Eva Luna

Me encanta la forma en que esta mujer cuenta historias, creo que Eva Luna es en ese sentido un reflejo de ella, es una narradora que enreda, que encanta; en esta historia encuentro las cosas que ya me han enamorado de Isabel Allende, esas protagonistas tan fuertes, personajes de una variedad tremenda y que refleja aspectos que para la época en que se público la novela pudieron ser considerados más un tema tabú, pero que ahora se ve muy actual, como por ejemplo el personaje de Mimí y también refleja la situación política que enmarca el momento en el que vive la protagonista. Me gusta ver aspectos culturales que parecen son tan comunes a los latinoamericanos, porque es bueno ver nuestra cultura y realidad sea tanto en lo positivo o lo negativo reflejada en una historia como esta, cuando menciona esas procesiones con los santos me parece estar viéndolas en las calles de pueblo en que crecí. Me gusta como refleja las relaciones amorosas en las que no hay esa dependencia tóxica y también como muestra esas relaciones de amistad que son a prueba de todo; otra historia de Isabel Allende que se queda conmigo.

there's a kind of magic in us that refuses to be tamed. the premise of this statement stands on a trembling ground, our own hands building the graves we hope to live inside for the rest of our lives. i vaguely remember my childhood memories playing games that could only exist in imagination and living inside stories that required all the belief someone is capable of holding. it is, thus, more tragic than surprising that i grew up to be such a skeptic.

when my friend gifted me this book, i wasn't prepared to dig the grave i build long back only to find the hope that i once buried down was still alive. eva luna is a person made up of dreams, of everything that our imagination is capable of fabricating. she weaves reality out of her stories and is brave enough to live in it. despite my incredulity, i like to believe that there's a part of eva that still lives inside all of us, fierce enough to be wild.


i love people. i love the stories that made them, that break them, that give them hope, that give their dreams wings, their thoughts, their emotions, their magnanimous smiles, their overwhelming sorrows, their debilitating struggles and their soul- crushingly beautiful lives. a beautiful character of one of my favourite movies said that if there’s any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone. just like eva, her words bring me closer to myself. we do not always dig up the ground to build graves, we sometimes dig it up to hide our most beautiful, prized treasures.


there's something extraordinarily divine in you and me. and in this all-encompassing space that exists in between. it is our understanding, our lost and found treasure - our magic.

Life is a bit too much of an emotional roller coaster for me to write a proper review of this book at this time, but I will return to write one at some point.

There were some passages that made me feel all the feels, and those I used as status updates throughout the reading of this. Feel free to check those out until whenever I can write a proper review.

Did enjoy it, though. Definitely plan on reading The House of the Spirits soon-ish as well.

Wat een heerlijk, kleurig, schaamteloos clichématig boek. Allende vertelt om te vertellen en uit haar verhalen spreekt liefde voor de mensen met al hun bonte eigenaardigheden. Innerlijk bleven de personages wel vrij plat, waardoor ik met niemand echt begaan was. Maar daar stond tegenover dat ik de hitte van de jungle kon voelen, dat ik de stoofpot van tante Burgel kon proeven, dat ik het lawaai van de Hoerenopstand kon horen, dat ik de schoonheid van Mimi kon zien. En wat een fijne laatste zin.

Earlier this year, my friend Nina and I were discussing internationally written literature, specifically from Latin America. We both had a connection to it for a few reasons, which prompted her to suggest a buddy read. We settled on Isabel Allende, and she selected Eva Luna. We spent the last week reading the book and discussing some of the key points and will continue to do so, I'm sure. For now, I'm sharing some of the highlights of my thoughts.

Let's set the stage. Early to mid 20th century. Somewhere in South America (Nina and I saw a few options) but ultimately settled on it purposely being generalist in some areas given there were different cultures involved. Eva's mother lived a tragic life. Let's not even discuss her father. Once we learn about the past, we're ready for Eva Luna, a storyteller who doesn't know she is one until much later on, despite what everyone once told her. She lives in a string of homes, all difficult places. Yet in each, she finds someone to lean on, and develops a life-long relationship with them.. that is, until they are cruelly killed or die of natural causes. Eva has lived a life full of loss. But there are some beautiful moments too, it's not all sad!

The story chronicles Eva's life and relationships. Going into the book, I had little understanding of the detailed theme. If there was one thing I found a bit disappointing, it was the lack of a formal structure in how we learn about Eva's life. It's chronological, but we're not quite sure of her age or role at the time. It's not purposely unclear, just not as important as what's happening to her. I generally prefer a deeper structure, perhaps a timeline or chapter description to showcase what part of her life we are about to explore. Then again, life is messy and often repeats itself, so this was very realistic in other ways. Nonetheless, I'm an orderly guy, so I would've loved just a bit more to make that part of the book come together. Nina had a great theory on this, so go read her review to find out more.

