It was actually a bit weird to read Isabel Allende's work in English, as I've always read her books in the original Spanish, but not even translating it the words lose that Spanish kind of writing, so characteristic.
Violeta  is a story about a woman that was born in 1920 in the middle of the flue pandemic and died in 2020 in the middle of the covid  pandemic. She is a normal woman that live, like so many other people at a time like this one living through lots of changes and important events in the world. From epidemics, to economic crisis, war a military coup and a dictatorship. The story is so close that reading it I thought it could very well be the story of my great grandmother who lived similar situation of military coup and dictatorship a few years before Violeta, in Spain instead of chile. It actually feels like I was sitting in my grandma's living room with the TV in the background while she tells me the story of her mother's life. And I think that is actually the feeling that book want to provoke in the reader.
The beginning of the book is slow but gripping, you want to keep going to know how she grows who she becomes, the most attractive thing for me is that Violeta is a normal woman, not special intelligent specialy beautiful or with an incredible luck and adventures, she narrates the changes and ugliness of the world, lots of things that happend in America Latina and the rest of the world, from her point of view, privileged in the most part, but not withouthardship.
The story is told in the form of the letters violeta writes to Camilo  when she is almost in her deathbed. and at the last quarter of the book feels a bit weird that she is telling him so many things that he already know cause he has lived them, but at that point of the story you are so deeply invested in  the story that you won't care about that weirdness and in a few more pages you simply get used to it.
In resume a great book that made me feel nostalgic and inspired and that also made me cry a lot. A great read.

Set over 100 years this is the story of Violeta and told as a letter to Camilo and the highs and horrors she endured. It tells of the atrocities in South America. I was aware of some of the historical events that had happened but some I had not known. Very moving, hard to put down you could feel her pain and fears. Its my first read by this author but I will be looking out for more.

I don't think that this could be more beautiful. Its divine. Lots of personal stories woven through the narrative and I felt immersed into Violeta's world.
The prose written is gorgeous.
Although this starts with the spanish flu, and hints at the end of covid, this does not dictate the story or play a central part. It moves on very quickly from this, so don't let it deter you,
This spans over 100years and a lot is covered in Violeta's life.
Courageous, intriguing, captivating.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

This is my first read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story spans 100 years and I really liked that it was told in the form of a letter, from Violeta to a loved one. I loved the authors writing style, and felt the story came together beautifully, it flowed really well and was a joy to read. Violeta was very likeable, strong, and determined character and I was enthralled with all she went through in her life. There were a couple of characters I wasn’t over keen on although this didn’t take anything away from what was a very good read. The story was nicely paced, sad at times, poignant and very well written. I was drawn in from the first page to the last and devoured this book in two days. I will definitely look at the authors other books in the future.

Violeta by Isabel Allende

Violeta is an absorbing new historical fiction from the wonderful Isabel Allende, set in Chile and covering a span of 100 years, from the year of the outbreak of the Spanish flu to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. as good as The House of the Spirits, even though there there was no magical realism in this one, but also in large part I think because our protagonist, Violeta was very relatable and likeable, a strong women and a great feminist role model. Violeta recounts her 100 years of life from first person perspective as a reflective letter to her grandson, Camilo, and is often wry and humorous, but also intelligent and sharply observant over a long span of sweeping change in Chile. She is also very human and it was nice to see her reflect on both mistakes and wise choices, and to see how many paths one adventurous life can take. There are many twists and turns in Violeta’s life and the ending of the book is very fitting for the story .

Violetta was born in 1920 during the Spanish flu pandemic. She was born into a wealthy family in South America. The only daughter to a father with 5 sons. Spoilt and educated by an Irish governess who laid the ground rules that she followed all her life. When the financial crash came in 1930 the family became destitute. She then moved to the country where she was looked after by her two aunts.
After one disastrous marriage and a relationship with a very selfish, but handsome, pilot she took off with her two children to build her own life and fortune.
A very interesting and spell binding book.

I have read a few Isabel Allende books, and I have mixed feelings about this one. The writing style on this one is different from the previous ones.

