Another great story by one of my favorite authors! Violeta tells her life story from 1920 to 2020 in a letter written to her grandson (by computer, as she proudly writes towards the end of the letter). At the beginning and the end, she comments on being born during the flu pandemic and will die during the Covid-19 pandemic. In between, she writes about her life, the challenges of each stage and all the triumphs, happy times and tragedies that someone living 100 years finds inevitable.
Isabel Allende writes beautiful descriptions of all of the places that Violeta lives and visits while incorporating significant historical events in both North and South America and “signs of the times”. Violeta is far from perfect but is well aware of her shortcomings and is always striving to help others less fortunate. Because of Violeta’s long life, Allende is able to address the issues of aging and in Violeta’s character, she does this with flare. Great character development - I couldn’t help loving and admiring Violeta but many other characters come to life as a result of Allende’s writing skills, many likable and others, not so much.

An amazing epic story of a woman fighting for herself. Living in a time when living with someone is a sin, but unable to divorce the man she is married to. Losing a daughter to drugs and a sin to distance.
Fighting for women's rights and living to tell her story.
Spectacular read

Another epic novel from Allende, one that follows the life of a Chilean woman who is telling her life story at age 100. Knowing a lot about Allende's life, I can see the autobiographical pieces, but of course this is fiction and definitely not her own story. The sweep of time and experience and characters and history and politics is a powerful read.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

Violeta is 100 years old. She was born in 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic and died in 2020 during the corona virus pandemic. This book is her life story that she is writing for her grandson. She shares all the times of hardship and family drama. All the times of happiness and love she had along the way. I have to admit there were times I struggled to get through this book. There were parts I found a bit uneventful and slow. There were a lot of tales about the current affairs of government according to whatever years she was telling about at that time. Still I am glad to have read this book and am thankful to Isabel Allende, Ballantine Books, and to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

Has anyone ever chronicled (and added magic to) the lives of women with such grace and beauty as Isabel Allende?  If you’ve read one of the author’s books you don’t need me to tell you what you’ll find between the beautiful covers of Violeta.  Magical realism.  And the story of one woman’s life and loves.

The book takes the narrative form of a letter written by Violeta Del Valle to Camilo, a person much beloved to her. Violeta was born in the middle of a great storm in 1920 and the Spanish flu pandemic, and now she is dying in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. The only daughter of her worn-out former beauty mother and controlled but loving businessman father, Violeta is ambitious. She has five brothers, one of whom is already in his mid-twenties by the time she is born.  Her father dies in the midst of revolution and stock market crashes, Violeta finds his body and is traumatized forever,  and a now-penniless Violeta and her sickly mother move to the countryside of Chile and the bosom of her mother’s family.  With her father’s death the family splinters; Violeta becomes a teacher at thirteen, marries, moves to America and becomes an equal partner in her older brother’s construction firm.  She subsequently tumbles into two important relationships; one staid and passionless, one passionate but led by an abusive, immature and manipulative man.

At this point in her career it’s almost impossible to critique Isabel Allende’s work; she has hit a mature stride that rings with confidence in Violeta.  The novel does a lovely job chronicling the world Violeta inhabits and the people she loves and loathes.  Allende, as always, paints a rich portrait of a period long gone. There are, as always, ghosts involved, together with the promise of healing.  Many characters cross Violeta’s path and influence her life, and all of them are drawn well and richly.  My favorite was Violeta’s independently minded bisexual Irish expat governess, Miss Taylor, who dispenses sensible advice that helps Violeta become an independent businesswoman.

Allende’s self-assured talent is on full display as always, and there’s never a falsely used word.  The only complaint I have is that the novel sometimes falls into that women’s fiction trap of having every single disaster that could possibly happen to a cis woman happen to her protagonist.  But Allende is so talented she effortlessly navigates these waters, and Violeta is a darn good novel.

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Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc!

Isabell Allende knows how to tell a story like no one else. She captivated me with The House of the Spirits - which became one of my favorite books of all time - and Eva Luna. In her most recent novel we follow Violeta del Valle, who is telling the story of her life to a beloved person named Camilo, a figure the reader will get to know further in this book.

Violeta was born during the Spanish flu outbreak and when she talks about it, it feels much like what the world is experiencing nowadays, like the lack of masks for workers in the front lines, the stay-at-home measure to contain the spread of the virus, the use of medicines without any proven efficacy. During the first years of Violeta’s life she did not have any manners, she did not know how to dress, how to feed herself and behave properly, always throwing fits. She still slept in a cradle next to her parents bed.

