Υπέροχη πρώτη επαφή με τον κόσμο της Ιζαμπέλ Αλιέντε, με το ένα μέρος του βιβλίου να στηρίζεται σχεδόν αποκλειστικά στην ηθογραφία μιας ολόκληρης οικογένειας στην Χιλή και το δεύτερο να συνδέει την μοίρα αυτής με την μοίρα της χώρας μέσα από την δικτατορία.

I have a really hard time getting into magic realism, I'm more of a realism-realism kind of gal myself, so I was surprised when I started semi getting into this. Although, characteristically, I got more into the less magic/more realistic parts of the novel. I think this book wants to be some type of a feminist novel, but it falls short in so many ways. Now, I am not the type of feminist who goes out looking for feminist novels (big Roth fan here, actually) but I do have a problem with anything that pretends to be something that it's not.
The novel takes place over the span of three generations of women,but the majority of it is narrated from a man's perspective. And not just any man: a really scuzzy, evil asshole named Esteban who violently rapes women without remorse. Did I just say women? I meant girls. Like, early teens.
While the novel wants us to think of the three main women in the novel (Clara, Blanca, and Alba) as strong, Clara the Clairvoyant still chooses to marry Esteban. The novel doesn't mention the conflict of interest this might arouse. Nothing. And while we are supposed to think of her as wise and strong (she is explicitly referred to as such) she just turns her head the other way and even has children with him. When Esteban beats her until her teeth fall out, her assertion of power is to stop talking. The fact that a woman's silence in the face of abuse was presented as an assertive act kind of disgusted me.
Additionally, it seemed like a lot of the scenes in the novel were super grotesque just for the sake of being extreme. There is a part where one of the main characters, Alba, is being tortured (by men, of course) and as he shoves her face into a "bucket of human excrement" she has an epiphany. Who the hell has an epiphany when her face is buried in human shit? My friend Bruce said it best when he said "she ought to have been more concerned with holding her breath." It just seemed disingenuous.
And, not that I'm one to talk--hey, I wrote this review in 3 minutes--but her sentences had way too many words in them. It was like walking hip deep through snow, line by line. Would I recommend it? I won't say I wouldn't recommend it. I mean, it got this reaction from me, so it's worth something.

رواية رائعة لعائلة على مدى ثلاثة اجيال وتصرفات وأعمال أفراد العائلة حسب تغير الظروف والتقدم الثقافي والاجتماعي في البلاد.
لم تذكر إيزابيل الليندي اسم البلد او المدينة التي تدور فيها الأحداث ولكن هي تشيلي في أمريكا الجنوبية التي حدث بها الزلزال الذي دمر البلاد وحدث بها انقلاب عسكري وحشي.
تبدأ الرواية في زمن الإقطاع وبقايا الاستعمار حيث المالك والفلاحين الذين يقيمون بأرضه ويعملون عنده بالسخرة فقط للقمة العيش والحب بين ابنته واحد الفلاحين لديه .
ثم بداية الديمقراطية التي كان يسيطر عليها الأغنياء ولفترة طويلة سادت بها على الحكم مع بداية المد الاشتراكي والشيوعي وبداية تحرر الشعب من العبودية.
ومرورا بالزلزال والاحداث وتلمصائب التي حلت في البلاد.
وأخيرا انتصار الاشتراكيين بعد الانتخابات وتآمر الأغنياء على هذه الانتخابات واللجوء الى الجيش لعمل الانقلاب وكالعادة عندما يسيطر العسكر فلن تسمع صوتا اخر . والتعذيب والمقاومة كل هذا بأسلوب شيق يجعلك اتباع الأحداث بتشوق لذيذ.
عندما بدأت قراءة الرواية لم أكن اعلم انها الجزء الأخير من ثلاثيته الرائعة كما أفادني بعض الأصدقاء مما شوقني الى قراءة الأجزاء الاخرى وبشوق كبير.

من اروع الروايات وأصبحت إيزابيل الليندي من المفضلات لدي.

