There is something otherworldly about magical realism, something surreal, whereby the reader is transported into a parallel universe, a universe where, despite the stories ostensibly being set in our world, the colours, sights and sounds are richer and vibrate with the vivacity of the writer's imagination and the sensuality engendered by their prose. Although 'Eva Luna' contains many of the tropes associated with magic realism; political dissidence and violence, a cast of eccentric characters including clairvoyants and curmudgeons, a strong sense of sensuality and a almost limitless litany of surreal scenes and scenarios, Allende's effortless storytelling, her ability to the draw the reader in to the lives of the characters she creates and the richness of the world she imagines causes the reader to forget the feeling of deja vu they sometimes experience during the reading of 'Eva Luna'.

 The story follows Eva Luna, the only daughter of the ethereal Consuelo and her journey from being a girl orphaned at a young age to a full-grown woman. Along the way she comes across a number of characters who serve to shape her personality and future; the gentle Turk Zulema, whose benign nature and joviality belies his deep personal grief over his facial disfigurement. Zulema's lascivious cousin Kamal, seething with sex, the macho rebel Huberto and the sensitive, but no less recalcitrant Rolfe Carle, both of whom act as Eva's love interests, the ying to each other's yang.

Allende, like Eva herself,  uses her natural ability as a storyteller to depict the lives of these characters, their hopes and dreams-too often snuffed out by the remorselessness world around them, their loves, lives and loneliness as seen through the eyes of Eva who is able to pay tribute to these characters, to remember them-as Eva's mother states on her death-bed-there is not death if people remember you and 'Eva Luna' is Allende's way of ensuring these characters stay alive forever in the mind of the reader.

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.

Eva Luna, Isabel Allende

Eva Luna is a novel written by Chilean novelist Isabel Allende in 1987. Eva Luna takes us into the life of the eponymous protagonist, an orphan who grows up in an unidentified country in South America.

تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز چهاردهم ماه جولای سال 2005میلادی

عنوان: اوا ل‍ون‍؛ نویسنده: ای‍زاب‍ل‌ آل‍ن‍ده‌؛ م‍ت‍رج‍م‌: خ‍ل‍ی‍ل‌ رس‍ت‍م‌خ‍ان‍ی‌؛ ت‍ه‍ران‌: ب‍ازت‍اب‌ ن‍گ‍ار، 1383؛ در 346ص؛ شابک 9648223068؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان شیلیایی آمریکایی - سده 20م

بلیزا کرپوسکولاریو در خانواده‌ ای چنان تهیدست به دنیا آمده بود، که حتا نامی نداشت روی بچه‌ هایش بگذارد؛ در سرزمینی ناسازگار چشم به جهان گشوده و پرورش یافته بود، که بعضی سال‌ها در آن باران‌های سیل‌آسا می‌بارید، و سیلاب دار و ندار مردم را با خود می‌برد؛ اما سال‌های دیگر حتا قطره ‌ای باران نمی‌آمد، و قرص خورشید چنان بزرگ می‌شد، که افق را پر می‌کرد، و زمین به بیابانی خشک بدل می‌شد؛ «بلیزا»، تا دوازده سالگی کار و هنری جز تحمّل گرسنگی و درماندگی دیرپای نداشت؛ تقدیرش چنین بود که در اثنای یک خشکسالی طولانی، چهار برادر و خواهر کوچک‌ترش را به خاک بسپارد؛ و وقتی که دانست پس از آن‌ها نوبت خود اوست که بمیرد، تصمیم گرفت راه بیفتد رو به سوی دریا و دشت‌ها را پشت سر بگذارد، تا شاید با سیر و سفر عفریت مرگ را بفریبد؛ زمین پوک شده بود؛ شکاف‌های عمیقی بر آن پدید آمده بود؛ صخره ‌ها، سنگواره‌ های درختان و بوته ‌های پرخار، و استخوان‌های جانوران، رنگ باخته زیر پرتو آفتاب، بر سراسر آن سرزمین پراکنده بود.؛ گهگاه با خانواده‌ هایی روبرو می‌شد که مانند خود او، با امید واهیِ رسیدن به آب، به سمت جنوب روان بودند؛ بعضی‌ها داروندارشان را بر دوش یا بر گاری‌های کوچک گذاشته، و به راه افتاده بودند؛ اما، به دشواری می‌توانستند پوست و استخوان خود را به جلو بکشانند، و برخی در نیمه راه ناچار می‌شدند، بارهاشان را بگذارند و بروند.؛ آنان با درد و رنج فراوان خود را به پیش می‌کشیدند؛ پوست‌شان به کلفتی پوست تمساح شده بود؛ و چشمان‌شان، پنداشتی که با شراره‌ های سرختاب می‌سوخت.؛ هر وقت «بلیزا» از کنارشان می‌گذشت، با حرکت دست سلامشان می‌گفت؛ اما نمی‌ایستاد، چون نیرویی برایش نمانده بود، که آن را صرف دل سوختن به حال آنان بکند.؛ بسیاری از رهروها در کنار جاده از پا افتادند؛ اما او آن اندازه سرسختی نشان داد، که توانست زنده بماند، و از آن دوزخ سوزان بگذرد، و در پایان سفر، خود را به نخستین چکه‌ های آب و رشته‌ های باریک و کمابیش ناپیدای جویبارک‌هایی برساند، که باریکه‌ های سبزه‌ زار را سیراب می‌کردند، و در پایین دست‌ها پهنا می‌گرفتند، و به نهرک‌ها و مرداب‌ها راه می‌یافتند

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 24/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

Sempre que leio Isabel Allende, pergunto-me onde irá buscar imaginação para escrever histórias destas cheias de reviravoltas e de enredos improváveis. O facto é que o faz e bem, e eu nunca me canso de a ler, sobretudo quando quero uma leitura leve mas que tenha um conteúdo bem estruturado.

