I am easily drawn into Isabel Allende's worlds, and My Name is Emilia del Valle is no exception. From San Francisco to Allende's beloved (and complicated relationship with) Chile, this book is a rich historical novel told through a bold female character. The story is vivid and emotional, with some scenes so intense and graphic that I had to put them away for a bit to calm my heart rate. While this isn't my favorite Allende book, it is passionate in a way that only Allende can write. I'll continue to read anything she puts out into the world.

Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is always poetic in nature - descriptive with a lyrical feel to it. My Name is Emilia del Valle is historical fiction that takes place during the Chilean Civil War. This was an event and time period I knew little about and found that part of the story quite interesting. Emilia is a strong and remarkable woman; her story is one of adventure, social class, and what it means to be a woman

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

Allende wrote a five-star read describing pivotal moments in history from a woman's perspective. Emilia's strength, determination, courage during moments of terror, and will to survive came shining through as she followed her heart on her journey to a full life. Her character inspires one to be their best self and fulfill their destinies. As Allende describes the background and players of the Chilian Civil War with all its horrors, it caused this reader to grieve for the sad reality of wars.
Frances Riddle translated smoothly and caught the spirit of the book. I was impressed by some of terms she used as they were specific to Chilean culture.
I rarely read fiction in the journal format. Allende's book was so completely engrossing that I enjoyed this format completely. This is not surprising as I have read six of her books and enjoyed them all. My Name is Emilia Del Valle inspired me to become my best self, to follow my heart and face difficult times with courage. Highly recommend. (Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

review to be published on 8/3/25

A stunningly beautiful novel! Could not recommend enough, this is absolutely Isabel Allende at her finest. A read everyone should experience.

3.5 stars

I've never read any of Isabel Allende's works before, but I can see why they are so renowned.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende is a historical fiction novel about the larger than life titular character during the setting of the Chilean civil war in the late 1800s.

I've been on a good streak of reading stories about history that I don't know anything about, and this book was no different. The parts about the devastating losses incurred in the war are told in a poignant and genuine way, detailing the very real horrors of war, even if it's not experienced by a soldier on the field.

Emilia del Valle is certainly larger than life. Aside from being a bestselling dime author under a male pseudonym, she is also an accomplished female journalist, neither of which have been heard of in her time. However, at certain points of the story, especially toward the end, her character teeters on the edge of incredulous, especially when it comes to certain decisions she makes.

To be honest, I was more interested in the coverage of the war than the personal details in Emilia's life, but I understand how it's necessary to give her story a satisfying ending.

Again, it's no wonder why Isabel Allende is known for her beautiful and lyrical writing just based on this book alone. So if you are a fan of hers, or if you aren't yet, this is a good pick.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle is available everywhere now.

(Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC!) I really love Isabel Allende’s books, but My Name is Emilia del Valle wasn’t my favorite of hers. It follows Emilia, who breaks gender norms first by publishing dime romance novels under a pen name, and then by getting hired as a journalist and going to the front lines of the civil war in Chile. She and another reporter, Eric, are sent to report on the war, but Emilia is there for another reason, too – to find the father she never knew. I’m not huge on stories about war, and this one moved a bit too slowly for me to ever feel fully engaged, although I did love the strong feminist bent to the story!

Wow. I love a book with a strong female character! This story is fascinating and I learned so much. If you love historical fiction as much as I do then this is a must read!

My Name Is Emilia del Valle was my first Isabel Allende novel, and wow. Her writing is beautiful and engaging; the story immediately grabbed my attention.

Set in 1866 San Francisco, the book follows Emilia, the daughter of an Irish nun and a Chilean aristocrat. Raised by a kind stepfather, she grows up sharp, independent, and completely unwilling to sit on the sidelines. By sixteen, she's writing pulp fiction under a male pseudonym. Soon she's working as a journalist for the San Francisco Examiner, where she's paired with reporter Eric Whelan. Sparks fly, but the focus stays on Emilia and her ambition, which I appreciated.

The real turning point comes when she travels to Chile to cover a civil war. There, she's forced to confront both the history of her father and the country she barely knows. The pace slowed a bit in places, but it was worth powering through. And I came away with a deeper understanding of Chilean history, which I hadn't expected.

If you're into historical fiction with heart and smarts - and a fierce female lead - you'll want to give this one a shot. I'll definitely be reading more Allende.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle:
by Isabel Allende (Author), Frances Riddle (Translator)
(This review copy ARC was sent to me by NetGalley)


My Name Is Emilia del Valle is a historical fiction novel set in 1891.
In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.
Following the journey of Emilia del Valle from San Francisco to Chile where she finds he real father and covers the violent civil war. She is a fiercely independent woman who resisted all social conventions where woman was expected to marry and have children.
Emilia aspires to earn her own living as a writer, she starts off writing 10-cent novels using a male pseudonym, eventually she becomes a journalist.
The novel tells a second story of the South American country of Chile itself. It’s a story of European Colonialism and the Chilean Civil War of 1891 — a fight for power between the President of Chile, José Manuel Balmaceda and the country’s legislative congress.
My Name Is Emilia del Valle is a richly woven tale of courage, love, and self-discovery.

I always get excited when Isabel Allende writes a new novel. As usual, Isabel Allende, has done it again. An Irish nun gives birth to a daughter who grows up to become a very independent woman with the help of a loving stepfather. Emilia del Valle becomes a journalist for the San Francisco Daily Examiner. She convinces her boss to send her to Chile to cover the civil war. There she finds her identity. I found this historical fiction novel to be very interesting.