الادب هو فن التعبير بالكلمات عن افكار و مشاعر الانسان و عن هواجسه و نقل صورة صادقة مليئة بالمعانى على هيئة كلمات و هذا يحتاج الى موهبة كبيرة و نادرة بالطبع و عند هذة النقطة يعجز اللسان عن البوح بما اثارته الكاتبة إيزابيل ألليندى التى جاءت من قارة امريكا الاتينية فى اقصى الجنوب لتذهلنى و تسحرنى و تزلزل كيانى و مفهومى عن الادب و تزرع فى معانى اخرى و نوع جديد من الادب لتنقل بكلماتها الحب و الوحدة والمعاناة و التمرد و الثورة و السلطة فى قالب روائى لا يشوبه شائبة يلمس القلب و لم اتعدى اكثر من مائة صفحة حتى وقعت فى حب الرواية و حب إيزا .

" اكاد من فرط الجمال اذوب "

هذا الجمال لم يكن فى مخيلتى عندما فتحت اول صفحات الرواية , خبرتى قليلة فى الواقعية السحرية نعم قرات " مائة عام من العزلة " فى بدايات قرائتى المتواضعة و اعجبت بها على الرغم من غرابتها و احداثها التى اتذكرها بعد مرور سنين لكن الفرق كبير بين الروايتين على ما اتذكر , ماركيز تعمد اظهار الواقعية السحرية ف اصبحت اقرب الى رواية فانتازيا اقرب من الواقعية على عكس إيزابيل التى استخدمت الواقعية السحرية بطريقة بسيطة فى الاحداث ف اصبحت رواية واقعية بها القليل من السحر و الخيال و لكن بها الكثير جدا من سحر الكلمات و اعتبر هذة اول قرائتى فى الادب اللاتيني و بالتاكيد وقعت فى حب هذة القارة الساحرة باحداثها الشيقة و المندفعة و تعرفت على عالم جديد غامض بالنسبة لى .

يعتبر هذا العمل المتكامل اول اعمال إيزابيل على الاطلاق و وما أزالُ أحاول أن أستوعب هذة المفاجئة , النضج الفكرى و السردى لنقل احداث 70 عام من احداث تشيلى بداية فى القرن الماضى حتى 1975 بطريقة ساحرة ممتعة لتعيش احداثها بكل ما فيها من مآسى و حب , لقد انتقلت بروحى لاعيش بين شخصياتها و بين احضان بيت الارواح و احياء تشيلى بكل ما فيها احداث .

عند الحديث عن السرد القصصى و تدفق الكلمات ياتى هذا التعبير ليعبر عن كمية الوصف والمشاعر و الاحداث " دسمة " لا يوجد تعبير اخر لوصفها هذة الرواية غزيرة الاحداث ذكرتنى ببداية رواية بين القصرين لنجيب محفوظ عندما شرعت فى قرائتها , تنتهى من صفحة واحدة ف ياتيك احساس انك قرأت عشرة صفحات لما تحتوية من كلمات و احداث باسلوب ممتع هادئ تنتقل بسلاسة بين الشخصيات و الازمنة و لا تجعلك تفقد تركيزك بل تجعلك منتبه من قمة الاثارة و رسمها لشخصياتها النموذجى يحتاج للكثير من الكلمات و لن تكفى حقها .

"لا يختلف موتنا ، عن لحظة المجئ إلى العالم ، فنحن نخشى المجهول ، غير أن الخوف هو شئ داخلي فينا ، ليس له علاقة بالواقع ، وهكذا فالموت هو كالولادة .. تبدل بسيط "

لن اخفى امتعاضى فى البداية لطريقة السرد التى تحرق الاحداث المستقبلية ف تفقد عنصر المفاجأة و حتى الثلث الاخير من الرواية كان لا يزال يؤرقنى و كان على وشك ان تفقد الرواية نجمة بسببه لكن جاء الجزءالسياسى الاخير ليقلب الرواية رأسا على عقب , لم اقرا من قبل وصف للانقلاب العسكرى بما فيه من ظلم و تعذيب و ديكتاتورية و سجون كما وصفته إيزابيل , رايت نفسى استرجعى احداث بلدى المنكوب اخر 5 سنين بما يحدث فيه الى الان من احداث مشابهة لما حدث فى سبعينات تشيلى , كأن يوجد كتاب موحد للانقلابين و الديكتاتورية موجه لهم ف الاحداث مماثلة بنسبة تفوق الخيال لتصبح واقعية فى كل البلاد التى ارادت ان تحظى ب حكم ميدانى , نفس السذاجة نفس الفساد و نفس النتيجة النهائية .

