Rating: 
Summary: A great read!
Review: I can't put it down!! What an adventure! If you like historical fiction, romance, and intelligent vocabulary usage unlike bodice rippers, you might love it too. You will grow up with Eliza and travel with her and be introduced to some diverse characters. Enjoy, enjoy!!
Rating:
Summary: Allende Spans Cultures and Ideals with Daughter of Fortune
Review: I'll start by saying that I purchased this book prior to it being selected by Oprah's book club, and didn't get around to reading it until Oprah had added it to her list. I tend to not enjoy the books Oprah chooses - I am not into the touchy-feely stuff she tends to gravitate towards. So, when she added it to her list, I lost my desire to read it. A few days ago, for some inexplicable reason, I took it off the shelf and started to read...and read and read...I couldn't put it down! Isabel Allende is a gifted writer. She posesses the rare ability to manage several plots, weave characters in and out of storylines, and create vivid imagery without overburdoning the reader or overcomplicating the story. I don't want to get into reviewing the plot or characters - what you need to know is that the characters are extremely well developed and tangible, the story is unpredictable (it twists just when you think it won't) and Allende's writing is beautiful. She chooses lovely words, builds tremendous depth into her characters, and draws the reader into the story with her vivid descriptions of events. The story is also well researched, and includes fascinating background information on Victorian English Society, life in Chile during the mid-1800s, life in China during that era, seafarers, and the California Gold Rush. It is so refreshing to see that an author can write a gripping story that also includes factual historical information. Allende has done her homework. Daughter of Fortune is a wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: amazing imagery
Review: Once again, Allende outdoes herself. Daughter of Fortune is a rich book that captivated my imagination. It was exactly what I expected. She draws us into the story line using vivid language. If you enjoyed any of Allende's other books, you'll definitely enjoy this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong Start, Weak Finish
Review: Intriguing. Inviting. Exciting. The first half of this book, set in Chile in the middle of the 19th Century, provided a fascinating look at the life of the upper class in the port city of Valparaiso. Soon broadening to include characters from the indigenous native population and the poor, the story of Eliza's young life, her romance with a young rebel and her escape to the California gold fields with the aid of a Chinese healer is grippingly fascinating. But the excitement of the gold rush is the only interesting facet of what quickly becomes a picaresque novel as Eliza searches for her lost lover. A series of ever more eccentric characters eventually stretches credibilty ever more as well and the novel is ultimately disappointing. While probably much more popular than Allende's earlier novel, "House of the Spirits", this novel is not a worthy successor.
Rating:
Summary: Una fantasia ejemplar que da una ventana a la realidad
Review: Empezando por el titulo, es perfecto, al principio pense que Isabel se referia a fortuna=riqueza, pero al leer el libro comprendi que realmente era fortuna=destino. Eliza, la protagonista, es una "recogida" en la casa de los Sommers, una familia de buena posicion en Valparaiso, Chile. Isabel nos narra fascinantemente la vida de la joven desde su nacimiento hasta su adolescencia, cuando se enamora obsesionadamente de un joven y al el partir a "los placeres" de las minas de oro en California, ella se escapa de su casa y su pais para seguirlo. Este es el argumento del libro: las aventuras, traumas y decepciones que pasa Eliza para encontrar a su amante, mientras cultiva una relacion intima con un curandero chino que la ayuda y apoya a traves de su odisea. Isabel cierra el ultimo capitulo con broche de oro. Es un libro mas en el que el lector logra identificarse con cada uno de los personajes, y que provoca leerlo una y otra vez. Creo que deberia filmarse una pelicula basada en esta historia. ME ENCANTO!
Rating: 
Summary: A Moving Work of Historical Fiction
Review: Daughter of Fortune is a profound, thought-provoking story. It follows the life of Eliza Sommers, a young Chilean girl, as she matures under the ridgid British social constraints of her adoptive family to her breaking free to follow her sweetheart to the untaimed gold rush environment of 1849 California.As a native Californian I enjoyed reading vivid descriptions of this state's wild coming-of-age. As one of the characters notes, the discovery of gold probably accelerated the settlement of California by many decades. As a woman it was also a little jarring to recall how limited women's lives were in England and its colonies at the time. Many women preferred the harsh, but unrestricted life in California to what they had experienced in more "civilized" society. The second major character is Tao Chi'en, a Chinese man who after being taken by force to work as a ship's cook, finds that the life of a sailor appeals to him. The account of his life in China is amazing. From being sold to a passing caravan (his family cannot feed him), to ultimately becoming a healer and prospering, to the selection of his Chinese wife, Allende paints an informative and tragic portrait of this over-populated land. Eliza and Tao Chi'en become unlikely friends and allies through their struggles and successes in California. The story is warm and well paced. And, I found the conclusion satisfying. Daughter of Fortune is my book group's selection and I think it will generate an interesting discussion.
Rating:
Summary: Allende Weaves Another Wonderful Tale
Review: I really enjoyed Daughter of Fortune from beginning to end, although, unlike another reviewer, I thought the book got better as it went along. There are many characters here: English colonialists, the Chilean upper and under classes, the Chinese in China and California, 49ers, prostitutes and bandits. Their stories are all key to helping our heroine, Eliza, finally come to understand herself. The descriptions of colonial Valparaiso and northern California during the Gold Rush are fascinating. The only think lacking in the story is a real understanding of Eliza's love, Joaquin Andieta. I was initially disappointed that for all Allende invested in Eliza's passion Joaquin seemed little more than a device to get her from Chile to California. But I was satisfied in the end that at least Eliza understood what he had really been.
Rating:
Summary: Not her best work
Review: Being a big fan of Isabelle Allende, I've always appreciated the versatility of her talent. This book is written in true Allende style, with lots of color and imagination. However, it completely falls flat at the end and left me completely unsatisfied.
Rating:
Summary: Ambitious
Review: This was an ambitious piece of work, that left me feeling glad I had read it, but slightly disappointed. The main character was spiritful and well developed, but her mission in life was questionable. Allende let us know from the beginning that Eliza's lover was really a bad guy, but it took too long for Eliza to come to that conclusion. I liked the little surprises in the story, but what was truly fascinating was Eliza's role as a mute Chinaman. The experience was greatly liberating and allowed her more freedoms than she would have ever guessed. Definitely a well thought out plot, and well written, but lacking that little extra something that takes a book to a higher level.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but not the best
Review: I have been an Allende fan ever since I happened upon the film version of House of the Spirits. Since then I have been voracious about her work. This one is a little more concrete than I have come to expect from her. I much prefer her "ethereal" works such as House, Eva Luna, and Of Love and Shadows. Daughter of Fortune, however, is more to my liking than was Infinite Plan.
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