Ainda não foi este a bater A Casa dos Espíritos, mas não ficou longe.

Set in an unnamed South American country with the usual magic realism, an assortment of generals and dictators, a good dose of sensuality and an eclectic cast of characters, the novel moves from the 1950s to the 1980s. It is told in the first person and is the story of Eva Luna, told in parallel with the much less detailed story of Rolf Carle. It is the story of a storyteller and has lots of twists and turns. It has been described as picaresque. Allende challenges the usual male hegemony she finds through her storytelling.
The characters do jump off the page and even the less sympathetic characters have some humanity. But it is the women are strong:
“I stopped examining myself in the mirror to compare myself to the perfect beauties of movies and magazines; I decided I was beautiful for the simple reason I wanted to be. And then never gave the matter another thought.”
There are elements of Scheherazade in Eva and this is followed up particularly in the volume which follows this, The Stories of Eva Luna. I didn’t love this as much as The House of the Spirits. The ending felt rather rushed and forced and somewhat melodramatic.
The opening is certainly strong:
‘My name is Eva, which means “life,” according to a book of names my mother consulted. I was born in the back room of a shadowy house, and grew up amidst ancient furniture, books in Latin, and human mummies, but none of these things made me melancholy, because I came into the world with a breath of the jungle in my memory’.
Eva combines fiction and life and through the section on the escape of the guerrillas from prison towards the end Allende illustrates a device often used in oppressive regimes, telling the truth in a work of fiction. Allende charts the birth of a writer:
“I awakened early. It was a soft and slightly rainy Wednesday, not very different from others in my life, but I treasure that Wednesday as a special day, one that belonged only to me. I took a clean white sheet of paper-like a sheet freshly ironed for making love-and rolled it into the carriage. . . . I believed that that page has been waiting for me for more than twenty years, that I had lived only for that instant.... I wrote my name, and immediately the words began to flow, one thing linked to another and another. . . .1 could see an order to the stories stored in my genetic memory since before my birth, and the many others I had been writing for years in my notebooks”
Memory sustains life and this is certainly a life enhancing novel, despite the loss of focus at the end.

"She sowed in my mind the idea that reality is not only what we see on the surface; it has a magical dimension as well and, if we so desire, it is legitimate to enhance it and color it to make our journey through life less trying."

Eva Luna was orphaned at an early age, but her mother passed on her gift of storytelling. Eva was poor and worked as a servant for some eccentric people in an unnamed South American country. While reality was grim, a good storyteller can change her reality by embellishing it with magical qualities. Eva's stories were also a way to give back by entertaining people who were kind to her. She used her talent like a South American Scheherazade.

The life of Rolf Carle, who came from Eastern Europe to South America as a young man, intersects with Eva's life when they are adults. The talented photojournalist reported on the volatile political situation of the 1960s-1970s. Eva wonders if changes of leadership will make much difference to the South American women who live in such an oppressive patriarchal atmosphere.

"Eva Luna" is a picaresque book full of adventure and colorful characters ranging from the powerful and wealthy to those living in the red light district. Eva has the gift of taking the harshness of life, and replacing it with magical adventure in her imaginative stories.

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.

Finally she picked out outfits like those in the movies: ballet slippers, full skirts, elastic belts. My most precious acquisition was a diminutive brassiere in which my ridiculous breasts bobbed like two lost plums. (PG 120)

I always enjoy a good Isabel Allende novel. She always throws in the historical background of the era so we can imagine the scene and the times the characters are going through. This was my favorite part of the novel otherwise I found Eva Luna's normal life a bit boring or maybe told in a boring way, I can't say which.

Allende is a wonderful storyteller of the mundane and I don't think I'll ever stop reading her novels. She's just so intriguing and full of the most ridiculous paths for the characters that it must be real in her own head making it real for us readers.

From orphans to transsexuals and prostitutes to communism... It all jives together.

Fun to read anyway but maybe not her best.

This is my first novel by Isabel Allende, and I am probably not shocking anyone by saying that she puts the "magic" in magical realism. And with the story of "Eva Luna", she weaved a brightly colored, shimmering yarn about the magic of story-telling, which may very well be the last remaining bit of magic well and truly alive in the world.

The first strand of this story is the life of Consuelo, Eva's mother, her strange upbringing and life until the birth of her only daughter. Eva's strand of the story stems from it, but closely entangled to it is the story of Rolf Carlé, a young boy born half a world away but who is destined to cross paths with Eva one day. The smaller, but equally bright strands of story reserved to Mimi, Huberto and Riad turn this novel into a fantastic tapestry, which pays homage to Sheherazade and other women who have had to enchant people with stories to make a living.

Of course there is a plot, but that plot didn't seem to me like it was the most important part of "Eva Luna". What truly matters here is that language can dance on the page until you are feasting your eyes and your imagination on it's pirouettes.

Lovely, dreamy, a little evasive but absolutely spell-binding.

Allende's Eva Luna is part look at South American history, in particular revolutionary history, and part Arabian Nights.

It is all magic.

Much is said about lyrical novels, and Allende's novel isn't so much lyrical as a rich tore with hidden passages and meanings.

It's a pleasure to read if not engrossing.

Esta es la historia de Eva un joven huérfana, que a travez de sus cuentos nos narra un poco de su vida, con personajes muy pintorescos, sus aventuras y desventuras. Eva Luna tiene un carácter fuerte y una desbordada imaginación, tiene una facilidad nata para contar e inventar historias, que muchas veces mezcla con su propia realidad. La escritora toca los temas de suicidio, prostitución, violencia, amistad y pobreza, con la naturalidad de la pluma de Allende