My Name is Emilia del Valle lingers long after the final page. As someone who has lived in Chile, I was especially moved by the way the country’s history pulses through this story—with all its unrest, beauty, and resilience.
Emilia’s journey is both intimate and political, and her evolving connection to Chile felt deeply personal. This novel is a tribute to women who write, resist, and remember—and to Chile itself.

The setting:

"San Francisco 1866, an Irish nun [novice], left pregnant and 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.

To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of sixteen, she begins to publish pulp fiction under a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can't contain her sense of adventure any longer, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at the San Francisco Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.

...an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, along with Eric, and while there, begins to uncover the truth about her father and the country that represents her roots. But as the war escalates, Emilia finds herself in danger and at a crossroads, questioning both her identity and her destiny."

And so the crux of the story begins.

I requested this title because I like Isabel Allende -- some of her books way more than others. This was a very much enjoyable read.

I liked Emilia's story--and back story. I particularly enjoy a novel about strong women and this fit the bill!

There is love, family, struggles, defeat, victory, tragedy, searching, and insight into Chilean society--as well as that of Latinos [and women as the underclass] in the US. And particularly much information about politics, war, and class society in Chile.

Descriptions I loved:
"large eggplant of a nose of an inveterate alcoholic"
"fog as dense as meringue"
"strung out on the rapture of violence"

I loved Paulina del Valle--she was quite the character! Much life when she entered the narrative!

I was hooked from the start. I thought this was a fast, interesting read, and a good yarn. But also depressing because of the Chilean political situation.

I did not anticipate the ending, but not faulting. 4.5, but not pulling the trigger on rounding up.

Recommend.

MY NAME IS EMILIA DEL VALLE is the latest historical novel by Isabel Allende. Set in the late 1800s, the story follows a strong, independent and adventurous woman from San Francisco to Chile, the home of her birth father. Emilia del Valle is the daughter of an Irish nun and a Chilean aristocrat who took advantage of, then abandoned her mother. Emilia was raised by her mother and beloved stepfather with little thought of her birth father. Even at age seventeen, Emilia is already defying societal norms for a young woman in the 19th century. She begins writing pulp fiction under a man’s pen name and later convinces the editor of The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with a respected male journalist and they end up traveling to Chile to cover a newly-brewing civil war. Emilia uses this opportunity to meet her estranged birth father and learn more about the country of her roots. The story is told in a first-person narrative, making it seem much like a memoir. The vivid descriptions draw the reader into the setting and history of the brutal civil war in Chile. I enjoyed this sweeping coming-of-age story of identity, love and family and the devastating impact of war. Highly recommended. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

My Name is Emilia del Valle has everything I typically look for in fiction, especially women's fiction and historical fiction: an indomitable female protagonist facing sexism, unjust social mores, and other obstacles in her life. Somehow, this novel fails to deliver on multiple accounts, primarily the entire novel seems recycled from Portrait in Sepia, an earlier Allende novel.

Though written in first person from Emilia’s point-of-view, the novel has a very distant omniscient feel in which Emilia knows all and tells all that others feel and think, though there is no logical reason she has these insights. She tells constantly and rarely shows what’s happening, giving the novel, even the descriptions of the Chilean civil war, the sense of a travelogue. Overall I found it difficult to feel much for Emilia herself or any of the other characters.

Raised in San Francisco by a loving step-father and an ex-nun mother, Emilia begins writing dime novels at an early age. When those no longer satisfy her, she convinces a newspaper to hire her as a reporter; but she must publish under a male nom-de-plum. Eventually she travels to Chile in the company of a fellow reporter, Eric Whelan. She’s to cover the government’s side of the war, and he’s to cover the rebels. She tells his version of the rebels’ events, rather than giving him his own POV. Finally at the end of the novel, for one whole chapter, Eric gets a POV chapter—when he goes to Chile to rescue her from herself-imposed search for her roots in a distant jungle.

Having been disappointed in the last couple of Allende novels, I’m wondering if this will be the last I read.

In the last few years, Isabel Allende has become one of my favorite writers and while I’m a bit late to the game, it means I’m lucky enough to have her back catalogue to work through in between the books she continues to publish regularly. Her latest novel, My Name Is Emilia del Valle explores being a woman in the male dominated field of journalism in the late nineteenth century. Emilia’s determination to prove herself combines with her desire to learn what she can about her roots as she travels to Chile to cover their unfolding civil war. She finds that her status as a foreign correspondent will only take her so far and that covering the war requires getting more directly involved than she expected.

