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A review by junglefabrixxx
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Stories like this one are worth a million reads. When I read Isabel Allende's books, I feel transported to the lives and experiences of the characters. In this case, Victor and Roser's story moved me to the point of almost crying at the end of the book, which is no easy feat.
I might think that this work is purely fictional, but knowing the desperation of Spanish refugees in the context of the civil war, and all the difficulties they experienced from fleeing to settling in a new country, away from everything they've known gives it a remarked sense of reality. How their feelings extrapolate the acuteness of the crisis and in the moment, how their impulses of survival and adaptability help them move on and work hard to fit in.
The sacrifices made by Roser and Victor are commendable. Sometimes telling a lie to protect your loved ones is acceptable if that means life or death. I won't lie that I would have loved the story to take a different turn in regards to Victor's involvement with the Del Solar family but, it still makes the story worthwhile.
Why don't I give it 5.0 stars?
Because it's missing that charm from the other novels, that traps you in a whirlwind of thoughts and keeps you interested from start to end. I felt it was somewhat off in parts, without care for details or moving on from one secondary storyline to another too fast. However, I still would recommend it if you like drama and romance, with history scattered all around it and an accurate description of the time period.
I might think that this work is purely fictional, but knowing the desperation of Spanish refugees in the context of the civil war, and all the difficulties they experienced from fleeing to settling in a new country, away from everything they've known gives it a remarked sense of reality. How their feelings extrapolate the acuteness of the crisis and in the moment, how their impulses of survival and adaptability help them move on and work hard to fit in.
The sacrifices made by Roser and Victor are commendable. Sometimes telling a lie to protect your loved ones is acceptable if that means life or death. I won't lie that I would have loved the story to take a different turn in regards to Victor's involvement with the Del Solar family but, it still makes the story worthwhile.
Why don't I give it 5.0 stars?
Because it's missing that charm from the other novels, that traps you in a whirlwind of thoughts and keeps you interested from start to end. I felt it was somewhat off in parts, without care for details or moving on from one secondary storyline to another too fast. However, I still would recommend it if you like drama and romance, with history scattered all around it and an accurate description of the time period.