The House of the Spirits was Isabel Allende’s first novel, but it contains a lot of the elements that made me love her other books: strong women, political turmoil and wonderful, subtle magic.
“At times I feel as if I had lived all this before and that I have already written these very words, but I know it was not I: it was another woman, who kept her notebooks so that one day I could use them.”
The story of three generations of women: Clara (married to the tyrant Esteban Trueba), their daughter Blanca (whose paramour Esteban vows to destroy) and Blanca’s daughter Alba (Esteban’s great love). The women, particularly Clara, all have some level of clairvoyant abilities, and lead their lives beneath the constant threat of their government, their neighbors, and their patriarch, Esteban. Along with these main characters are many others, including Blanca’s brothers, Esteban’s sister (who had an incredibly vivid story) and the tenants of Esteban’s plantation, most of whom are poorer than poor and subjected to great hardships by Esteban.
It’s a beautiful story, full of characters that may seem evil but become sympathetic, or others who appears good but still have great faults. Allende is a wonderful writer, and the 400 pages of this novel just flew by. There’s a lot of sadness, as the majority of these people live difficult, painful lives, but the love between the various family members is wonderful. There’s also the political atmosphere, which invades every aspect of their lives.
I have yet to read a book by Allende that disappoints; this is no exception.