So her father hired an Irish private tutor whose name was Josephine Taylor. Miss Taylor did not tame Violeta’s rebelliousness but taught her the basic societal norms or accepted behaviors. The protagonist grew up and became a woman ahead of her time, a businesswoman with a free soul who lived for 100 years. Violeta del Valle lived through the Great Depression of The United States, telling us readers how it affected her country, her family business and the fate of her whole family. She lived through the World War II, Cuban Revolution, and through the military coup and dictatorship in Chile. This last historical event had a great impact in Violeta’s life and is a recurrent theme in Allende’s novels. The protagonist also discusses the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and ends with the COVID-19 pandemic.

I love how the author writes strong, female characters. Violeta embodies strength with intelligence and compassion, she is a free woman who stands up for herself and who does not spare efforts to achieve what she aims. She also worked helping women victims of domestic abuse. Violeta is empowered and driven. I also like all the historical background depicted in this coming of age novel. With a magnificent prose, you end up this book wishing Violeta had lived another 100 years, only to read what more she would have to say about herself. I highly recommend this book.

Wow, there was a lot to this book. It’s the story of an entire lifetime, so there’s definitely a lot to get through!

I loved the beginning of Violeta. Her life as a child was so incredibly interesting, and I found myself feeling sad when the story continued and she was older. I loved the story of the woman who comes to her home as a nanny…their relationship is fascinating, and continues to be that way throughout the book.


While I was really engaged for about the first half of this book, the second half didn’t shine as brightly for me. It’s certainly an incredible story, and there’s no doubt that Isabel Allende is an experienced, immersive storyteller. I’ve heard good things about other books of hers (specifically A Long Petal of the Sea), and I would like to pick up one of those.

Violeta, though, gets a little bit too mired in politics for me. I enjoyed reading about the politics of a region I don’t know as much about, but the story got too focused there for me, with longer descriptions about what was going on with the politics in multiple countries. I like a side of politics with my stories…this verged too far into the political content for me.

That said, the fact that Allende fit this whole beautiful life into one book is pretty amazing, and just further shows what kind of an experienced storyteller she is. That part worked for me, as there weren’t any gaps that were too big or storylines/relationships that get lost. Super impressed with the whole layout of the story.

So, while I was really into the story at times, I got a bit bored at other times. Overall it’s a good read, and I’d like to pick up another of Allende’s books very soon. 3 stars from me for Violeta.

what a beautiful story and tribute. Allende keeps getting better. This was such a gorgeous story with unforgettable characters and great love.

This was the first book I’ve read by Isabel Allende and I will definitely be seeking out more. There was no mystery to solve, no big action scenes, but it was a story like no other about living, dying, family and the choices we make. I enjoyed that it was a letter and a remembering of an extraordinary life. The characters weren’t always likable, but I always wanted to know what they would do next and I was sad when their story came to an end. I would give this book 5 stars and I would recommend this book to everyone.

This is my first novel to read by Isabel Allende. A sweeping saga of a woman who lives a span of 100 years (1920-2020). Born in South America during the Spanish Flu Pandemic and ends during the Covid Pandemic. Love, romance, natural disasters, political uprisings, violence, domestic abuse, illegal operations, Violeta experiences it all. The story is told as a journal type letter to a Camilo, a much loved one. Memories compiled to tell of a century of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing an ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy Isabel Allende storytelling style. She evokes time and places that is so convincing. The main character Violeta is fleshed out so well as her family members and lovers. A good curl up and read the day away sort of book.

This was my first Isabel Allende novel and I was excited to read it. It covers the life story of Violeta. Born in a small south American country, she lives through not one but two pandemics, the Spanish Flu and Coronavirus, Historical fiction is my favorite genre, especially a meaty saga, I finished this a few days ago and I'm still trying to figure out how I felt about it. On the surface it ticked all my boxes, sweeping saga full of interesting characters, politics, family drama and historical events. But for some reason, I had no problem putting this book down for a days at a time and really had no vested interest in any of the characters. I didn't hate it, not did I love it. It seemed like a story someone was telling me as opposed to a story I was experiencing, if that makes any sense. I can't say I'd recommend it but I also can't say for sure if it was simply a case of wrong time, wrong place. I'm giving it 3 stars but would have done if 3 1.2 if that were an option.

Violeta is a compelling saga, told in classic Allende style. This sweeping tale chronicles the life of a woman who witnesses deep social change and blistering political subjugation over her century-long life in South America. The writing is richly layered and the story is compelling.