“نظنّ أن هذه الأشياء لا تقع إلا للآخرين . حتى اليوم الذي تقع فيه على رؤوسنا”

لن اشرع فى الحديث عن الشخصيات بشكل كبير لانى لن اوفيهم حقهم , كل شخصية مرسومة بعناية , اخذت وقتها فى التطور التدريجى حتى لحظات نهاية احداثهم , وجدت نفسى اعشق كل الشخصيات الرئيسية حتى الشخصيات التى كرهتها فى الاول تعاطفت معها فى النهاية و كل شخصية كان لها سحرها الخاص الذى يجعلك تتعلق به و لكن وجدت نفسى مع نهاية الاحداث انجذب الى شخصية " خايمى " تعاطفت معها فى كل مراحل حياتها .

كلارا " الزوجة  الام " : الشخصية الرئيسية الملائكية التى مثلت الجانب الساحر فى الاحداث بقدراتها التخاطرية و تنبأئها بالمستقبل .
استيبان تروبيا " الزوج  الاب " : الرجل الصارم العنيد الظالم الوحيد الذى يجعلك تكرهه ثم يجعلك تتعاطف معه ف تصبح تتقلب بين مشاعرك و بيين افعاله و نوبأت غضبه .
فيرولا : اخت استيبان تروبيا الكبرى التى اصبحت الصديقة الاقرب لكلارا حتى اثارت غيرة اخوها ف كانت حياتها كما بدات مأسوية تنتهى حزينة مع لعنتها التى تصيب استيبان .
بلانكا " الابنة " : التى مثلت جانب الحب البرئ بتعاسته و التضحية التى عاشتها من اجل الحب .
بيدرو جارثيا : الثائر للفقراء و الحقوق و العدل و حبيب بلانكا السرى الذى ذكرنى كثيرا ب جيفارا .
نيكولاس " الابن " : ابن كلارا المتعلق ب كل ما هو غريب حتى يقع شغفه فى دراسة الديانات الشرقية .
خايمى " الابن " : ابن كلارا التؤام لاخوه نيكولاس لكن على عكس نيكولاس كان خايمى شخصية ليست اجتماعية عاش وسط كتبه و دراسته للطب و علاجه للفقراء و حبه للثوار .
ألبا : ابنة بلانكا و بيدرو الوحيدة التى كانت تجمع بين حب و تعلق جميع الشخصيات ف اخدت الجانب الثورى من خالها خايمى و الحب المفرط من والدتها بلانكا و الجانب الساحر من جدتها كلارا .

تصنيف هذة الرواية واقعية سحرية ميلودراما لكن الجانب السياسى بها كان غاية فى الجمال و الوجع و النهاية كانت رائعة لتنهى هذة التحفة الادبية و تجعلنى اعشق أيزابيل و حتما سوف اقرا لها مرة اخرة قريبة و اكمل هذة الثلاثية و اتعمق اكثر فى هذة القارة المظلمة المليئة بالانقلابات و السحر .

"Nana had the idea that a good fright might make the child speak, and spent nine years inventing all sorts of desperate strategies for frightening Clara, the end result of which was to immunize the girl forever against terror and surprise. Soon Clara was afraid of nothing. She was unmoved by the sudden appearance of the most livid and undernourished monsters in her room, or by the knock of devils and vampires at her bedroom window. Nana dressed up as a headless pirate, as the executioner of the Tower of London, as a werewolf or a horned devil, depending on her inspiration of the moment and on the ideas she got while flipping through the pages of certain horror magazines, which she bought for this purpose and from which, although she was unable to read, she copied the illustrations. She had acquired the habit of gliding silently through the hallways and jumping at the child in the dark, howling through the doorways, and hiding live animals between her sheet, but none of this elicited so much as a peep from the little girl."

It's just so damn hard to surprise a clairvoyant.

This was my second reading of The House of the Spirits and, if anything, I enjoyed the magical elements of the book much more on this visit.
A re-visit.
A re-visit, spending this last week with the Trueba family, who in turn are re-visited by their past, which Allende spins into the narrative with such ease that reading the story of the different generations made me wonder at every turn of the page what happens next, and what happens to this or that character. Throw in the unspecified political and historical context of the story and I was hooked. Again, I think the second read was more engaging for me than the first in this respect, too. I guess, when I read the book for the first time, I was looking for clear-cut references and didn't appreciate the intention of the book as much, but some of the beauty and sadness of the book lies in the possibility that it may have been the story of many families, not just that of the Truebas.