I did enjoy Violetta's story through her 100 years of being alive. She was born during the Spanish flu and it goes through until recent times with Covid. There are quite a few real-life events that took place that is integrated into this historical fiction novel, which is written as a letter to a loved one.

I enjoyed seeing the evolution of her persona. The fact that she went from having money to the opposite and then made her own life again it is admirable. There is so much drama and sadness in her story that made me mad, I wanted to shout to the book! And later on, I understood many of her choices.

However, I wasn't too keen on the political talk; I know is important and probably relevant to the story, but it is something that I don't enjoy reading about for too long... and there is quite a bunch of parts in this novel. That is my personal preference, though. Also, the fact that the country where she lives is not named at all through the book!

Overall, it was a good read that is not at all easy. It kept me interested but if you are looking for a book with some climax, you won't find it in this one.

An incredibly emotional, moving and epic sweeping family drama, set in Chile and centred on Violetta - a strong and passionate woman.

Violetta, chronicles her life to a Camillo, whose identity isn’t immediately obvious. Violetta’s life is bookended by the Spanish Flu epidemic when she was born and the Coronavirus pandemic 100 years later. Violetta and her family see massive cultural, social and political changes in their country which impacts on each generation.

A must-read for all fans of Isabel Allende.

I am a huge fan of Isabel Allende and her latest epic does not disappoint.

One hundred year old Violeta narrates the story of her life from her birth in 1920 until her present day. She is writing to her grandson, Camilo, who is a Jesuit priest. Her personal tale is set against the tumultuous events of the century from the Spanish flu epidemic, world wars, dictatorships through to coronavirus. Initially, Violeta is naive and uninterested in the world outside her family. A series of incidents bring an awareness that cultivates her social responsibility.

Allende's skill is in creating a family full of incredibly well drawn characters set against a rich background of culture and society. I was immersed in this novel from the outset.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel Allende writes with such vivid detail. This family saga traces the extraordinary events that have shaped lives over nearly a century as Violeta recounts her story. The unnamed country is clearly Chile and many events mirror the political upheavals that changed a nation. The stark contrasts between the wealthy and those less well off are well depicted and it’s easy to visualise the differences made by a life of privilege.

This is a story which feels very personal. I feel sure that Allende has drawn closely from her own life experiences and has woven a cleverly constructed fiction around a broad base of fact. There are many relevant parallels; the story starts with the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1920 and ends in the midst of the current pandemic. It’s a sweeping narrative which explores love and loss, friendship, familial ties in the context of world events like the Depression, military coups and dictatorships, freedom in other countries and much much more.

I’ve enjoyed almost every book this author has written and those which are based around her own life and family are the best. This is a tale of strength and survival, filled with people to care about and I’ve enjoyed it enormously.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

I really enjoy beautiful, soulful, sweeping novels that take you all the way through someone’s life. This novel, ‘Violeta’ - and the eponymous character of Violeta DeValle - from Isabel Allende, is one of them.

Violeta is born in South America in 1920 during a pandemic - the ‘Spanish Flu’ - and completes the telling of her life’s story to her grandson, Camilo, in the year 2020 in the early days of another pandemic, the Coronavirus.

As the novel progresses, we read Violeta’s letter to Camilo, recounting a remarkable life surrounded by family and friends, sometimes suffering but more often than not thriving against the odds. We learn that she is a strong woman who is unafraid to speak her mind, stand her ground and make the best of her life. Contrary to many of those around her, and because of her upbringing, she is good at making money and even better at saving and investing it wisely. She has loves, she has losses, she experiences all of the ups and downs that life can offer. And we, along for the ride, share in it all.

I confess I know very little about South America and have never read a novel set there before, so this was an aspect of the novel I found particularly interesting. There are various wars and revolutions in the space of the hundred years of Violeta’s life and not knowing more about them did mean I felt a little lost at times – to understand more about this area of the world and its history would, I feel, have made my reading experience all the richer. That, of course, is a personal reflection and not a criticism of the author or her writing. To have filled in all the details just for ignorant me would have doubled, if not tripled, the length of the book! It does, however, give me the impetus to go and find out more about South America, specifically Chile where I believe much of this novel takes place, and its history.

