Typical Allende, Fantastic story telling
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I have read the majority of Allende's output and love her compelling narrative style. The thing about Allende is that she really knows how to tell a fascinating story that sucks you in. This is no exception.
Based on the history of the first Spanish woman to settle in Chile in the New World this is Allende's fictionalised firsthand account of Ines' life. Ines is a great character and there is a lot of meat on the bones here. The story moves fast and is bloodthirsty, passionate and in the main, well told.
My main grumble was the fact that Ines had a remarkable capacity for recounting events that she wasn't present for. Most of the time this is fine and well handled with reasons for her being able to add such events into her narrative, but there are times, particularly towards the end of the novel where it seems more stretched and unrealistic, particularly regarding the motivations and activities of the barbaric enemy warrior Felipe becomes. I found this stretched my belief a little too much in what was otherwise a fine story.
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The Sum of our Days
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I have read almost all of Allende's books-The Sum of our Days is a follow up of family events following her book PAULA, a riveting account of her beloved daughter's tragic death.
I have laughed and cried whilst reading this book. Allende's talent for writing is amazing. She remains her passionate, volatile self and is humble enough to admit her very human failings. I always say I've put 2 lifetimes into my one, Allende has put 4 into hers!
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A must for Allende fans
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If you liked A Portrait in Sepia and Daughter of Fortune, you will almost certainly appreciate this tale, which as the other reviews say, is hard-hitting and passionate. For me this was a welcome return to Allende's more usual punchy style of story telling, which The City of Beasts etc. sadly lacked. Great stuff!
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Bloodthirsty tale.
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These are fictional memoirs of Ines Suarez who was the first Spanish woman to live in Chile in the 1500s. The historical details in this book are astounding, and some of the tales are extremely bloodthirsty and brutal to read. To think that some of the events they describe actually took place is almost inconceivable. Allende has a marvellous way with words and her writing style is so easy to read.
Passionate, breathtaking and bloodthirsty, this is historical fiction at is very best.
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