The House of the Spirits: A Novel [J0103]

2015 PB reprint of the 1982 original. Excellent condition. Translated from the Spanish by Magda Bogin. Soon to be an original series on Prime Video. This “spectacular…absorbing and distinguished work…is a unique achievement, both personal witness and possible allegory of the past, present, and future of Latin America” (The New York Times Book Review). The House of the Spirits, the unforgettable first novel that established Isabel Allende as one of the world's most gifted storytellers, brings to life the triumphs and tragedies of three generations of the Trueba family. The patriarch Esteban is a volatile, proud man whose voracious pursuit of political power is tempered only by his love for his delicate wife Clara, a woman with a mystical connection to the spirit world. When their daughter Blanca embarks on a forbidden love affair in defiance of her implacable father, the result is an unexpected gift to Esteban: his adored granddaughter Alba, a beautiful and strong-willed child who will lead her family and her country into a revolutionary future.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "It's a rich novel with seeds of truth in history, about a family whose fate is tied together in love, hate, magic, tragedy, loss, and healing. It has so many ties to what is happening in the world nowadays that I felt a little in awe of the parallels. While it is an extremely well written book and I did enjoy it a lot, it is also so tragic and full of senseless violence"; "I recommend this book. Especially if you like multi-generational historical stories powered by magical women."; "As expected, her writing is imbued with a captivating, dreamlike quality; rich with enchantment and subtle magic, but at the same time, historically and politically inspired."