Historical fiction that starts in San Francisco with Emilia’s backstory. Her mother is an Irish woman and stepfather is Mexican. Her Chilean father had abandoned her mother years before. This part of the book tells how Emilia became a writer and got hired by the Examiner to cover the Chilean Civil War. Accompanied by her colleague, she journeys to Chile by ship in 1891, where she also plans to fulfill her mother’s request to find her Chilean father. The rest of the book follows Emilia’s search for her father, coverage of the war, and an unexpected journey to southern Chile.

Emilia is a strong female protagonist that often throws caution to the winds in pursuit of adventures. The book is structured in alternating segments featuring Emilia’s story and her news articles for the paper (which helpfully provide the historic background for readers). It is written in Allende’s usual flowing style. Be aware that the battle scenes are vividly described in horrific detail. It covers a lesser-known event in history (at least to those outside Chile). The book is filled with adventure, danger, and romantic relationships. It kept my attention and spurred my interest enough to look up the real Chilean history of the period.

Another HF gem by Allende. She has such a gift for writing female protagonists in sweeping epic tales that take place in South America. Emilia DeValle is just the newest in the list. I enjoyed the writing in this book more than Violeta. The story telling felt more connected. You also can’t help but fall in love with young Emilia and routing for her coming of age, in a time and place where being a woman doesn’t mean much. Especially when she resists the roles of traditional women of the time. Be warned, some of the war scenes were a bit gruesome but this is a testament to her great writing.

“Aren’t you ever afraid, Angelita?” I asked her.
“All the time, but I don’t think about it. I want to die with my boots on my feet.”

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ 1.5 out of 5 (details at the bottom)
⚠️ content/trigger warnings at the bottom

This book is one of those books that should come with a warning label. Only read if you’re ready to be emotionally destroyed! This is an adventure filled, heart wrenching historical fiction epic. For fans of The Women by Kristin Hannah. This book punched me in the gut but it also put a smile on my face. I especially enjoyed the love story! Isabel Allende never misses!

As the title implies, this book deals with the importance of names and family lines - both biological and found family.

The character of Emilia is where the book really shined. She is driven, full of conviction, and doesn’t let fear or sexism slow her down. She listens to her intuition and won’t let anyone tell her what she can or can’t do. Although I didn’t agree with everything she did, I found her really inspiring and compelling!

The plot starts out a little slow but quickly picks up in the second half. There is a lot of adventure, which was so fun to read, but there were also brutal war scenes that were honestly excruciating to read. I personally found the political stuff a little difficult to follow. The way the plot wrapped up in the end was beautiful though!

This is not an easy read but it is an important and masterful literary work!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine for the arc!




🌶️ spice details: several mentions of sexual encounters. A cracked door scene that is not described in detail.

⚠️ content/trigger warnings: this book describes war in incredibly gruesome, violent detail. There is also a scene with execution by firing squad.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a complimentary copy of this novel! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is a historical fiction novel that starts out in the late 1860’s San Francisco. A young Irish nun, Molly Walsh, falls in love with a Chilean aristocrat. However, for the aristocrat, it is just a romp in the sheets. Molly is left pregnant, and Emilia del Valle is born. Molly ends up marrying a man quite older than her who becomes a wonderful stepfather to Emilia. As Emilia grows up, she finds she is very good with words. So, she ends up writing dime novels published under a man’s pen name. Eventually, this is not enough for her. Emilia wants more. She visits The Examiner in San Francisco to become a journalist. She is hired, but she must prove her worth. A fellow journalist, Eric Whelan, takes her under his wing and they become very good friends. Then a civil war breaks out in Chile in 1891 and Emilia and Eric are given the chance to go there to cover the war. While there, Emilia gets a chance to find out more about her biological father as well. The rest of the story focuses on her journalistic efforts during the war, the troubles she faced, her adventures, the search for her father, and a possible love interest.
Will Emilia find what she is searching for? Will she find herself and where she belongs? I always know I am going to enjoy reading a novel by Isabel Allende! She is a master storyteller and pulls you in from the very beginning of the story. For this author, it’s not just a novel; it is a story that is carefully thought out and woven together to form what I feel is a wonderful journey! You can really feel what the characters are going through, and, in my book, that is a masterpiece!!! You can enjoy the journey yourself when this book becomes AVAILABLE May 6, 2025!

