Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoy some of Isabel Allende's books. The book is told from Violeta's perspective in a letter to a loved one. Telling the person about her life from the day she was born to present. Also going through so many things throughout her life.

The story is written as a letter in autobiography format from Violeta to the love of her life Amilo. Violeta Del Valle was born in a South American city during the flu epidemic. Her father kept them safe by isolating them in the house with guards. Her Aunts Pia and Pilar and her brother José Antonio took care of Violeta and spoilt her terribly. Her father hired an English governess, Miss Josephine Taylor who soon had her behaving. While she was still young, they moved way out in the country because her father dishonored them and then committed suicide. Violeta realized she was skillful in the family business and she soon became financially independent. That enabled her to live a very different life than her contemporaries, a fascinating, intriguing and not always on the correct side of the law, both Church and Civil. Who is Emilo and how will he receive these confessions.

I love Isabel Allende, she has always been one one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint.
Violeta del Valle is born in the year 1920 when the Spanish flu pandemic is raging through South America. Allende skillfully draws the reader into the next 100 years of Violeta's life through love, heartbreak, dictatorships, domestic violence,and substance use. Allende has such a way with language that immerses you fully into the story of Violeta and the cast of characters in her life

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I had to stop reading quite a few times to make sure that this was a fiction novel. Because it reads like an actual memoir. What I connected to most was the familial bonds, both of blood and love relatives, that are throughout the book. This story is a true testament to how family plays an important role in our overall mental emotional well fronts through good and bad times in our lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of Violeta! I have never read one of Isabel Allende’s books before so I was excited to read this one. The story centers around the long life of Violeta del Valle, a woman who has lived for a century and witnessed political upheavals and social movements. The story begins by Violeta dedicating her life story to a man named Camilo and discussing the circumstances of her birth and her life growing up. Violeta manages to survive pandemics (including Covid) and writes about her experiences through it all. That being said, I was not the biggest fan of how this story was structured. I found the writing to be tedious most of the time and the story did not hold my interest all of the time while I was reading. The events of the book were told in a tone that seemed to distance the story from the narrator and there was barely any dialogue in many parts of the novel, so it just felt like I was reading a collection of random stories that were strung together by the narrator but that did not flow well as one whole novel, in my opinion. I also did not like that the name of the country where the story took place was not mentioned, especially in the beginning of the book, because I would have liked to know where the story and the events of Violeta’s life took place. Overall, this was just an okay read.

Violeta is born in South America in 1920 during the Spanish Flu Pandemic. (Incidentally, I just learned from the book that it was called the Spanish Flu because Spain was the only country to admit that it was happening. The rest of the world was trying to hide it. I find that fascinating!) Anyway, Violeta is born into the Del Valle family which the author has written other books about. I have read two of them and didn’t realize they were connected. Although, when Violeta mentions her grandmother who is decapitated in a car accident and the head rolls off and is lost I put it together. That’s not a plot point I’ll easily forget. However, I’m getting off topic. So Violeta’s life spans the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, political upheavals, the fight for women’s rights, and wraps up in 2020 in the current pandemic. The book is a letter or journal that’s she’s keeping for someone named Camilo. We don’t find out who that is for quite awhile but it’s a personal firsthand accounting of her life.

Isabel Allende is an icon. Her work is always amazing. The characters, their lives, and struggles are so real and relatable even when they are from generations past.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an advanced copy of this book. It will be released on 1/25/22. In the, meantime look up Isabel Allende’s Involuntary Trilogy.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars I have been a big fan of Isabel Allende since my husband bought me one of her books for Christmas many years ago. She is a very talented storyteller and writer. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read her newest title. Violeta is a story written as a letter of love to share her story and the things she learned through her experiences. As we follow her story, we learn also about the impact of war, the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, and political tyranny on her homeland of South America. She shares her personal stories of grief, love, and challenges she faced in defending rights of women and all people. It was an interesting read and covered so many difficult times in the last century.

Epic saga of a woman born in one pandemic, until her death in another. The story reflects on family, heartache and the impact of world events and personal choices on each individual. Infused with culture and fully realized characters this was an enjoyable read from the first pages!

I love (love, love love) Isabel Allende and have read pretty much everything she's written. Perhaps that's why this one is just so much of the same. I'm sorry. I didn't like Violeta all that much and it felt long and tedious. Of course, it's still Allende so beautifully written.

And Norway. That was nice.

"There's a big difference between being old and being ancient."

Thank you NetGalley folks for a chance to read an advanced readers' copy.

Violets by Isabel Allende historically spans decades of wars and pandemics. Violeta endures poverty, the Great depression, decades of wars, family crises, her share of romances during her 100 year life span. Through her the old adage, "what doesn't't kill you, makes you stronger" is certainly fulfilled. This is an enlightening novel.

What a beautiful book. The story of Violeta is the story of a century, the hundred years from pandemic to pandemic. The central focus is on Violeta’s life with the historic events of the 20th and early 21st centuries playing quietly in the background. You are swept along a lazy river of luxurious writing as her life unfolds; a life with love and loss, highs and lows, successes and disappointments all set against the backdrop of turbulent South American times. You will enjoy learning of Violeta’s life, but it is the elegance of the writing that will enthrall you.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Isabel Allende has a way of mesmerizing me with her stories. She goes into fine details without being too wordy. I find myself wrapped up in the characters and the settings. Violeta is no different.

