Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful novel by Isabelle Allende
Review: THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS is yet another wonderful novel written by Isabelle Allende. Set in Chile and spanning several generations, it tells the story of Esteban Trueba and his efforts to build an empire, so to speak, on his property THE TRES MARIAS. The story is filled with many memorable characters, including Clara, the clairvoyant daughter of the Del Valle family, who marries Esteban despite the fact that she does not love him. Through her, he builds his family and his little empire. The telling of the story is a mix of comedy and tragedy. Allende mixes the stories of Esteban and his family with the background of political upheaval, which Esteban gets involved with during the latter part of his life. The first half of the book is filled with crazy and memorable characters that help keep the tone of the book light, but as the story moves on, the political plot line takes center stage. I highly recommend THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS. It was not my first Allende novel. I had already read DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE and loved it! THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS and DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE are must reads, and if you enjoy both of these, PORTRAIT IN SEPIA is another book you need to read! It picks up where both novels leave off.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: I'm 15 years and I've read a lot of books of Isabel Allende, but this book is really her best book.
Isabel Allende lets you get into a world so magical where you cannot discern between reality and magic... It's an amazing book.
Clara and Rosa are characters that will stay in your heart. This book is outstanding.
You will not be able to put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing, Addictive, a book for everyone.
Review: The House of the Spirits was a beautiful book about a young lady with mysterious "powers," and no one understands her. It takes a lot of wierd unexpected twists and it keeps you on your feet. If i had one word to describe this book it would be, unbelievable.
It's a very strange story and certain things could never happen in real life, but yet it's all believable.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous! Intricate. Addictive. Beautiful. Amazing.
Review: I had to read this for my highschool english class a few months ago. To tell you the truth I did NOT want to read it. But once I got past the first couple chapters, I was hooked. I read it in one weekend. It was so different from anything I've ever read. Allende's writing is so different from that of writers today. It is powerfully descriptive, plunging the audience into the action, forcing them to feel as the characters do. The stories told in this novel are told in such a dramatic weave of characters and plot, that once they are read, they can never be forgotten. The plot of HOS is vivid and involved, twisting here and bending there. With so much happening in the first chapter, so many characters, so much description, it is quite obvious that the rest of the story will be filled with action and that we'll meet many more people. The reader can tell that the author is quite certain as to the direction of her story; it's twisted, yet logical; it's complex, yet understandable. Even with so many characters, one doesn't confuse them because it's as if we know them. By the end of the first chapter, we know that Esteban is a very proud, temperamental man who believes in working his way up. We know that the Del Valle family is into politics and putting forth a good image. We know that Clara is a little strange. We see a man's suffering and love, a family dealing with an odd child; we see two deaths, we witness an autopsy and meet and entourage of characters. Allende's strong narrative abilities are quite evident in this first chapter. I made my mother and her best friend read it and THEY LOVED IT. I tried to get my dad to read it, but he couldnt get past the third chapter. Many of the boys at my school found it quite difficult to swallow as well. Maybe its a girl thing. I loved it. I have since then bought three of ALlende's books and loved them all.
Rating: 
Summary: A Complete Disappointment
Review: I had heard great things about this book all through high school and college. It was required reading in several classes (none that I took) so I decided to finally read it when I had the time after graduation. I was thoroughly disappointed. The story line was fine, intricate with twists but the foreshadowing was a joke. The scene I remember most distinctly is when the young wealthy girl meets the poor boy for the first time at the country home. They run away to play together and are found after an extensive search lying naked asleep under the living room table. Anyone who has any kind of reading background knows when two kids from very different backgrounds meet and then up laying naked together are bound to end up together once they come of age. It's set up to create as much tension as possible in any novel and makes the most sense. Allende feels it neccessary however to state this explicitly. She tells the reader that this scence will repeat itself. The reader should not need to be told that and it would make most readers feel like they were though stupid by the author. Good books let the reader figure out what is going to happen themselves. That's what keeps the reader reading to prove that they are correct (or, even better, to be disproved). House of Spirits lacks this quality completly and shoud not be read by the person who has read even just a couple other good novels.
Rating:
Summary: A really mystical and exciting book!
Review: I found this book to be really facinating. I read it years ago when I was in college. It was a great introduction to Isabelle Allende. The book is far superior to the movie, which was dull!
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT READ
Review: This book is amazing, I read it because I liked the movie, and I am a student of Latin American history, politics and culture. The book is (as usual) much better than the movie, and it amazingly captures a tumultuous and awful time in Latin American history through the experiences of one family. The characters are so alive and multi-dimensional that you really care about them. It is similar in style to Garcia Marquez (who I also love!) I recomend it to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Pleased to meet you Mrs. Marx...
Review: Ok. I've finally read this. After years of hearing about the hype of this, I've done it. Was it worth it? Does it live up to the sensationalism? The answer is a resounding "no." I'll put it this way...if you are an heir to the Che, Fidel, Mao, Lenin, or Marx family, you'll enjoy this book immensely. For, as hopefully others have noticed, this is nothing more than quasi-fictionalized socialist/leftist propaganda. Apparently, the west is bad and capitalism and all its ideals are inherently evil. Yes, it's to each according to his needs, from each according to his ability in this book. And Ms. Allende's message reads loud and clear. I find it (somewhat) amazing that more people haven't noticed this. It is a modern day "Manifesto" disguised as a some epic, dramatic tale. Perhaps it is epic and dramatic, but each and every element of the tale--(if one pays attention to details, or are details just another opiate of the masses? Ms. Allende, I'm looking in your direction)---goes to establishing or demonstrating some evil of capitalism and the west, and glorifies all that is socialist. Fine if that's your cup of tea. More power to you and your pathetic political ideals. Its success rate has been clearly established....as has capitalism's. But my point is this...don't confuse the issue as to what this book is truly about or truly espouses. Call it for what it is. Don't hide behind some faux b-s drama or deny the fact. At least you'd deserve some degree of respect to simply come out and say what you believe.
Rating: 
Summary: Essentially... Socialist Propaganda
Review: This novel has one main message, and it goes to all lengths to send it, while making no concessions to the other side. That message is that socialism is good, capitalism is bad, and that's all there is to it. The only "conservative" who actually had a good side was Esteban Trueba. But guess what? Near the end, he begins helping the socialists. So much for the only conservative who wasn't entirely evil. There's another conservative who steps into the spotlight near the end... and he is essentially evil incarnate. He imprisons, rapes and brutally tortures the main character, never showing any mercy or emotion. Of course, all socialists are shown to be almost superhumanly kind and generous. All in all, I found this novel to be quite shallow, and the message to be too blunt.
Rating:
Summary: ¿Por qué?
Review: Isabel Allende merece un sitio entre los peores autores en lengua castellana. Sus novelas no son fantásticas, ¡son ridículas! Por ser mujer y por meter a elementos fantastícos premiamos a sus novelas cual si fueran obras maestras. Me gustaría que sus novelas desaparecieran de la faz de la tierra y no por que propaguen ideas peligrosas o subversivas sino porque hacen alarde de una sensibilidad cursi y oportunista a ultranza.
| 