4.5 stars.

I always enjoy Isabel Allende's books. She has such a magic touch with creating emotional and colorful historical pieces. This one is quite a sweeping journey with a very strong female protagonist...something of a Chilean American Nellie Bly.

I chose this out of my TBR pile as part of a first chapter challenge. I read the first chapter of three separate books and chose the one I found most intriguing. Allende's atmospheric writing and tangible historical style sucked me right in. My choice of which book to read was an easy one.

The first person POV was powerful and really immersed me in the story. Everything was presented so realistically. Many historical considerations were made that made it obvious that Allende has done her homework. Speaking of history, the presentation of the Chilean Civil War was intense and really well written. It was a part of world history I was unfamiliar with but it was constructed in the narrative in such a thorough and understandable way that it felt as if it was something I knew quite a bit about by the time I had finished my read.

My only complaint about this novel is the ending. I know, I know...I'm always too picky about endings. I just didn't like how open ended it left things. And the lead up to the last bit felt somewhat off kilter from the rest of the book. In a sense it felt as if Allende was sick of writing the tale and just wrapped it up where it stood. It wasn't awful, but it did not suit my tastes and I might be a teensy bit bitter about it. Still...it will not stop me from reading another Allende novel. She has me hooked.

Wow is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book. Such a strong FMC whose journey I enjoyed following. I learned about a part of history I knew nothing about. I would recommend this to historical fiction lovers.

Emilia is raised by her Irish mother and Mexican stepfather yet bears the Chilean name of her birth father who had abandoned her years before. Haunted by the potential legacy that is owed her daughter from this wealthy man, Molly, Emilia’s mother, rages about a legacy denied her child. Her daughter is restless and seeks a challenge. It comes in the form of a job offer as a journalist. As a female in this field, she faces more challenges as she travels for her assignments. When she is offered the chance to accompany a male journalist to cover the Chilean Civil War, she is compelled to go to assuage her mother’s anger about the alleged inheritance; this challenge seems insurmountable after meeting her father. Isabel Allende is a storyteller whose description is vivid. The bloody battles and horrific prison cell passages are graphic; the expedition through untouched nature is lush and filled with magical images. She always gives the reader a protagonist to root for and one not easily forgotten. Emilia is one such character; through her experiences we witness history and the endurance of the human spirit.

I was very excited to see that Ms. Allende had returned to writing about the Del Valle family in her latest book, My Name is Emilia del Valle. This book is reminiscent of her earlier works that focus on Chile, which is her country of origin, and of which she knows so well. The story was not a disappointment, as her main character, Emilia, has the interesting background of being the daughter of a nun and a prestigious Chilean father. After her mother leaves the convent, she marries a good man who raises Emilia as his own, and encourages her writing. and her independence, and she eventually becomes a journalist, which is similar to Ms. Allende's background. As the only female journalist in most of her assignments, she behaves like a man, and is able to get assignments in Chile, covering their civil war. This is historical fiction at it's best and I would like to thank Netgalley and Random house publishing for giving me the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Isabel Allende for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of My Name is Emilia del Valle.
This is an intriguing historical fiction story about a strong, independent woman writer who travels to South America to uncover the truth about her wealthy father. In 1866, her mother, an Irish nun , is left pregnant after a relationship with a Chilean aristocrat. She gives birth to Emilia del Valle.
I do not have a lot of background knowledge of this time period or Chilean history. It was fascinating to learn about the country, the civil war and the division of social classes.
The characters are well developed and the plot is fast paced. I was immersed from start to finish. I could identify with Emilia in her determination, perseverance and strength. Women power!!
I wanted this story to continue to see what happened when Emilia returned home. The ending came to quickly for me. I vote for a sequel to satisfy my curiosity.