From her early days, Emilia del Valle Claro knows that the man who raised her isn’t her birth father. No, her birth father was a scoundrel who seduced and abandoned her mother. But despite her mother’s obsession with getting her biological father to acknowledge Emilia and give her an inheritance, Emilia has little interest in the man. She has a greater interest in earning her living with her pen, beginning with publishing novels of vengeance and daring under a male pen name. Their overwhelming popularity leads to Emilia’s next adventure – becoming a columnist for the local newspaper in San Francisco. Her chance comes with conditions, however – she must continue writing under her male pseudonym. Building her reputation with her supervisors and colleagues, Emilia eventually pushes to publish under her own name when the opportunity to travel to Chile to cover the growing unrest. She wants to get at the human experience of the war but that means getting close to the front lines and physical danger.

As with a several of Allende’s novels, she explores femininity and women’s expected roles in society, mostly through the ways that her female characters manage to manipulate or undermine those strictures. Despite her mother’s regimented upbringing in the convent and the harsh reality thrust upon her by the betrayal of Emilia’s father, Molly Walsh Claro adapts to her new circumstances and flourishes even as she carries the heavy resentment. But through Emilia and Emilia’s writing, mother and daughter subvert conventions with the plots they devise and execute on the page and the money the sales of the novels bring in. Having a male alter-ego allows Emilia to become more independent, the men around her at the paper willing to support her efforts because they can do so without the truth of her identity and gender being known openly. Of course, a lot of Emilia’s ability to challenge and push the societal systems and expectations on her sex is down to the luck of which men happen to surround her, from her incredibly supportive and loving step-father to her colleagues and her first romantic interest (he may have deceived her in some crucial ways but he taught her about prophylactic measures that would allow here a degree of freedom and pleasure).

The exploration of femininity and womanhood extend even into Emilia’s journey to Chile to the front lines of the civil war. Because of her sex, Emilia is given particularly “safe” assignments and in order to get to the story she wants to tell, she must find her own way through to the soldiers and their camps, being accepted into the female support units who tend to camp maintenance and tending the wounded, bringing water to the soldiers during the fighting and assisting the medical staff as battle rages. From the uniforms to the fact they get shot at just like the men they’re there to assist, it becomes clear that women play just as active a role in the war and often pay at least as high a price if they get involved. With the role that class plays in the civil war, the way those societal norms and expectations shift with the different class distinctions gets layered in during the latter half of the novel as well.

The English translation of My Name Is Emilia del Valle will be available May 6, 2025.

Allende’s latest book of historical fiction written as a memoir of young adventurous journalist Emilia Del Valle that reveals her story from conception until her mid twenties from Chile to California to New York and back to Chile to report on the civil war and fall in love. Epic and enthralling. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy for an honest review.

My Name is Emilia del Valle is a historical fiction novel told from the perspective of Emilia del Valle Claro, a writer at heart. After first being published under the pseudonym Brandon J. Price, she is determined to be published by her own name, as a journalist in her own right. Her career takes her to many different locations for her to write as a journalist for a local paper, but she pushes to go to Chile, her father's native land, to cover the impending civil war taking place.

Overall, this is my second Isabel Allende book and I have grown to really like her writing style. She keeps you engaged in her characters and gives a rich and vibrant feel to the locations, like Chile, that she showcases. This book is not an easy read, but there were so many places I had highlighted in my copy that stood out as meaningful quotes about the human condition, many still applicable in today's world.

While there were moments that I felt weren't necessary for the growth of the character and some of the descriptions took away from Emilia herself, I enjoyed reading about her journey and how she challenged the norm of a woman's role in 1891. This novel got me intrigued in learning more about the Chilean Civil War as well, a mark that a novel stays with you.

This was an insightful and well-written novel and I gave it 4.25/5 stars. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

<u><b>My Name is Emilia del Valle</b></u>
Isabel Allende
Release Date: May 6, 2025

ARC courtesy of Ballantine Books and NetGalley.

Emilia del Valle is an independent-minded, strong willed young woman growing up in post-gold rush San Francisco. She is a writer and journalist, writing under a male pseudonym, challenging male-dominated societal norms.

Written in the backdrop of the 1891 Chilean civil war, Emilia searches for her estranged father, and searches for herself. It is a story of how fear changes people and society, and a lesson in facing and challenging the circumstances fate places before us.

Isabel Allende is one of the great storytellers of our time. This story is told in a compelling, heartfelt narrative that makes this book hard to put down. Her latest novel is enthralling and captivating, and is certain to appeal to a wide audience.