"Barrabas appeared in the house, having sailed by sea," the little girl wrote in her diary. Opening with this phrase the history of the family, interwoven and intertwined with the history of the country. Four generations of the Trueba family. The entire, with few exceptions, Chilean twentieth century. This phrase opened the world to the work of Isabel Allende, "The House of Spirits", with which it begins, became the first novel of the writer, which brought her a resounding success.
Isabel Allende is the niece of President Salvador Allende, who was overthrown and killed in the coup led by Augusto Pinochet. More blue blood, white bone (in the realities of a single Latin American country) and it's hard to imagine. Industrialists and politicians in the family, studying in prestigious educational institutions, the habit of rotating in prestigious circles acquired from youth. And childhood spent in the countryside, playing with dirty hungry peasant children.

Such is Latin America at the beginning and even the middle of the century. Such is the explosive mixture that gave birth to this bright, original, unique talent. The "House of Spirits" is actually directly related to the family history. The novel was born from a letter that Isabel began writing to her ninety-nine-year-old grandfather after learning that he was dying. He, the patriarch, became the prototype of Esteban Trueb, a young man from a good but impoverished family, who set himself to get rich in order to become worthy of the beautiful daughter of a politician. Who dies by mistake after drinking poison intended for her father.

And now the unhappy groom is working obsessively, sparing neither himself nor others, to make the estate, ruined and abandoned by the idler father, an exemplary farm. It succeeds. Twenty years later. And then he marries the younger sister of the beautiful Rose, the girl who made a diary entry about the dog that sailed from across the sea. This is the beginning of the novel. Then there will be a lot of things and no less interesting.

Clara, a girl, and later the wife of the capitalist and politician Trueb, has pronounced psychic abilities. It does not bring her happiness. And universal love - yes. Because she is kind to people and pure in soul. "Clara" means "pure" from Spanish. Three generations of women in the family bear the talking names of Blanca - "white", daughter. And Alba, in general, is also a "white" granddaughter. There is a lot of beauty, kindness and intelligence, but little happiness. And as you wanted, you have to pay for everything in life.

It is unrealistic to retell a five-hundred-page novel, and most importantly, it is not necessary. He is good, he gives that degree of immersion in the realities of place-time, which makes you look around in surprise, looking up from reading: how, why here? a second ago you were in Chile! When I was reading, I had a map of Chile on my computer as a screensaver. Such a narrow and long country. So much pain and so much love. And now I'm learning Spanish. With a long-term goal to go, but with a near-term goal to read Isabel Allende in her language."House of Spirits" - because with this novel the reader's passion for Isabel Allende began. Not her first book, the first was "Eva Luna" two years earlier. That. what opened the era of the writer. By the summer of 2010, only three had been translated into Russian, to the two mentioned "Love and Darkness". But you don't have to read everything written by a person to understand - yours. Sometimes one short text is enough. Let's say that Signora Allende does not sin with short ones, but if long ones do not turn her away, then it is all the more worth it.

And for what it makes sense to be completely grateful - for the incentive to study Spanish. For someone, "the language of Cervantes", for me - first of all, Allende. and there was no question who to read - of course her, there's how many more untranslated. La Casa de los Espiritos is not in text format, an audiobook. I'm reading Ines del Alma Mia now, and a long-familiar novel is spinning in the background with an audiobook. And it's not like reading a text at all.

The language from the voice is generally more difficult to understand. You will not stop at an unfamiliar word, you will not look into the dictionary; you will not slow down, focusing on the phrase in order to pull the meaning out of context. Speech flows-flows-flows and then either keep up, or give up hope, everyone here... No, I won't lie - I don't have time. I snatch out individual words and expressions in conjunction with names, trying to compare: it's probably about these events, and then about those.

Barbarism? Perhaps, although if you manage to run through the corresponding piece in Russian with your eyes, the level of understanding of what you have heard makes a cosmic leap. So after all, when communicating with native speakers in everyday situations, we assume what will be discussed, we tune in in advance, everything is backed up by facial expressions and pantomimics. Therefore, an audiobook as an aid to learning a language is far from the worst possible option. You will definitely not find such lexical wealth in everyday conversations.

I was very lucky with a girl who read Pony Olga, whoever she is, pronounces the words quite clearly and generally without emotion, but cleanly and her timbre is pleasant. And she rhythmically breaks up huge sentences, to which Allende is prone, into groups of five to ten words, delimited by pauses. And, in general, by the middle of the book, it is much easier to understand Spanish from the voice than at the beginning. I recommend it.

