Isabel Allende’s talents are in full force once again in Violeta, the first-person story of a South American woman who lives 100 years, from one pandemic to another. Violeta is a colorful character who is filled with resilience as her life of economic privilege reels from one tragedy to another. Allende has a special ability to tell an engrossing story filled with well-developed characters in settings that come to life before your eyes. The device of telling the story as a long letter is a bit contrived, but the last few chapters demonstrate the wisdom of using it. Highly recommended.

This was an epic, sweeping tale about one woman's life, from start to finish. It was written in the form of a letter to a loved one (it's really not a "spoiler" to mention whom the letter is written to, but it's also not explained until probably 2/3 into the book, so I'm leaving that detail out of my review). This was an interesting format - while I've read epistolary type books in the past, this was not letters written back and forth, and wasn't even necessarily formatted like a letter. But it was what one could expect if a loved one told them the story of their life in letter form.

The book is set in South America (I believe in Chile), which is an area I have not read about very much, if ever, in a fictional book. I enjoyed learning some of the history of that region. The book takes us through the ups and downs not only of Violeta's life, but also through the upheavals and unrest throughout the 20th century in Chile. The book recounts times of prosperity and poverty, joy and heartache, as well as the coming of age of not only Violeta but her children as well.

Violeta is a woman with faults, but still someone you find yourself cheering for throughout. While at times I found myself wishing she were a better mother, I was also equally impressed with her business acumen, especially in a time when women had less rights.

The only thing I will say is that at times I did find the book a bit wordy and meandering. Sometimes it felt that the message could have come across a little more succinctly, but overall I really liked it. If you have no interest in history or South America, it may not be the book for you. But if you do, I think you'll find this book to be rich with information, while telling a beautiful story to boot.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Allende has said in interviews that she was inspired by the life of her mother and their 50 years of daily correspondence. I suspect parts of this book are autobiographical as well—Allende’s own life is mirrored in many parts of Violeta’s life. I adored the strong and determined Violeta. I cheered for her, loved her through her mistakes and understood her choices even if they weren’t ones I would have made. Allende is such a gifted storyteller. She gives you just enough detail to form impressions of characters and places without overwhelming you and plenty of plot to move things along. This was such a satisfying, absorbing read and I was sad when it ended.

This ARC was provided by @netgalley and @randomhouse. The opinions are my own.

This is a book I predict will be everywhere in 2022. It is by an internationally well renowned author, Isabel Allende, she has written so many celebrated novels…

This is a story that spans over 100 years. It begins at the time of the Spanish Flu and ends in 2020 during the peak of Covid. Violeta Del Valle Is writing a letter to her grandson Camilo before she dies. She is honest and shares everything she went through in her life in this letter. Living through 10 decades of history there are major historical events highlighted along with major life events—family hardships, loses, marriages, affairs, successes, unexpected tragedies..

✨My Thoughts
I liked this book but I can’t say I loved it. It was one of my most highly anticipated novels in 2022 so I really wanted to love it. You all know I love a book that revolves around the elderly telling their life story—just look at my top reads in 2021! There were 3 books just like that.

Here is what preventing it from being the 5star read I was predicting-
I think any time a book spans over so many decades you run the risk of just skimming the surface. The timeline was moving fast but the story just felt so slow at times. Not even sure if there was a climax? I really did feel like I was reading a letter and I wanted to feel more transported. I wanted more dialogue and less of a summary of events. There were also moments where I felt the story went off on a tangent and I felt myself drifting..

I do think Allende is an amazing storyteller, I just don’t know that this format worked for me. I did really like Violeta’s reflection in the end and the subtle humor she had an old age. The one stand out character for me was Torito. I would have had loved more of him.

