Daughter of Fortune : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Simplemente MAGNÍFICO *como suelen ser los libros de Isabel*
Review: Esta novela cautiva, envuelve y simplemente te mantiene en constante atención durante el desarrollo de la trama. También tiene la escencia que carateriza las obras de Isabel: la historia se desenvuelve alrededor de personajes femeninos. Su estilo es muy interesante.

Rating:
Summary: Unsatisfying
Review: I am a huge fan of Allende and have read House of Spirits numerous times. It is one of my all-time favorites. I have to admit that I was disappointed Ms. Allende's latest effort. It started out so well but in the end it just didn't deliver. Was there a deadline to publication? There were too many loose ends and it felt like she just rushed to finish the book rather than giving it a satisfying finish.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant, but disappointing
Review: I'd hoped for EVA LUNA or HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, but this was still a decent read. The ending was unexpected; I thought she would tie up the threads of the story.

Rating:
Summary: So many questions left unanswered!
Review: Although, pretty entertaining for the most part. I have not read any of her other novels, hence I cannot comment on whether this is a depreciation on her writing talents, however I found it most enjoyable and simple to read and finish. I did however feel that Allende started so well and explored so many characters and events, yet left many questions and issues uncharactered and questionable. It didn't capture my attention like several other novels I have recently read, and inially, after completing it, I was extremely distressed that such built up novel could be finished as swiftly and predictably as it did. In fact, the ending was known to all who read it carefully, due to the passing comments Allende throws in to conquer the ambigity of the tale's ending. At the time, these too annoyed me, however I now understand Allende reasoning. I found, like many others, the characters of Tao and Mama Frisco to be the most interesting of the novel, and the tedious actions of the childish Eliza and her selfish aristocratic family the more annoying, however central they were to the book. The plot, ended a bit adrift, and I found myself let unsatisfied, wondering how exactly Tao and Eliza's unity progressed to form a loving relationship. I felt the unfolding of their love and how they eventually admitted to wanting to be together should have been probed more deeply, considering that her rebirth and the transition of love between Joaquin and Tao was such a major part in the story and her eventual existance. I also wondered what came of Miss Rose and her new passion for life. Was she to find the daughter who betrayed her, and live once more, or was she to become more introved and lost due to her inability to find Eliza. Did Eliza ever find out who her real father was, what was her reaction, and how did it change her view on life, and her upbringing, and those that kept the secret from her? One thing I really felt should have been made clear was whether Joaquin became aware of Eliza's extremes, whether he found out about her adventure to a new land to find him. Was he ignoring her travels and desires for him, or did he never know? If he did, would things have been different between Tao and Eliza? Although this book is interesting enough, such questions and unanswered issues plague me, and make it impossible to grant it a full five stars. It is actually bordering on three.

Rating:
Summary: Dissappointing New Book
Review: I must say I way pretty dissappointed in this book and finished it just because Allende had written it and I was waiting for it to improve. The characters are very implausible and the storyline goes nowhere really. I would suggest that people save their money and reread House of the Spirits.

Rating:
Summary: Very Average
Review: This book is too violent; the gory descriptions make it hard to concentrate on the supposed love story. Tao is the only truly interesting and deep character. The book does get more interesting towards the end, but my suggesstion is read something else. (Memoirs of a Geisha or I Know this Much is True)

Rating:
Summary: No House of Spirits
Review: I must admit the first hundred pages of the four hundred worried me. The setting in Chile consisting of mansions and plantations seemed too redundent to those in House of Spirits. Also, not just one but three love-story scenarios all regarding forbidden love between two passionate lovers held apart by family discontent was too much to take seriously. Each one grew more trivial and tedious to read. However, I must give Allende credit for the introduction of her character Tao Chi'en, which allowed her to enhance her story-telling to include Eastern themes and images. Tao seemed like such a more interesting character than the love-lost Eliza. In fact, I think he should have been inserted as the main character rather than Eliza. I also approved of Allende's description of the vices of the West, especially her wrenching passage about the singsong girls enslaved as prostitutes.

Rating:
Summary: Disapointing for Ms. Allende's talents
Review: I am a fan of Ms. Allende (especially The House of the Spirits) but found this book not to her standards of storytelling. Ms. Allende had obviously done much research on conditions in CA during the gold rush and felt motivated to build some sort of story around it. But it just didn't work for me. And the ending was such a disappointment. We're left to imagine what happens - maybe I'm just simple but I like things wrapped up a bit more. As an example, what happened to all of Eliza's jewels?

Rating:
Summary: High Adventure from Chile to California
Review: Once again, Isabelle Allende has spun a tale of adventure, love, suspense and mystery. Daughter of Fortune begins in her native Chile in the mid 1800's with the adoption of a supposed foundling by an English family of distinction. Eliza Sommers is raised by the Enlgish brother and sister and by the native woman who cooks and runs their household. She becomes an accomplished young lady befitting her station but she also learns native lore and cooking at which she excells. When first love strikes her in the form of a very unsuitable lover, Aunt Rose plans to send her to England. However, Eliza has different ideas and she, with the help of a sympathetic Chinese man, escapes the bonds of society and begins an odyessy that takes her to the California of the gold rush days. Her adventures are somewhat reminiscent of the Eva Luna stories in their picaresque nature and exotic cast of characters whom she encounters. Ultimately, Eliza learns the ways of the world, both good and bad, real and spiritual, and eventually realizes the direction her life must take. There is also resolution of several family mysteries that bring the ending to a satisfying conclusion. This is really a good read, one you can't put down and when you finish it, want to know what happens in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Captivating, breath-taking story
Review: I absolutely loved this book. Allende takes us through a fabulous journey through the young eyes of this amazing woman, Eliza Sommers. Eliza is courageous, adventurous and full of life. I found the background on the Gold Rush and the early years of California fascinating. Even though the end leaves you wondering some things, it is parallel to what the book is all about -- the world out there which is unknown to all of us. Beautiful piece of work. I highly recommend it.