The House of Spirits

Rating:
Summary: good, but not great
Review: I liked this book, but I didn't know whether it was an exercise in magical realism or a social commentary. If it was the latter, it was pretty good, but if it was the latter, there are half a dozen authors writing now who do it much better (like Garcia Marquez).

Rating:
Summary: Very good for read and research in subjects
Review: I like this book, because it open my detective side. (ej. did this guy really existed? How long does the President stayed in the power? For how long did the General stayed in the power?) After I read the book I did a research about Chile and found that although is a ficction story, it tells a lot of what was happening in the country. Some people like to compare this book with 100 years of Soletary (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), but I desagree with them. Garcia Marquez style is imaginary, Allende adds to reality. Also is easier to read that 100 years, you do not get mixed in generations.

Rating:
Summary: True classic, rich with South American culture.
Review: Since this book signifies what all Latin American countries have gone through it prejects it's people and the strength they get through it. The book gives you an idea that it could be Chile, yet it felt like Peru me being from there.

Rating:
Summary: Comunist But Good
Review: Good Book, Great Characters, But The Political Side Is Sort Of, Bad.

Rating:
Summary: A great cry from the soul
Review: One of the best books I have read. Being from a Latin America country, I didn't feel away from the story. La Casa de los Espiritus is a book that should be read not only by those who like to read but by everyone who keeps a civilized relation with other humans. This book should become part of those books students have to read to get a high school degree.

Rating:
Summary: Prima il film e poi il libro.......
Review: Ho visto due volte il film da cui e' stato tratto il libro...... Generalmente e' cosi' che mi viene la curiosita' di leggere alcuni libri. spero che il libro mi piaccia quanto il film.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: After reading Paula which I adored I couldn't wait to read the House of Spirits which Isabel mentioned in Paula. I loved it and couldn't put the book down for one minute. It is a magnetic story to the very end, wonderfully written, and the characters came alive so well. Enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: For Your Soul
Review: Allende is special indeed. House of Spirits is an extremely readable book made up of a series of tales about one family, their houses, and the houses of their souls. Allende questions where the spiritual centers of our lives are, how we lose them, and how we get them back. Yes, it is the women of the family who will pass down this knowledge, with the final moral being that through thick and thin, the spirit will live on forever. This book is priceless and a contemporary classic.

Rating:
Summary: A fairytale for adults: un cuento de hadas para adultos
Review: Allende plays with words weaving a delightful tale of tradegies befalling successive generations of females within a family. Allende juega con las palavras escribiendo un cuento lleno de tragedia, pero tambien del encanto.

Rating:
Summary: Suprisingly good, even though it is mandatory reading for IB
Review: I was surprised at the book. I thought at first that it would be just another boring book about family matters, but there's more. It is a book about politics, change, reconsiliation, and a family plot which doesn't turn into a soap opera. I had to read this book for the IB diploma, and usually books which are forced into students are thought of as boring. I think this is a great book and I'd recommend it to most people. But there are some irritating things, like too much foreshadowing (Allende tells you what will happen later in the book, sometimes ruining the surprise effect)and some repetitive lines. But in general, this is a good book, though not without flaws.