This is captivating historical fiction as Violeta narrates the story of her life from birth to death, a riches-to-rags-to-riches epic. It is written as a cross between a memoir and an epistolary novel written to a much beloved family member named Camilo. She relates the vicissitudes of her life, with all its ups and downs, including what she refers to as her sins. Throughout it all, she chronicles historical events that took place during her lifetime, starting with the Spanish Flu in the year 1920; the stock market crash in 1929 followed by worldwide Depression; WWII; the 1973 Chilean coup d'état followed by the disappearance and/or torture of thousands; US involvement in supporting dictatorships in South America; and more. Violeta also describes her childhood; her parents and siblings; her governess; her aunts and country life; her husbands, lovers, and, of course, her children. All-in-all, she depicts a life well-lived with few regrets. Violeta is a fascinating narrative that kept my attention throughout. Well-worth reading.

📕 Book Review📕 Violeta - Isabel Allende (4 ⭐️)

This is the first book that I have read by Isabel Allende. I told myself this year that I would go out of my comfort zone and read other genres. I was recommended Isabel for her writing and how she balances the line of imagery with her characters set to a specific time in history but without overwhelming the reader. Thank you @netgalley for my Advanced Copy, as well as Random House Publishing. The cover is just so beautiful and classic I dove right into it. Highly recommend this book to anyone who is fans of the author, literary fiction and/or historical fiction. Set in Chile from 1920 until 2020. It’s a series of letters from a grandmother (Violeta) recounting her life story and memories to her grandson Camilo.

She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others, recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women’s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and ultimately not one, but two pandemics.

📚 Violeta by Isabel Allende 📚

"Sometimes our fates take turns that we don’t notice in the moment they occur, but if you live as long as I have they become clear in hindsight. At each crossroads or fork we must decide which direction to take. These decisions may determine the course of the rest of our lives."

I absolutely devoured this story of a woman who lives 100 years, from 1920-2020. With the passing of Betty White this book felt even more prescient. Considering how these women (one fictional, one very real) led incredible lives and how much changed throughout history and in society during their lifetimes, it was so fascinating.

She's been a favorite author of mine since a college professor had me read her debut novel The House of the Spirits back in 2000 or so.  With this new book, she's showing the world that she's still got it.  Wow! I double checked via Google and Isabel Allende is 79 years old. Here's to another 20 for her too. Her previous book Long Petal of the Sea came out in 2020 (I think) and I loved it as well.

Over the last 20 years I've read most of her fiction, and there were a few I wasn't a big fan of - Ripper, The Japanese Lover. Even when reading In the Midst of Winter I liked it but wondered if she had lost her edge. But it's back! I also think that because I started out with her historical fiction, I might like these more than the present day novels mentioned above.

If you love her, you've got to read this. If you've never read her books, this would be a great starting point because it's got many of her best qualities - sweeping,  emotional, compelling characters, political background, fascinating history, and dramatic families. But it doesn't have the somewhat unsettling magical realism and entangled prose that her debut throws at you. Work up to that one too though because it's totally worth it!

Thanks to @randomhouse for the Netgalley eARC. This will be available January 25th!

Isabel Allende is an incredible writer. I loved reading Violeta. I loved that it span over 100 years, started with one pandemic and ended in another. I also loved how it span across so many different countries around the world. The life story of Violeta is filled with tragedy, love, adventure and learning - so much learning.
Isabel Allende did it again! What a masterpiece!

Violeta is a sweeping historical fiction novel about the life of a woman born in 1920 during the Spanish flu epidemic, who lives to be 100 years old. Violeta tells her life story to a person who is very dear to her heart, and wow, what a life it was. She experienced epidemics, wars, and revolutions, but also passionate love, heartbreak, and motherhood.

Violeta is a mesmerizing story with an amazing atmosphere that reminded me of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It’s so detailed and well-written that reading it feels like watching a movie. I definitely learned a lot about the history of Chile thanks to how engaging this book is, and was really happy to see that Allende approached it from a feminist angle. During her long life Violeta meets a lot of side characters, but they’re all very memorable and different from each other. I especially loved the gentle giant Torito, and I know that his story arc will stay with me for a long time. I also loved how we find out the mysterious addressee’s identity and story piece by piece throughout the book.