The book follows Violeta from birth to 100 years. Her childhood and the downfall of her family. Her friendships, her relationships, her marriage, and lovers. Her children. Through all of the book you see a determined woman who makes mistakes but has the strength to move on from them and try to make things right.

I enjoyed this book very much. One that I wanted to finish to see how things turn out, but at the same time, wanted to go on forever.

This is the first book that I have read by this author, but won’t be my last. This book drew me in from the beginning. A beautifully written story about the life of Violeta, who has written an account of her long life as she nears her death at age 100. She does so in the form of a letter to her beloved Camilo, who we later learn is her grandson. She recaps her life in an unflinching manner - the highs and lows, her successes and failures, confessing her sins and regrets with honesty.
If you are looking for a book to get lost in, this is the one for you. It will not disappoint!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Protagonist Violeta tells her life story in the form of a letter to her grandson. It is set in what is obviously Chile and covers the economic, social, and political history of the country. It covers a period of time from the 1920 “Spanish flu,” when it arrived in South America, to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

I really like the premise of this book, spanning one hundred years between pandemics – what a great idea for framing a story. Violeta’s life is eventful, full of passion, change, and heartbreak. Violeta’s personal life serves as a mirror for the ups and downs of the historical drama. Other themes include women’s rights and what it is like to live under an oppressive regime.

The only part that did not work quite as well is the epistolary choice. I was not convinced that a grandmother would share details of her love life with her grandson. But this is a minor quibble. The characters are well developed, and the descriptions of the region are stunning.

I am a fan of Allende’s writing. I have now read ten of her books, and her work is consistently strong. I received an advanced copy from the publisher, Ballantine, via NetGalley.

I have read and enjoyed other books by Isabel Allende so I thought I would enjoy this.
Not so much.

It is told first person as if one were dictating a memoir to a specific person, Camilo.
I found the style to be completely off-putting.
Another issue I had is that the country where this takes place seems never to be mentioned. I googled some of the location names, (which distractingly are also names in California) and it looks like Uruguay. Which if your talking about all this political stuff and "my beloved country" blah blah blah why not throw in an occasional line about my beloved Uruguay...

Anyhow between the extremely conversational style of the writing, and all the political machinations this was a total snooze-fest for me.
I would not recommend to any except the most ardent Allende lovers.

In truth, I would have abandoned this book several times, but kept on because I try to be conscientious about reviewing books from NetGalley.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I do love this authors books as she has the gift of word, situations and a good knowledge of what she writes about, and much more.
This book was fantastic, it has a little bit of everything a reader could want.
It is a beautifully told story of a woman's life over a hundred years, as told to her grandson.
It takes place mainly in South America where the character Violeta del Valle was born in 1920 through present day. The author has given us a view of what happened through history through those years and what that meant to to del Valle family.
There are so many good, and flawed people through out this story, all connected in some way.
Wonderful descriptions of the country, and how her life would be shaped by the countries unrest, pandemics, earthquakes, but also by the choices she made.
A must read in my opinion.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine for a copy of this book.

I loved this book! This isn't a book I would normally pick up since I mostly read fantasy so I'm so glad netgalley recommended it to me. The history interwoven into the book made me want to do more research as soon as I was finished. The author adds a ton of points and morals however I didn't feel like I was being preached to. She captures so many emotions yet keeps you engaged and entertained throughout the book. A perfect read to make you reflect on your own life. Highly recommend.

Beautifully written with a lyrical feel, this novel follows a century of life of the narrator. Set in Chile, the novel offers a great deal of insight into culture, social issues, and events. There are many characters featured in the story, each complex and well written. The writing, while stunning, bogs down the story at times with pacing being a bit more dynamic during the first half of the book. Overall a solid read that is atmospheric, emotional, and informative- just not always entertaining.

Violeta [English Edition] by Isabel Allende was an enjoyable read, however, the prose was heavy and I found myself becoming in and out of interest.

This novel was written as a memoir over 100 years of the life of the narrator, Violeta, but was really a look at the history of Chile – along with the rest of the world – from the viewpoint of a woman born into privilege who survived 100 years of social and political upheaval through her own determination and strong wit.

The story started with the Spanish flu (yes, in Chile) pandemic and ended with the covid pandemic. In between she covered the CIAs involvement in various 3rd world nations in an attempt to save that nation from succumbing to communism during the Cold War era. She covered multiple political upheavals throughout South America and the resulting Death Squads as well as all the other horrors of those regimes. She covered the sins of the Catholic hierarchy in South America as well as the lack of women’s rights. She covered the lost generation of the hippie movement in America. And throughout the book she travelled freely to America and even to Norway.

I’m not sure what her theme would be. It could be a warning to America concerning the political climate right now. It was definitely a spotlight on laws that held women from advancing, but also on how a strong, smart and determined woman could achieve her goal even with the legal restrictions. I loved the characters in the book who reached out with generosity and kindness to strangers.

As with all of Allende’s books, she made me spend hours researching those tidbits of history I was [mostly] ignorant about. That’s always a plus in my book.

I’m greatly appreciative to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for the opportunity to read this newest Allende book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I highly recommend it – and all her other books.