Curl up on the couch with this great read! I was so involved in the story that when my husband opened my office door I jumped in my seat from being taken out of Violeta's world and then leapt back in as soon as possible.

This review will be posted on January 22, 2022 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

Believe it or not, this was my first time reading Isabel Allende. (I know. I'm questioning my life choices up until now too.) The novel takes the form of a manuscript the titular Violeta Del Valle is writing: the story of her life. The manuscript reads like an oral history she is telling to Camilo, the person she loves most in this world. Who Camilo is only becomes clear as you fall wholeheartedly into Violeta's epic life. Her life spans 100 years, from birth during the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1920 to death in the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This novel was beautifully written. It was lush, epic, and filled with rich detail. Allende writes with powerful prose that is so effective and so impactful, it doesn't require much ornamentation. (That said, there were a small handful of moments when I wish I knew more about how Violeta felt, rather than her just telling us what happened to her, but I suppose that's a result of the novel's format.) Also, there were a few instances of the novel feeling a bit like a history textbook; this isn't called out to malign the real events represented, but to wonder if those events would merely be recited by someone who lived through them? In all though, I adored the time I spent with this novel. Allende gave us dynamic and sharply defined characters. The primary and secondary characters were unforgettable and I couldn't help but care deeply for (most of) them. #Violeta Rating: 😊 / really liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on January 25, 2022. Thank you Ballantine Books and @randomhouse for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a fan of Isabel Allende and will read nearly everything she writes. Here we have the story of a woman’s long life lived in interesting times in South America. She lives with passion through loss and love, and speaks with insight about both of those things and about turbulent political changes. The life is well-imagined.
It’s the form of the storytelling that does not work for me. I look for a strong sense of place in my reading. This story is told in a very long letter to a relative. Thus, it’s in first person with so many references to a you we can’t identify through most of the book that it can almost seem as if it’s in second person at times. Second person can be annoying to read. Also, by definition, it’s a tell, not show form which takes a sense of immediacy away. I felt as if I was reading the whole thing through a gauzy fabric. That it works as well as it does is a testament to Allende’s mastery, but this is not my favorite work by her.
I received a free ARC of this novel. This is my completely honest opinion.

Like most Allende, I lost sleep reading this novel. It takes place mostly in Chile and at times in the United States as well as Norway. Even Argentina is mentioned. It is a beautiful and descriptive novel about the life, from birth to death of the titular character of Violeta del Valle. Her loves; familial, romantic and life passions. I really enjoyed it but for me, it’s hard not to love Allende’s writing as she is in my top three favorite authors of all time. If you’ve ever enjoyed her work, this one will win you over as well. I liked how Violeta took responsibility for her failings but also thought on them and tried to be better.

Allende is brilliant, again.

She tells an intricately woven saga in the voice of the main character, Violeta, who is (mostly) sympathetic. In fact, none of the characters is perfect or one-dimensionally horrid.

The story begins when Violeta was a young child and moves chronologically through her life, except for some backgrounding sections of the other characters and the perilous political environment they endured. Their relationships ran the gamut between abusive and affirming, but all deeply felt and richly portrayed. The ending is exquisitely poignant.

Somehow, Allende brings together internationality, geopoltical shifts, political environments, people with widely diverse backgrounds, limitations, views, values and life experiences into a coherent, believable story. It should be recommended reading for students of history and cultures.

I have enjoyed several books by Isabel Allende. I appreciate her ability to craft wonderful characters and her flowing descriptions of life in South America and it’s history. That said, I didn’t really take to this book.

Told in an epistle format, it starts out strong. Violeta is born on a stormy night in 1920, during the Spanish flu pandemic. Her personality is fairly subdued in her early years. But once she meets Julian Bravo, she learns to live passionately (in both love and anger). We watch her family live through the Great Depression, wars, political upheaval, and other events in history. Violeta experiences love, loss, oppression, heartache, and rebirth in her 10 decades.

It was around the time of the great earthquake that my interest began to wane. I didn’t find many characters to cling to in this one and didn’t love Violeta. I found the chronological layout boring, to be honest. It felt like I was reading a history textbook. She’s a writer I admire and I will continue to read her work, but I wouldn’t recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for sharing an ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

I really wish I could give this book a better review but it felt like the author wanted to tell us a history lesson by weaving a story of a family into it. A little bit too unrealistic for one woman to experience so much.