Overall, Violeta is a captivating, dazzling novel set in a fascinating century and focused on what it feels like to live your life through major historical events.

"Violeta": 4⭐

Isabel Allende is a literal queen when it comes to literature. To me, she's the author that makes me feel closest to what a classic book could be rated as in modern literature.
Her newest release, Violeta, made me feel, again, like I've read a classic and how much I enjoyed it.
Violeta is the youngest sister to five older brothers and she was born in South Africa. She literally lives 100 years and dies in 2020 with coronavirus. It was a different read and yet really powerful. One that feels close to what we're having in the 2020's and one I'm sure most readers would relate to.

isabel allende does it again! wow. this was a seriously amazing and beautifully written story, and i really appreciate the privilege of being able to have read it before publication! i thoroughly admire isabel allende's writing for the way she weaves in chilean history and feminism into gorgeous prose and wonderful, slice-of-life stories, and violeta did not disappoint. my favorite character was teresa rivas by far. she was so awesome and i aspire to live my life like her. and i thought the whole subplot on the german colonists/immigrants in chile and their sympathy with nazism and the pinochet dictatorship was very cool. julian was a terrible bastard, completely amoral, but because of that, interesting to read (though he got what he deserved in the end). and i really enjoyed the conclusion of this book, with violeta finding a purpose for herself after the tragedies she lived through (nieves's storyline broke my heart). overall, a wonderful story and i feel very fulfilled after reading it!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

This is the story of Violeta Del Valle who lives for a whole century! She was born in 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic and will die in 2020 during the outbreak of coronavirus. We readers will follow her long journey from life to death through her own words. In this story, she is the narrator and she tells her story in the form of a letter/book to Camilo (I don’t want to reveal who he is).

There is so much happening in this book from start to end. The readers have two different elements that keep the story flowing, the characters and the world. The author has fleshed out the characters. There are many and each one of them is unique and has its own personality. They felt like real people to me. It is like you are reading a documentary about real persons who lived through all this. What I truly love about the main character is that she is very human. She is flawed. Violeta has good and bad inside her. She never defended her bad decisions or mistakes. She is honest to Camilo in her writing and is never ashamed of her rebellious nature. She is a woman who had to live on her own terms even if those terms were defying the norms and traditions in those times.

The other factor I loved that moved the story is how the author incorporated many historic events into the story be it the Spanish flu pandemic, the Great Depression, political turmoils, and many more up to our days. Isabel Allende’s writing is so beautiful and engaging. I never read anything by her before but would love to read more of her books. The little details she put in her story and characters are exceptional.

I have a very strong feeling that this book will be up for many awards in 2022 including the Goodreads Choice Award for historical fiction. The book has a stunning cover and is beautiful from the outside and inside. It deserves the love it is currently receiving so make sure to grab it when it is out by the end of this month (25th January).

Violeta living for 100 years reminded me of a beautiful celebrity that we have lost a few days ago just before she hit 100 years of age, Betty White 😢. May her soul rest in peace.

“Where did all the years go?”

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, NetGalley, and the author Isabel Allende for providing me an advance review copy of this book.

Violeta is a rich and enjoyable read. Readers who enjoy long-form narratives that span a character's lifetime will eagerly delve into the details Violeta shares about her life. This format can be somewhat meandering and slow-going at times, but there is enough intrigue and character development to keep things moving. I read most of this book on a slow and relaxing vacation, and it was the perfect read for that setting.

Violeta is well written historical fiction weaving Violeta’s personal story with 100 years of history in an unnamed South American country. Violeta’s story starts with her birth in 1920 during the Influenza Pandemic and ends with her death in 2020 during the Covid Pandemic. As someone who loves history, I found all the historical information fascinating, but loved Violeta’s personal story even more. I read one of Isabel Allende’s books years ago. I always meant to read more. Reading Violeta makes me realize I should make it a priority to rectify this mistake!

Violeta has witnessed a hundred years of history during the tumultuous 20th and 21st centuries, including two global pandemics. Now at the end of her life, she writes a letter to her grandson about what she’s learned — including the passion, surprises, loss, and joy along the way.