My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende ⭐⭐⭐

My first book by Isabel so I wasn't sure about her writing style but I do love me a good historical fiction so I was excited to read it.
But the book dragged and I couldn't wait for it to get better but it didn't
To me this read more as a memoir of a journalist during the civil war of 1891 in Chile. I felt like I was back in high school history class.

This is just my opinion and will try another Isabel novel

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle is another important historical fiction by Isabel Allende. This is story of Emilia who published under an assumed male name in the 1800s. But, craving more, she becomes a journalist after convincing an editor hire her. The story moved to Chile with an imminent civil war and her real and dangerous adventure begins. I was engaged following Emilia’s story and, as always, appreciated the author’s writing style and research. This will be a popular book club selection.

I've only read one other Isabel Allende book and I loved it. Her writing is fantastic and in that other book of hers, the characters were incredibly well developed. In this book, however, it's more a history lesson on the Chilean civil war. Allende's writing is still wonderful but this book was bogged down by the detailed text on the civil war and details around the events that were happening. Though the book was told through Emilia's voice, her character (and all others) were really lacking. The beginning of the book was promising...and the end of the book, though a bit far-fetched, was character focused...but the vast middle of the book was just war stuff. Emilia is a really plucky, ambitious, and independent main character and I'm really sad I didn't get to really know her. I was grateful this book was under 300 pages long. This one is a bit of a miss for me, but if you like historical fiction that focuses more on the history than the characters, you'd probably enjoy this! Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced digital copy.

My Name is Emilia del Valle is fast solidifying Isabel Allende as a favorite author. Check content warnings, as their are a lot. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the chance to read this via gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own and honest.

This is the second full length novel I’ve read by Allende and wow, this is such a powerful story. Emilia is a memorable heroine. She’s unapologetically herself and I love that the men in her life support her journalism career.

The majority of this book is set in Chile during the civil war of 1891 and I couldn’t help but think about Manuela Fingueret’s novel Daughter of Silence (set about 80 years later in Argentina) during one particular section. I was glad that my predictions for that section were wrong.

Reading this story reminded me why I fell in love with Latin American fiction.

This was an excellent read! It felt almost like a memoir about a strong journalist woman who defies expectations and the status quo. There’s some news articles interspersed as well, which I loved . it’s also historical fiction—particularly set during the Chilean Civil War. While it wasn’t slow paced per se—you get lots of action as Emilia puts herself in the midst of a battle—the chapters were longer than my usual reads.

I have always been a fan of Isabelle Allende. I like her writing style and always learn something new about history - in this case the civil war in Chile. It started of good but the story never really got to point of “I can’t wait to turn the page” and kind of fizzled at the end.

Isabel Allende's new work of historical fiction is the story of a woman named Emilia del Valle, written in memoir style. Emilia starts out her story on the day she turns seven on April 14, 1873, when her mother has her portrait taken and then tries to get in to see the man she claims is her daughter's father, Gonzalo Andrés del Valle.

Emilia grew up in San Francisco, raised by her mother, Molly Walsh, and her stepfather, the teacher Francisco Claro, but is always aware that some of her inherited roots are in Chile.

Emilia becomes a published writer at an early age, under an assumed male name, and eventually she talks her way into a job in journalism. When the chance comes to cover a civil war in Chile in 1891, her sense of adventure leads her where no sane person would want to go. I would describe Amelia as strong and smart, stubborn and brave, but taking many chances and thoughtlessly putting herself in danger. A quite remarkable woman, especially for the period of time in which she lived when women's lives were so restricted.