"Баррабас появился в доме, приплыв по морю", - написала в своем дневнике маленькая девочка. Открыв этой фразой историю семьи, вплетенную и переплетенную с историей страны. Четыре поколения семьи Труэба. Весь, за малыми исключениями, чилийский двадцатый век. Эта фраза открыла миру и творчество Исабель Альенде, "Дом духов", которым она начинается, стал первым романом писательницы, принесшим ей оглушительный успех.

Исабель Альенде - племянница президента Сальвадора Альенде, свергнутого и убитого в ходе путча, возглавляемого Аугусто Пиночетом. Более голубой крови, белой кости (в реалиях отдельно взятой латиноамериканской страны) и представить себе трудно. Промышленники и политики в родне, учеба в престижных учебных заведениях, усвоенная с юности привычка к вращению в престижных кругах. И детство, проведенное в деревне, игры с чумазыми голодными крестьянскими детьми.
Такова Латинская Америка начала и даже середины века. Такова гремучая смесь, породившая этот яркий, самобытный, уникальный талант. "Дом духов", на самом деле прямо связан с историей семьи. Роман родился из письма, которое Исабель начала писать своему девяностодевятилетнему деду, узнав, что он при смерти. Он, патриарх, стал прототипом Эстебана Труэба, юноши из хорошей, но обедневшей семьи, положившего себе разбогатеть, чтобы стать достойным прекрасной дочери политика. Которая погибает, по ошибке выпив яд, предназначенный отцу.
И теперь уже несчастный жених одержимо трудится, не жалея ни себя, ни других, чтобы сделать разоренное и брошенное некогда бездельником-отцом имение образцовым хозяйством. Это удается. Спустя двадцать лет. И тогда он женится на младшей сестре красавицы Розы, той девочке, что сделала дневниковую запись о псе, приплывшем из-за моря. Таков зачин романа. Дальше будет много всего и не менее интересно.

Клара, девочка, а в дальнейшем жена капиталиста и политика Труэба, обладает выраженными экстрасенсорными способностями. Счастья ей это не приносит. А всеобщую любовь - да. Потому что добра к людям и чиста душой. "Клара" - "чистая" с испанского. Три поколения женщин семьи носят говорящие имена Бланка - "белая", дочь. И Альба, в общем, тоже "белая" - внучка. Красоты, доброты и ума много, счастья мало. А как вы хотели, за все в жизни надо платить.

Пересказать пятисотстраничный роман нереально, а главное - не нужно. Он хорош, он дает ту степень погружения в реалии места-времени, которая заставляет удивленно оглядываться, отрываясь от чтения: как, почему тут? секунду назад ты был в Чили! Когда читала, у меня на компьютере заставкой стояла карта Чили. Такая узкая и длинная страна. Столько боли и столько любви. А сейчас учу испанский. С дальней целью поехать, но с ближней - читать Исабель Альенде на ее языке.

Our souls has no place in this world even if we lived in a one thousands room House

We continue to run madly behind freedom and love,money and beauty; justice and power; master ship and independence
For 75 years, and three families Allende have taken us to run behind the mirage and fall under the disappointments of an old house.that opened for her the door of literature kingdom


We struggle and suffer isolation and cruelty and alienation must defeat us

There are many kinds of life that makes you rush to death But nothing worse than our fear from fear itself and our novel here is about: fighting death

Three families of three Ethnicities To form the monstrosity modern Chilean society



The Spanish family of Del vallies; the Castilian-Arab: Trobia family; and the Indo-Latin Garcia family


for the first time Isabelle gave the lead to a hero, not a heroine, but time was the real hero here as always

The four whites
Neviea. .Clara..Blanca . .alba .. From the grandmother to the late granddaughter they all shared a name meaning: whiteness and disclosure .. Depart / political like Nivea and Alba

Indeed, one of them was not atrophied or false ' to the contrary, they were always clear; they shared simplicity and non-cost and sometimes "silliness " ..
Nivia grandmother was an early "feminism" and put them on the path of independence and giving to others and doing good and the compation for others either for Political reasons like Nivea and Alba
Or just for the sake of charity like Clara and Blanca


Esteban Troubia
He's the man who wither plants when he enter the place
The angry lion; the self-made the fascist; the disgruntled dictator