5 stars

A woman of independent spirit forges the life she chooses to have

Emilia del Valle Claro was born in 1866 to Molly Walsh, a naive young novitiate raised by the nuns with whom her widower father had left her as a child. Her dreams of becoming a nun were shattered when she was seduced and abandoned by a wealthy Chilean, Gonzalo Andrês del Valle, who subsequently refused to acknowledge that he was the father of Molly's baby. Francisco Claro, the scholar who founded the school where Molly had been teaching the poor children of the Mission District at his side, had feelings for the beautiful Molly and offered to marry her and raise her child as his own. For Emilia Francisco was her father, and a loving and supportive one; her mother regularly spoke of her birth father and the inheritance that surely would be Emilia's one day, but Emilia dismissed the tales and focused on her life as it was. She dreamed of becoming a writer, a path not generally available to women at that time, but by first writing pulp novels under a male pseudonym and later convincing a newspaper editor to hire her she was able to pursue her passion. She was someone who was happiest when pushing her boundaries and exploring new places, so when the editor offered to send her and the reporter with whom she had been paired, Eric Whelan, to cover the civil war that had broken out in Chile she quickly accepted the challenge. Not only would this help satisfy her wanderlust and give her the opportunity to do serious reporting, but she would also be able to search out her father and discover more about her Chilean roots. The unrest in Chile was far worse than she had anticipated and even as her relationship with Eric developed into a romantic one the danger to the two of them escalated. Her quest to discover who she was and what her roots were wouldhave consequences that she could not have anticipated.
Author Isabel Allende has written a powerful historical novel featuring a female protagonist who is unafraid to challenge the societal constraints that limit her ability to follow her passions and achieve her goals. The settings in which the story unfold, both the bustling San Francisco (from the Mission District to Nob Hill )and Chile (full of natural beauty but ripped apart by the brutalities of war), come fully to life with Allende's eloquent prose. Weaving together issues of a woman's lot in life during this period especially in a society that values men far more than women, what constitutes a family, and the search for roots and identity, Allende invites the reader along on Emilia's journey to self-discovery. Allende, herself both Chilean by birth and a journalist like Emilia, has created a powerful tale whose portrayal of historical events is honest even in the face of intense and brutal actions. Readers of the author's previous novels will enjoy discovering more about the del Valle family, while those who may not be as familiar with her works will still readily engage with Emilia and her life. Fans of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Laura Esquivel and Julia Alvarez should also move this to the top of their TBR pile. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this beautifully told story of a remarkable woman's life in exchange for my honest review.

"My Name is Emilia del Valle" wasn't necessary, and has all the markings of a book that was written because it was January 8th and Isabel was out of ideas, so she went for the tried and trusty regurgitation of yet another del Valle story that's not really a new del Valle story but the same one we've seen before. Seen before? Yes, we saw this before in "Portrait in Sepia."

(Full review in link.)

After reading 'The Wind Knows My Name', I was excited to pick up this new book by Isabel Allende, but I was greatly disappointed. The story and the narrative lack depth; it is almost as if someone not intimately aware of the characters was narrating events superficially. I still do not know how to feel about Emilia's character. The book is supposed to be about self-discovery, where Emilia is clearly not typical of how women were supposed to behave and live in the 19th century, but instead, the book reads like someone stating events, not narrating a story with an overall arc.
I appreciated the thorough research that went into narrating the battles and historical developments in Chile, but it seemed a bit too much, and some parts came across as boring.
Many parts seemed unnecessary to the main plot. For instance, I understand that Allende wanted to portray Emilia as not abiding by accepted rules or as someone not particularly religious, but the details of her sexual encounters seemed excessive and awkward. The whole part about her relationship with Owen Whelan was especially superfluous.

Rating rounded up from 2.5.

What an intriguing story. Emilia is such a strong, free spirit. She had been in battles in a war she was to report on. A search for her lost father was also on her horizon. The people she met and the stories they shared are amazing. I am so happy I got to read this story.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest opinion.

I'm ashamed to admit this is my first Isabel Allende book I've read. It will not be the last. I love her writing and this book captured me from page 1. So glad I was able to read it and now have a whole catalog of backlist books to read through out the year.

I have mixed opinions about this book. The historical portion was fantastic. However Emilia as a character herself was not appealing to me. I liked her strength overall but just couldn't connect with her much
3.5 Stars

The best word to describe My Name is Emilia del Valle is epic. There is a grandness to Allende's writing- the strong woman she creates in Emilia, the history she embeds and the gentle love story- be ready to go on an adventure of love, loss, tragedy, horrors of war swept up in the overarching theme of finding yourself. Allende has been on my list of author's to try and My Name is Emilia del Valle was my perfect introduction to Allende's style. I loved it. Ready to explore more.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC.