Overall, an extremely enjoyable book that I am looking forward to returning to once I have a little more background knowledge of the area and time frame in which it is set.

My grateful thanks to the publishers, Bloomsbury, and to NetGalley for the advance copy of the novel on which this review is based.

This is the story of Violeta’s life, told by her for the benefit of Camilo, whose identity the reader will only discover much later on. An interesting life it is too, spanning a hundred years starting in the early 1920s. Whilst set in South America, Violeta’s life is touched by some major events in world history: the devastation caused by the Spanish Flu, the global financial crisis of the thirties, the second world war, the cold war and the Cuban revolution, which sparked hope for democratic developments in other Latin American countries but especially her own, Chile. Salvador Allende’s democracy however was short-lived and gave way to a US-induced military coup which left a brutal military junta in power that affected the lives of so many, including Violeta’s. She struggles through the worst times but lives to experience the collapse of this dictatorship and later, the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In her fascinating story, she skilfully weaves her very personal account into the fabric of the big political and societal events of her time, which - almost going full circle – finish with the second pandemic of her long life, Corona. Violeta is an interesting woman, and very likeable too – I thoroughly enjoyed following her through the one hundred years of her existence.

I suspect that there is quite a bit of the author to be found in her heroine. Both of them were born into privilege and experience the world’s injustice from this position, which drives them to become agents of change. Womanhood and the fight for equality has always been a central theme in Allende’s writing. Like her author, Violeta sets up a Foundation in support of women, focusing on health, education, independence and protection. The very last part of the book concentrates strongly on these issues, to the extent that I felt it became too much of a political platform. This would be my only criticism. All in all it is a great and enjoyable read – I felt transported into different times and a very different part of this world, about which I learnt a lot.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Spanning a century this is a first-person narrative novel written as a letter to tell the life story of Violeta to Camilo. The novel is set in an unnamed South American country and begins with Violeta's birth in 1920 during the Spanish Flu pandemic and ends with her death in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The novel is full of great characters and is an incredible story. I'd definitely recommend to Allende fans.

4.5 stars!

Violeta, the new offering from Ms Allende, is a life story of Violeta del Valle narrated by Violeta herself as a letter to her grandson Camilo. Violeta was a remarkable independent woman ahead of her times who led an extraordinary life. Her life story spans for over 100 years starting in 1920 with her birth during the Spanish flu. During her long life she witnesses some major historic events some of which have direct impact on her life.

The book sucked me in from page one as it's often the case with Allende's novels. Isabel Allende must be my favourite non-English speaking writer. I love her unique storytelling and fascinating characters that are hard to forget. Violeta was no exception and I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I like the writing style of this book, telling a story through a letter. It gives a personal touch and we find ourselves discovering things at the same rate as the letter’s recipient, almost in real time.

I won’t give the plot away, but the opening scenes detailing the 1920 Spanish Flu pandemic were scarily close to home. It’s amazing what they went through then compared to what we have available now, even if it is in a fictional setting.

There’s a lovely relationship between the two generations of 100-year-old Violeta and her grandson. This book explores relationships in all its guises - parents, children, friends, lovers, staff, strangers - and how they carry with us through our lives, the good relationships and the bad.

I have been vocal before about my love of short chapters, and my dislike for long rambling sections. I like to read to the end of a chapter, and when there’s another 50 pages before you get there, it’s a bit off-putting. But I’m going to go against my own view this time. This book split into sections, within which are separate chapters. I feel it would have benefitted from just being one long story to match the letter format, as we don’t often split letters into chapters.

It felt so real, like I was reading some real-life expose. It is a fictional tale set amongst some of the most powerful true events. There were definitely some scenes I found more interesting and more engaging than others, but overall I found there was a little bit of magic running through the veins of this book.