The descendant of the Peruvian royal family, who in his childhood bloomed with newspaper under his clothes and walked miles because he did not have Santafo to ride the tram.. he was angered by his father and by the heavy loss of Rosa on the day of his victory over poverty;

Имам особена история с Алиенде, макар това е първата нейна книга, която чета. Връщайки назад лентата, сега си давам сметка, че подсъзнателно я избягвам години наред. Заради злощастния ми отит с Маркес. В ранните си студенткси години, когато си купувах само и единствено стари издания на "доказали се с времето писатели", нека го наречем "класическия" ми период, реших, че е време да прочета един от постулатите в латиноамериканската литература - "Сто години самота" на Маркес. Няма да задълбавам много в тази тема, защото ми е болно място.
Дали, защото просто не й беше тогава времето и не бях с правилната настройка, дали заради гигантските ми очаквания, дали защото нямах представа в какво се забърквам или просто защото не е моята, но не можах да оценя по достойнство тази вечна и толкова коментирана класика. Онзи момент постави едно клеймо в ума ми върху латиноамериканската литература. Този момент, както и последвалия злощастен опит да прочета една книга на Букай, която се подвизаваше в библиотеката на сестра ми.
Докато един друг голям испаноговорящ писател не открехна отново тази врата за мен преди няколко години - Карлос Руис Сафон.
Но за жалост, когато човек започне веднъж да избягва една тема, опасенията от повторно разочарование са значителни, толкова, че чак ме беше страх да не си разваля красивото усещане от стила на новооткритата си любов към творчеството на Сафон.


И така поради ред причинии години по-късно реших да открехна още една врата към друго голямо име на латиноамериканската литература. И срещата ми с Алиенде се оказа едно продължително и магнетично ухажване, което завърши със силна привързаност.
И си мисля, ако "Сто години самота" беше написана по този начин, щеше да е една от любимите ми книги.

"Къщата на духовете" започва като приказка за едно зеленокосо момиче с покосяваща красота, за нейния вуйчо авантюрист, малката й чудата сестра, за един амбициозен млад и влюбен до лудост мъж и за едно куче - Барабас. И прераства в една натуралистична и жестока история за любов, насилие, идеали, еснафщина и разбира се, духове.
Исабел Алиенде проследява четири поколения от дългата потомствена линия на едно семейство, което преживява бури, загуби, мъчения, споделена и несподелена изгаряща любов, живот и смърт, оплетени в едно, желание и отвращение, изтъкани в една и съща длан. Тази книга е животоописание и в същото време носи динамиката, вълнението и силата на самия живот. Ту катери своите върхове триумфиращо, ту пълзи изтощено в калта.
А краят ни довежда до кървавия военен преврат на Пиночет, излял се по страниците й като суров разказ за тези мрачни, жестоки и брутални години, на които самата Алиенде е била свидетел.

Стилът на Алиенде е нежен като коприна и твърд, където е необходимо, нейното перо умело може да предаде направо в душата на читателя всяка интонация и чувство, всеки нюанс дори и на най-тривиалните реплики. А фактът, че тази история е нейният дебют, сам по себе си обяснява това, че днес тя е едно от най-коментираните имена в литературния свят. Роля в този силен страт играе несъмнено и историята на нейното семейство, което е било пряко замесено в събитията от онези години (президентът Салвадор Алиенде е брат на баща й).
"Сякаш отворих артерия. Така извираше всичко от мен", казва самата Алиенде за своята първа книга.

В началото на тази история се питаш как ли ще свърши. Ще свърши ли изобщо? Нима животът спира? Къде ще бъде последната точка.
Ами как къде! В началото. Точно като кръговрата на живота.


http://readersense.blogspot.com/2020/...

I miei problemi con questo romanzo sono dovuti principalmente a due aspetti: il ritmo e il messaggio della narrazione.

Dal punto di vista del ritmo, il libro è esasperante. Tutto avviene con una lentezza insopportabile, tramite lunghi capitoli che si trascinano narrando inezie di scarso o nessun interesse per il lettore (o perlomeno, per questa lettrice). Da amante delle saghe familiari, tendo generalmente ad apprezzare le opere corali raccontate dal punto di vista di più personaggi; in questo caso, però, ho trovato molti dei protagonisti piatti e stereotipati, per non dire francamente insopportabili. Anche il ricorso al realismo magico è minimale e debolissimo, niente a che vedere con l’opera di autori come Gabriel García Márquez o Jorge Luis Borges.