This was such a surprising read! I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it, but I had a great time! This author is one I will be looking forward to in the future!

3.5 TY to Net Galley and Random House for the ARC. My experience with this book was not as positive as I had hoped. I loved the writing, but the story was uneven. The beginning hooked me, and the ending was also very intriguing, but the middle dragged to the extent that I considered not finishing.

I was on such a good streak reconnecting with Allende’s writing in recent years, but this story was not a favorite. I felt it dragged on, I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters, and just found the overall story underwhelming.

There were some parts of the story where I became really invested, where Allende’s beautiful writing peeked through, but they were not enough to keep my interest.

I did not DNF’d this out of loyalty to Allende, but it did take me almost 3 months to finish it. Overall, I’m glad I finished it, and hoping I have a better experience with her next book.

"My Name Is Emilia del Valle" by Isabel Allende was WONDERFUL! An excellent historical fiction, depicting a strong woman and her life adventures, establishing herself as well as exploring her roots. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher. All opinions are my own.

My Name is Emilia del Valle is another fantastic novel by Isabel Allende. It is the story of Emilia, the daughter of an Irish nun and a Chilean aristocrat, who is brought up by her Mom and Stepfather in late 1800s San Francisco. Emilia wants to be a writer in a time when women didn’t normally work in such professions. She begins writing pulp fiction under a male pseudonym and eventually becomes a journalist. She and a male colleague are sent to Chile to cover a civil war. Throughout the novel we follow Emilia as she navigates meeting her birth father, covering the horrible carnage of the civil war, and finding love. It was fascinating to learn more about Chilean history and culture. Ms. Allende is a master of bringing indomitable women to life. This book will surely appeal to anyone who loves stories about strong, independent women in a historical setting. Ms. Allende makes the reader “feel all of the feels.” Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC. The opinions given are my own.

I made it about 85% of the way through this one. As much of an Isabel Allende fan as I am, this book did not captivate me in the same ways as many of her others. I felt disconnected from the characters almost the entire time, and the plot was so caught in the minutia of the Chilean war, it was hard to maintain interest in that as well. Most of the time it read as a historical war novel, rather than a historical fiction. This was one a disappointment for me, but I would love to see what she comes up with next!

This book started off a little slow for me. Since I’ve read Isabel Allende before, I knew I had to be patient and all would be well. There’s something about her books that, while they don’t immediately suck you in, they leave you with a lasting impression.

Even though this is a historical fiction novel set in 1866, there are so many relevant themes to today regarding war and gender roles.

I think Emilia is a character you could admire and root for. She’s independent in a time when women had very little power.

I think some of her decision are rash and naive but I think they are all true to her experience and thought process at that time in her life. It’s rare to accomplish this in writing for character but I’m not surprised that Isabel was able to pull it off masterfully.

The ending was interesting and left me feeling like I had the gift of getting know Emilia as a person. Overall, this a genuinely good book and one I recommend for fans of Allende and historical fiction. However, you may find the pacig a little slow if you’ve never read Allende or historical fiction.

DNF @ 30% | This was my first of Allende's, and while it didn't capture me, I'm still eager to try another book of hers. This could have been a "right book, wrong time" situation because the story itself sounds incredible, but the pacing didn't keep me engaged. I MIGHT come back to it at some point when I'm in the mood for something slower and historical, but I'm taking it off my shelf for now.

Emilia del Valle is a fictional character who is in the process of discovering what she can’t NOT do—despite societal norms. She was created by Isabel Allende, but I kept wishing she had been a real person. My Name is Emilia del Valle reads like the biography of an outstanding woman of the late 19th century

Born to a disgraced Irish nun who then raised her with a devoted stepfather, Emilia became a writer in a world where “appropriate” topics for women simply did not interest her. Writing pulp fiction under a nom de plume eventually led to journalism. In her role as a reporter, she demanded to be allowed the opportunity to cover a civil war in Chile where she became embroiled in the danger and violence of a world turned upside down.

As she and her fellow reporter Eric are subjected to increasing danger, love blooms between them. Allende masterfully describes the horror of war alongside the reality that faithfulness to one’s calling puts a strain on even the most ardent devotion. In Emilia, she has created a believable protagonist whose flaws somehow serve to make her stronger as she admits, “I did not know who I truly was until circumstances put me to the test.”

Emilia’s “circumstances” lead her into sin and poor judgment calls, and Allende laudably portrays them as such. As she risks her life to “collect the dispersed fragments” of the tales of those whose stories would otherwise never be told, she rejects betrayal as an option and stays true to her calling. I doubt if Emilia could have stopped being a journalist if her life had depended on it.

(Thanks to Ballantine Books & Netgalley for a review copy.) Emilia del Valle is intense and so ahead of her time! The war atrocities described in here made me glad I was listening to it and could breeze by some of the descriptions of war - it was hard to imagine all the gore. What happened to Emilia at the end seemed to all make sense given what she went through during the Chilean Civil War. It was really fun to read about the cross-continental railroad and the novelty of it back then. I was a little surprised with the love story arc - didn’t expect that coming. I do kind of wish there was a reckoning with her Papo bc he sounded like a wonderful person who knew how to love unconditionally. Papo was prob my fave character - I wish I could be that for my kids.