Violeta is an absorbing new historical fiction from the wonderful Isabel Allende, set in Chile and covering a span of 100 years, from the year of the outbreak of the Spanish flu to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. If I’m honest, I loved it a lot more than The House of the Spirits, possibly because there was no magical realism in this one, but also in large part I think because our Protagonist, Violeta del Valle, was very relatable and likeable, a strong women and a great feminist role model. Violeta recounts her 100 years of life from first person perspective as a reflective letter to her grandson, Camilo, and is often wry and humorous, but also intelligent and sharply observant over a long span of sweeping change in Chile. She is also very human and it was nice to see her reflect on both mistakes and wise choices, and to see how many paths one adventurous life can take. There are many twists and turns in Violeta’s life and she is by no means boring or ordinary. It also felt beautifully easy to read and to become immersed in Violeta’s world.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this wonderful historical fiction novel we see Violeta, who was born in 1920s South America, write letters to her grandson recounting her life growing up. She describes World War 2, Spanish flu, The Great Depression, dictatorship, murders of friends and family, divorce, abuse and so much more. Violeta lived from 1920 all the way to 2020 when she died from the Coronavirus pandemic.

This is my first book by Isabel Allende, but it certainly won’t be my last. I absolutely loved it and can’t recommend it enough. Anyone who loves a good fiction book (whether it’s historical or not) will love this one. Allende’s writing is truly beautiful and has such an amazing way of storytelling that you lose yourself and become fully immersed in the book. This book will put you through all the emotions possible; love, humour, devastation, confusion, exasperation, jealousy and rage. I was stripped raw reading this and I wouldn’t have it any other way, what an incredible book this is.

I can’t wait to read Allene’s previous and future books as soon as possible. Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy to review in exchange for an honest review.

*TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE, DOMESTIC ABUSE, DRUG ABUSE, VIOLENCE*
*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In this novel we spend a century with Violeta, from 1920 to 2020.

Violeta was born in Chile during a pandemic which will mark the beginning of the end for her family’s wealth. Trauma, loss, grief, poverty, political turmoil – Violeta’s childhood is a prelude for a century of personal struggles, intertwined with historical events.

We meet some excellent female characters, not perfect in themselves but perfectly depicted by Allende. First of all, Violeta: independent, fierce, unaware of her traumas, stubborn, with a special touch for good investments.
Aunt Pilar and aut Pìa, Maria Gracia (Violeta’s mother), Miss Taylor, Teresa Rivas, Lucinda, Facunda, Yaima, Nieves, Zoraida, Etelvina – no matter how big or small their role was in the story, none of these women was irrelevant; not for Violeta, not for us readers.

The true weaknesses belong to the male characters. Arsenio Del Valle, Violeta’s father, gambled with the family business and killed himself when he thought everything was lost; José Antonio, Violeta’s brother, never understood why his love for Miss Taylor was unreciprocated; Fabian was a disastrous husband; Julian Bravo was an abusive and manipulative lover; Roy Cooper had a past better left unsettled; Juan Martin failed politically to fulfil his ideals.

This novel is a slow journey through time and space, across the 20th century and between Latin America and the United States.

Emotional, insightful, inspirational – Violeta is everything you’ll want from your must-read book of 2022.

As with all of Allende's books the prose is captivating, sweeping you into a world rich with culture and a sense of place. Violeta chronicles the life of the titular character spanning a tumultuous 100 years in an unspecified South American country. Violeta's journey and the friendhships, lovers and locations that she inhabits are so vividly drawn that they tie you up in a narrative that you wish wouldn't end. Violeta's life is filled with personal turmoil which is deftly mirrored by the revolutionary turmoil of her homeland, the threat of the mafia and her alteration in social status. Above all else though, Violeta is a feminist novel, highlighting the strength of women to continue , to adapt, to love, to mourn and to be more than they imagine possible.

Isabel Allende's latest novel is an epic story of a family in a South American country - never identified but possibly Chile. The title character, Violeta, was born in one pandemic and died in another; the first was the Spanish Flu after WW1 and the second Covid-19. The book covers her long life of 100 years and is told from her view point. I didn't find Violeta a particularly empathetic character but she certainly led an interesting life. The story includes class, politics, dictatorships, drugs, religion and anything else that happened in the last 100 years. It is a sprawling but interesting read.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.