L’aspetto davvero problematico del libro, però, risiede nei messaggi sociali e politici che esso veicola più o meno esplicitamente.
Nelle intenzioni dell’autrice, questa vorrebbe essere un’epopea sulla storia moderna del Cile, scritta con l’intento di denunciare le violenze compiute dalla classe dirigente contro i lavoratori dei campi e gli attivisti di sinistra; violenze culminate, come sappiamo, nel golpe di Pinochet del 1973.
Allende parte quindi con le migliori intenzioni, ma la sua posizione di donna altoborghese e la sua mancanza di empatia verso le classi lavoratrici compromettono la riuscita del suo progetto. Il risultato è che il romanzo finisce per glissare sui continui, crudeli soprusi subiti dai contadini poveri e indigeni per mano dei coloni bianchi e ricchi. Il doppio standard della voce narrante si fa sentire fin da subito, quando minimizza gli stupri compiuti dal protagonista sulle contadine (dodicenni!), i maltrattamenti verso i suoi dipendenti e lo sfruttamento sistematico delle terre strappate ai nativi. L’autrice è inspiegabilmente determinata a rendere Esteban Trueba simpatetico agli occhi del lettore, tanto da assegnare a lui solo il privilegio di raccontare la propria storia in prima persona. Nonostante egli sia, a tutti gli effetti, il vero antagonista della vicenda, Allende si sforza di farci comprendere le sue ragioni, sentire il suo dolore, e, infine, accettare la sua redenzione perché ha compiuto una buona azione prima di morire.

Personalmente sono davvero stanca di leggere romanzi storici in cui fascisti della peggior specie, che hanno contribuito (almeno nel contesto narrativo) ad instaurare una dittatura sanguinaria, vengono presentati come personaggi positivi. Trovo assurdo che, in un’opera che si propone di condannare l’oppressione delle classi più povere, si trascurino continuamente le sofferenze di queste ultime per soffermarsi solo sui problemi dei ricchi: la morte dei contadini viene liquidata in due righe, quella dei membri della famiglia Trueba è tragica; lo stupro delle donne indigene è normalizzato, quello di Alba — per mano di un indigeno, ovviamente — descritto come mostruoso e traumatico.

In conclusione, non ho assolutamente apprezzato lo sguardo colonialista e il tentativo di redimere gli oppressori compiuto da questo libro. Spero che, col tempo, Allende abbia sviluppato una prospettiva diversa e meno miope.

n  "If this world is going to be a better place for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, it will be women who make it so."n
—Isabel Allende.

Phewee!
The House of the Spirits is a tumultuous epic which chronicles four generations of two extraordinary families.
The eponymous house is large: it boasts three courtyards and a Chiléan version of the Addams Family.
Imagine too, if you will, Barrabás, the somewhat unnatural domesticated dog/horse, who was ill-advisedly fed olive oil until he covered the house from top to bottom with diarrhoea. Blurrgh!

Following in the giant footsteps of Gabriel García Márquez, Allende lets rip with her own brand of el realismo mágico.
Strong female roles abound in this captivating story, from Rosa (who has the maritime grace of a mermaid), to Clara the soothsayer (whose apocalyptic visions include exploding horses and cows that are hurled into the sea), and Tránsito Soto (the entrepreneurial prostitute who symbolises success in the face of adversity).

A mainstay of magical realism is that characters are expected to be beautifully realised, and Allende doesn't disappoint. Not for one bit. Her lead goes to reluctant altruist, Esteban Trueba, whose expectations of grandeur befit his pedigree, but not his habitude.
Trueba, wishing to mine for gold, takes control of a lawless chunk of godforsaken land.
Despite improving the social conditions of the peasants under his patronage, he becomes the most hated and feared scumbag in the entire region.
When done with kicking hens, throwing tantrums and raping village girls, he expects his subordinates to show him some gratitude. Seriously, what a complete arse!

Dichotomies abound: good and evil; triumph and tragedy; pride and ignominy. And the unjustified pomposity of Trueba sets him up for a hubristic turn of events.

I LOVED this novel. I am a latecomer to Allende and, with this one story, she has propelled herself onto my top tier of writers.
That said, the magical start to the story gradually capitulates to a more realismo style and does become something of a slog at times. Despite this, the craftsmanship of her writing never diminishes. The sex is fleshy and sweaty and the book is awash with anarchists, prostitutes and tables that move just by the power of thought.
¡Ay, caramba! There's even a bazooka-wielding president! As if that could ever happen! *stifles a snigger*

The House of the Spirits is stormy, dramatic and beautifully-written.
I even missed it when I was away from it!



