although often devastating - the description of the young lad with the doctor bringing him back to life by massaging his exposed heart - only to have him die later, will stay with me forever. I now need to go back and reread her previous books.

A strangely subdued outing. historically very interesting but the writing seemed uncharacteristically lacking in any attempt at creating an emotional engagement with the characters from the reader.

I had hoped for more as Ms Allende is a great writer, but this more personal book drawing on familial stories seems to have been written with a little bit less of a light touch than usual so as to preserve the truth. Not a bad thing, just not as enjoyably immersive as others in her canon.

Personally I found this book a little challenging to read.

While the historical aspects are interesting in the struggle of the characters and the change in power through Spain, Chile ans Venezuela, and the characters themselves have an intriguing story, I didn't find it very gripping.

The story read almost like prose, and as thiugh details were being listed rather than described for the reader. I also felt that despite the traumatic events that had happened, in parts it was quite romanticised.

There were some poetic elements that I enjoyed and some lines that stayed with me. For example: 'if one lives long enough, circles close'.

I think other people would enjoy this book, and people who like historical stories that are part fiction should definitely give this a go.

I was drawn to this book by its setting in the Spanish Civil War and by the story of the Winnipeg, the ship chartered by Pablo Neruda to take 2,000 refugees to Chile. The preface by Isabel Allende whet my appetite and the first few pages were a very strong and shocking opening. It soon became so, so dry though. I struggled to feel any emotion behind the words. This happened, then this happened, she said and he said, then this happened.......with a lot of historical detail behind events. The history was for me the most interesting part. I usually love learning about history through fiction but I’d rather read an actual history than this long-winded account.

I’m not finishing this book as there are too many other books waiting on my shelves. I wanted to enjoy it much more than I did but I have to be honest. I’m giving it 3 stars because it would probably be unfair to give fewer.

A moving read, which brought out the horrors of war and revolution but running through it the core of humanity - love. I did not know anything about the evacuation boat, The Winnipeg, following the Spanish Civil War and found what happened to the refugees very interesting and really not how one might have expected it to operate. The subsequent history of Chile and its history of revolution was equally interesting.

A novel and and history combined well into one, thank you.