The imagery and language are astounding. It was compelling and beautiful, sad and disheartening... but through it all, stunning! I found the way in which Allende shows us how Eva is haunted and impacted by everything around her to be the star of this book. You clearly see and feel everything, yet you know the true horrors are purposefully left out. Eva suffers. We suffer for her. But it's rarely graphic or detailed to the point you can't read it. You know what's going on, and that's enough. Some of the pain occurs when she is a young girl and a teenager. It's insane to accept what once happened to children, specifically female ones. Let's not even discuss the current situation!

Another part of the book I found most forward-thinking was the character of Mimi, my favorite. At some points a man, at others a woman, perhaps shades in between, what Allende discusses ~30 years ago when this was written is fully apropos for today, and it appears so much more for ~75 years ago when some of this took place in the book. I'm truly shocked at the way people react to others. If the person isn't hurting you/someone else/animals, let them do what they want. There are far better things to focus on that something that doesn't truly involve the jerk with the issue! Walk away. Off soapbox as this isn't that kind of novel. It's more about an overall theme of what happened in many similar countries to people who didn't have a lot of money or advancement opportunities.

I will definitely read more Allende, perhaps the short stories by Eva Luna herself (thanks, Nina). Overall, I give this 4.5 stars but I rounded down because of the missing pieces I felt would've made this an absolute stand-out. I still highly recommend it, and this translation in particular was phenomenal. I learned a few new vocabulary words, and when it results from a translation, and the original language was stunning, you know it's a solid book. Thanks for making this a fun read together, Nina.

For about 30 years I’ve been a fan of Isabel Allende's work, starting with her amazing “The House of the Spirits” (highly recommended as an introduction to her work). Allende’s style of magical realism, her strong storytelling and her beautiful prose so far have always managed to capture my heart.

"Eva Luna" was no exception to this rule: Allende's writing is lush and evocative, and she creates a vivid sense of place and time. The unnamed South American country in which the novel is set is brought to life with rich detail, from the bustling streets of the city to the quiet beauty of the countryside. Allende's descriptions of the natural world are particularly striking, and she imbues even the most mundane objects with a sense of magic and wonder. The way she weaves in themes of magical realism throughout the novel is truly masterful.

Even though the country is never named, it never ceases to fascinate me that it’s strongly inspired by Allende’s native Chile. She has acknowledged that the novel draws heavily on her own experiences growing up in Chile, and many of the political and social events depicted in this and many of her other novels are based on real-life events that occurred in Chile during the 20th century. I remember the grim news of the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet who overthrew and assassinated democratically elected President Salvador Allende who was Allende's cousin. To me, this makes Allende’s work even more important.

The character of Eva Luna is also a standout. Eva’s gift for storytelling is a central element of the novel, and Allende uses it to explore the power of narrative and its ability to shape reality. Eva is a complex and compelling character, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the novel. Her resilience in the face of adversity is inspiring, and her ability to find joy and beauty in even the darkest of circumstances is a testament to the human spirit.

The novel's exploration of political turmoil and social injustice is also powerful. Allende does not shy away from difficult topics, and she portrays the violence and oppression of the time with unflinching honesty. Rolf Carlé, a guerilla fighter and Eva's love interest, is particularly compelling in this regard. His passion for justice and his willingness to risk everything for his beliefs are both admirable and heartbreaking.

However, I do have some reservations about the novel. At times, the plot can feel disjointed, and the jumps in time can be confusing. Additionally, some of the secondary characters feel underdeveloped, and their motivations remain unclear. The novel's episodic structure can also make it feel like a series of loosely connected stories rather than a cohesive narrative.

The novel's themes of love, power, and storytelling itself are universal and both these themes and the story itself - despite having been published almost 40 years ago - feel timeless and relevant independently of age and place.

Four out of five stars.


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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam

It's the only book by Allende I have read and I really liked the story. The characters are very varied. There's an important character, an Arab immigrant, who is a lovely person, honest, generous and modest.

Anyway, I've been told this author can get very repetitive... Save for that sweet Arab immigrant, I didn't find much in the book that might encourage me to go on with other works by Allende.

This is very much a character novel, and features one of the most diverse and unique casts I've encountered.
Set in an unnamed South American country.

Eva Luna was orphaned at a young age, when her godmother decides that it's high time she began working (at the age of 7) she becomes a servant. Eva is extremely young and naive when she's thrown into life head first. She struggles to find her place and through her trials she meets people from all kinds of different backgrounds. Using her gift of storytelling to get by Eva weaves the tale of her life, the events, and the many eccentric characters who inhabit it.