My Name is Emilia del Valle
4/5 stars

Isabel Allende is such an amazing writer, and she never disappoints. Her way of expressing how her characters feel is out of this world, and this book is no exception.
This story follows one of the best heroines I’ve ever read: Emilia Del Valle. She is the daughter of an Irish nun who had an affair with a Chilean aristocrat. She has never met her father, but she was raised by her ferocious mother and a caring Mexican stepfather. They taught her to be strong, independent, and curious. That’s why, when she turns 16, she begins publishing her writing under a pen name.
After years of publishing, she becomes a journalist and decides to travel to South America to cover a war taking place there. At the same time, she hopes to uncover the truth about her real father.
Just a few pages into the book, I was hooked. I loved the diversity it offered. There are so many characters from distinct cultures, which shows us how we can be different in some ways but so similar in others—because, in the end, we are all human.
Each decision Emilia makes kept me engaged, and I was really rooting for her.
If you want badass and complex female characters, history lessons, exciting and loving male characters, and a great adventure—this book is for you.


Comes out May 5th!!

Although this is not her best book, Isabel Allende's My Name is Emilia del Valle, is an absorbing novel, one that will appeal to readers with special interests in Chile, South American history, or history in general. The story of a romantic but practical journalist, this novel takes the reader from San Francisco, to the battlefields of Chile and then to its wilderness. Emilia leaves for Chile in search of her birth father and in search of a good story to report. She finds both but discovers much more. Allende's many fans will be lined up to read My Name is Emilia del Valle.

Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine Books for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️♥️

"My Name is Emilia del Valle" is a story of rebellion, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of one’s own truth.❤️
Set against the tumultuous backdrop of 1866 San Francisco and a Chile teetering on the edge of civil war, the novel follows Emilia del Valle—a woman shaped by abandonment, forged by defiance, and destined to outshine the shadows of her origins.

Born from scandal, Emilia enters the world as the unwanted daughter of an Irish nun and a Chilean aristocrat who refuses to acknowledge her. Growing up as an outcast, she learns early that the world will not hand her anything—least of all a voice. But Emilia is not one to accept silence. She turns to writing, disguising her gender behind a male pseudonym, until a fateful encounter with journalist Eric Whelan offers her a chance to step into the light. Under his mentorship, she begins to carve her place in the male-dominated world of newspapers, her words sharpening into weapons.

When an opportunity arises to report from Chile—her father’s homeland, now a powder keg of rebellion—Emilia seizes it, not just as a journalist, but as a woman finally claiming her own name in print. Yet Chile holds more than a career-defining assignment. It is a land of buried family secrets, political treachery, and the ghosts of a past that has haunted her since birth. Eric, now her partner in both profession and peril, stands beside her as they navigate a country on the brink of war. But the greatest battle may be the one within Emilia herself—the fight to reconcile the girl she was with the woman she is becoming.

Narrated with raw intimacy in Emilia’s own voice, the novel immerses readers in a world where every choice carries weight, every alliance could be a betrayal, and identity is both a prison and a key. The rich historical tapestry—from the fog-draped chaos of post-Gold Rush San Francisco to the volatile streets of Chile—comes alive with Isabel Allende’s signature storytelling, blending meticulous detail with emotional depth.

For those who love fiercely independent heroines, slow-burning partnerships charged with unspoken tension, and stories where personal and political revolutions collide, *My Name is Emilia del Valle* delivers a journey as gripping as it is poignant. It is a testament to the power of self-invention, the scars of abandonment, and the unyielding courage it takes to claim your place in a world determined to deny you.♥️

gave My Name is Emilia del Valle 3.5 stars rounded up to four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Random House Publishing, Isabel Allende and Net Galley for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.

The historical part of this book was fantastic. The details of the Chilean Civil War in the 1890s were fascinating and traumatic. A lot of research went into the historical aspect.

I found it hard to connect with Emilia though. I appreciated her relationship with her step father, Pappo, and see that he was instrumental in her life. I also appreciate how strong Emilia is and how she made things happen that she wanted to happen. But, there was a disconnect with her character for some reason.

The pacing was a little slow and I feel everything got bogged down in spots. But, overall was a good book!

I never expected a historical fiction about the Chilean civil war to have me in such a chokehold, yet here we are. The complex political situation told through the lens of a young woman breaking barriers as a female journalist and war correspondent, finding her father, finding love, and finding herself. I was sneaking in reading time at every possible moment for the last three days, every chapter had me glued to the page. Isabel Allende is truly a gift to her genre and the literary world in general.