This narrative of a long, passionate life well-lived is precisely the book I needed to start a new year! Isabel Allende has such a gift for sweeping narratives that show us the beauty in the big and small moments of life. I loved every moment of Violeta's story.

Similar to my experience with House of the Spirits, I simply could not put this book down or stop thinking about it. The details regarding the political state and cultural norms that are interwoven into the story led me to pause and do some research on Chile several times during the novel as they really sparked my interest (this is absolutely not necessary to understand and enjoy the book, FYI).
The portrayal of Violeta is deep, complex, and very detailed and by the end of the book I felt as if I knew and understood her. As I read, I felt moved by her struggles and found myself to be rooting for her through the difficult times and celebrating alongside her when she triumphed. Several of the secondary characters were really interesting as well and altogether made for a much richer cultural exploration of historically what life may have been like in Chile at the time of the setting of the novel. There were several characters in the story who were devoted political advocates for women’s rights in particular, but also general human rights and these characters were juxtaposed by Violeta as she did not have a strong pull to advocacy during her younger years. This was able to illustrate how the call to action can be so obvious to some people while others may be almost oblivious to it due to their station in life (a helpful commentary also for the modern world). The plot itself is pretty action-packed as the political upheaval occurring around Violeta impacts her whole world. Violeta wears many “hats” throughout the book due to circumstance but through perseverance she is able to become successful, maintain strong family ties, leave a positive impact on her world, and find peace. Overall, the book left me with a feeling of uncertainty- about where life is headed and what twists and turns may come along the way- but it also left me feeling hopeful (for these same reasons).
If I had a to make a critique of the novel, I’d say that the way in which Violeta became involved with her second lover seemed very abrupt and uncharacteristic (although I suppose this may have been the point, it seemed unrealistic). That being said, this novel is so beautifully written and such a rich, detailed story that I still would rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

Enjoyed this book set in 1920s South America after the Great War, the Spanish flu pandemic and leading into the Great Depression. The family saga is what drew me in, and the story is what kept me.

With Violeta, Ms. Allende delivers another epic tale spanning generations and weaving historical events. It is a familiar tactic that she is famous for and one that never grows old as the human connection to stories transcends time and space. In reading this, you will become emotionally invested in the characters, rooting for them, understand and support the decisions that they make, even if some of them are not exactly from a place of wisdom.

An Independent Woman

This story starts in 1920 with the birth of Violeta during the Spanish Flu pandemic and ends in 2020 with the Covid 19 Pandemic. It covers all the years in between. It is the story of one woman, her family, her friends, her lovers and business partners.

Through all the stages of her life daughter, wife, mother, lover and business partner Violeta strived to be an independent woman and leading a life of her own choosing. She was one that could not be caged, could not be held back.

She campaigned for women's rights to birth control, abortion, divorce and against domestic abuse. Even though at times she was herself a victim of abuse. She found wealth in the city and peace in the country where she felt most at home.

Through hurricanes, floods, dictators and social unrest she lived and raised her two children and her grandchild. She gambled with the mafia and traveled the roads and back roads with her lovers. She lived and loved in her own way, built an empire with her brother in the pre-fab housing market and left most of her money to her son who became a priest.

I liked the story as it described the different parts of the country she lived in the Canary Islands, the politics, the people that lived there and their different customs and ways of living. The rich, the poor, and the crooked. The good, the bad and the indifferent.

It was a good story and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Isabel Allende for writing the story, Random House for publishing it and NetGalley for making it available to me.

I have never read an Isabel Allende book until Violeta and I’m just sitting here asking myself HOW is this possible? The author has such a vivid, rich way of describing historical fiction settings and I can’t wait to go back and read some of her previous novels! I am impressed.

Violeta is a story told in the form of a letter to her grandson about her whole life. Violeta was born during the Spanish flu pandemic and she lives through the COVID pandemic. The story is about her life during these times and all the historical events in between.