I found the parts of the story set in Chile to be the most interesting. We here in the USA are rarely taught about the history of South American countries. Allende does a remarkable job of describing the horrors of civil war, inspired by political and ideological differences. Oh, what mankind is capable of! Her love for the country of Chile shines through, with lush descriptions of some of the unspoiled lands to the south in stark contrast to the destruction of war-torn areas.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Imagining history is Isabel Allende’s superpower, and her newest offering begins exactly that way. Allende has a wonderful and vivid imagination, but she clearly does her research as well. In My Name is Emilia Del Valle, you will get to know young, turn-of-the-century San Francisco very well.
Her other superpower is to draw you into her narratives immediately, so that you must find out what happens to her characters. For me, the sign of excellence in writing is that the author has made you care about the characters, even if they are fictional.
Emilia Del Valle is a woman I can relate to. She is strong and independent, pursuing her own vision, even when that vision leads her into the civil war in Chile. She has chosen to become a journalist and has talked a reluctant newspaper editor into hiring her. She is not completely a paragon of human virtue, but is completely relatable as a human being.
In part two, instead of San Francisco you will get to know Chile. In part three you will feel the futility of war, especially civil war. Despite Emilia spending time with the “canteen girls” of the Chilean army (who cooked, washed and provided food), there is no sense of despair on her part.
Eventually, she is led back to Valpariso where she makes a discovery about herself and her closest friend in journalism. This is too long already, so I'll let you discover the rest for yourself. But this newest offering is nothing less than I would expect from the superb Isabel Allende.

I've read many of Isabel Allende's books and love her approach to historical fiction. This book, though, fell a little flat for me. Emilia is a strong female character and I appreciate her perseverance and intrepid nature. However, the story dragged a bit and there wasn't great character development overall.
I think still worth reading and I appreciated the opportunity to read an advanced eARC.

My Name is Emilia del Valle is the latest historical fiction novel by the esteemed Isabel Allende. The novel features Emilia del Valle, an independent, strong willed, progressive woman with a nomad’s heart, attempting to build a life as a female journalist in the late 1800’s. She is raised by her pious mother and beloved stepfather in the Mission District of San Francisco. At 25, she feels a pull to Chile to meet her biological father. She travels there for work and finds a real connection to the country. “Chilean blood weighed more on me than Irish blood.” She and her friend and fellow journalist, Eric, soon become embroiled in the Chilean Civil War of 1891. The description of the horrors of war were compelling.

I found the pacing of the story to be quite slow, but the author clearly showed her appreciation for her native Chile through Emilia’s eventual search for herself. “Emilia is a wild and bright spirit. I will never be able to hold her, I can only hope to accompany her and that love will keep us always together.” I have read and enjoyed many of Ms Allende’s novels. Although this was not my favorite, I would recommend it to specific historical fiction fans who enjoy slowly plotted character based stories. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Publishing date: 5/6/25

We all have our beginnings.

With this in mind, Isabel Allende takes to the page with what she certainly does best.......storytelling in its purest form. If you've ever read Allende before, you know how she can weave patterns into the lives of her characters and then settle them into questionable actions and reactions.

Molly Walsh stood with firm feet in the spirituality of her calling. It's 1866 in San Francisco and all Molly ever wanted was to become a nun. She was due to take her final vows. That is until Molly came face-to-face with a certain handsome Chilean aristocrat boasting promises lined with roses. Thereafter, Molly was left with broken vows and a child on the way.

Enter Emilia del Valle, Molly's daughter. Molly provided for Emilia as best as she could. Emilia grew to be a headstrong and confident young woman. It was Emilia's stepfather who provided her with maps and literature and opened the world to her. Emilia decides to leave home and venture sinto New York City. It's here that she applies for a journalist job at The Daily Examiner.

And with that, Emilia is sent to Chile as a war correspondent alongside Eric Whelan. Allende brings the story to life as Emilia tries to acclimate herself to a country torn in two by the ways of the past colliding with the revolution gazing at the promises of the future. Allende knows her Chilean history alongside her incredible research.

We'll travel through fields of the wounded and the sharp realization of so many casualities. It's the armed women who tended to these individuals tettering between life and death. And throughout, we experience the roles of women relegated to the lower tiers of society. Emilia's direct contact with these women set her own solid impressions and reporting of the brutalities of this war.

My Name Is Emilia Del Valle reflects a constant search for identity. Emilia tries to frame herself into the expectations of her mother while grasping for a sense of what is her own composite of self. It's a splendid experience for both lover of history and lover of the written word. Isabel Allende leaves no part of your soul untouched.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley foran honest review. My thanks to Random House and to the talented Isabel Allende for the opportunity.