A self-indulgent afterthought...

So skilful was Allende's writing that she turns Trueba's toxic Latino machismo on its head. Most surprisingly, you might even end up feeling sorry for the misogynistic bastard.
Those of you old enough to remember the excellent cop drama NYPD Blue might have experienced the same volte-face in respect of Detective Andy Sipowicz, the corrupt, racist, homophobic, alcoholic sleazeball who slowly begins to question the values he was raised with, and thereafter begins to win our hearts and minds. In my view, an unbelievably gifted piece of TV character writing that is rarely bettered.

Sinceramente, no esperaba esto de este libro. Me ha encantado la forma en que se entremezcla la magia y la sobrenatural, con la historia de Chile y la crueldad humana.

Una de las cosas más destacables es que los personajes tienen un gran desarrollo a lo largo del libro, con muchos matices tanto buenos como malos, así como las personas son, en realidad, no hay blanco y negro nada más. Al final puedes entender mucho más sus motivaciones, aunque no necesariamente empatices con ellos.

Le pongo 5 estrellas y creo que será un libro que recordaré por mucho tiempo.

ارواحنا لا مكان لها بهذا العالم و لو سكنا بيوت من ألف غرفة؛

نظل نركض بجنون خلف الحرية و الحب..المال والجمال؛العدل و السلطة؛السيادة و الاستقلال
عبر 75 عام و ثلاث اسر تاخذنا الليندى لنلهث خلف السراب و نتهاوى تحت خيبات الامل في بيت قديم فتح لايزابيل ابواب الادب

..ننهض لنعاني العزلة و القسوة و الاغتراب ليهزمنا الموت فنفقد الاحبة و تفترسنا ارواح هائمة تبغى عدلا لم تراه في دنيانا

لأول مرة ارغب في كتابة مراجعة بشكل ما و اتراجع ☆
لانها لن تجلب الا المشاكل فلنقنع بما هو متاح ☆ا

هناك انواع كثيرة من الحياة تجعلك تتعجل الموت تتمناه تستعذبه
و لكن ليس هناك ما هو اسوأ من خوفنا من الخوف و روايتنا عن الموت و الصراع الابدى ضده

ثلاث عائلات من ثلاث اعراق سنرى كيف ستتصاهر
لتشكل مسخا يسمى: المجتمع التشيلي الحديث رغما عن انف الجميع:

عائلة ديل باييه الإسبانية؛ و عائلة تروبيا القشتالية-العربية ؛و عائلة جارسيا الهندية اللاتينية و لأول مرة تمنح ايزابيل الصدارة لبطل و ليس بطلة و ان كان الزمن هنا هو البطل المطلق بدائرته و تكرارها الابدي

'''' ♡ البيضاوات الاربع
نيفيا- كلارا-بلانكا- ألبا : من الجدة الي ابنة الحفيدة كلهن تقاسمن اسماء معناها : البياض و النصاعة و الكشف..و بالفعل لم تكن احداهن تضمر عكس ما تظهر بل كن واضحات دوما؛ تقاسمن البساطة و عدم التكلف و احيانا" العبط" ..نيفيا الجدة "النسوية"وضعتهن على طريق الاستقلال والعطاء و فعل الخير و مشاركة الاخرين الامهم ؛
منهن من وظفت جهودها لاهداف انسانية/سياسية مثل نيفيا و البا
اما كلارا و بلانكا كانا اكثر عطاء للبسطاء مباشرة

مفتاحهن : الحب
تمنيت ان اكون كلارا نافذة البصيرة المقتبسة من شخصية جدة ايزابيل الليندى ؛ و لكن للاسف اقربهم لشخصيتى : بلانكا

☆ ☆ روسا
اجمل مخلوقة ولدت على ظهر الارض منذ ازمنة الخطيئة " كما صرخت القابلة لدى رؤية جمالها المبهر ..حورية الثلاثية و تمثل السعادة المستحيلة و الاحلام المجهضة ؛ و كل ما هو ليس مسموحا لنا بامتلاكه على الارض..جمالها البحري الطابع يؤكد ان الخلاص دوما يكون بعيدا عن التراب و اقرب للماء بطهارته