‘Violeta’ by Isabel Allende

Our dear friend Catalina sends her regards from an amazing trip to Patagonia with this review of ‘Violeta’ by Isabel Allende, so naturally, that is our book of the week!

Happy reading and happy Friday!

‘Isabel Allende’s “Violeta” is an epic family saga that takes us on a journey through the tumultuous 20th century in South America. This beautifully written memoir-like novel delves deep into the life of Violeta, a woman born into aristocracy, as she navigates the shifting sands of history.

Set against a backdrop of changing regimes and global upheaval, Violeta’s story spans continents and decades. From the fall of nobility to the Spanish flu, the Great Depression to the shockwaves of WWII, her life is a mirror to the world’s transformations.

While seeking refuge in the steppes of Patagonia during the Great Depression, Violeta enters a loveless marriage with a German immigrant. However, a significant portion of her life becomes intricately entwined with that of Julian Bravo, an enigmatic private pilot involved in drug smuggling, connected to the mafia, the CIA, and the oppressive Pinochet regime. This connection ensnares her in a toxic and abusive relationship that spans decades.

The themes of queerness and feminism run deep, woven into the fabric of her life story, alongside the harsh realities of abusive relationships and political activism during a dark dictatorship era in Chile. Allende masterfully touches on the hermetic Germany settler colony in Chile, which served as a torture center for dissidents during the dictatorship, adding a chilling layer to the narrative.

“Violeta” is not just a tale of personal struggles; it’s a testament to a woman navigating the ever-changing world around her. Motherhood, trauma, and abuse are hurdles she faces head-on, while also surviving the tumultuous political changes in her homeland.

Isabel Allende’s signature style of epic storytelling blends romance and resistance seamlessly, making “Violeta” the perfect escapist novel. It’s a mesmerizing journey through one woman’s life that mirrors the profound changes in Chilean and Argentianian history.’

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN

‘The Christmas Orphans Club’ by Becca Freeman

We close out our reviews for the year with a Christmas edition from one of our most prolific readers and reviewers, Lotte ❤️🙏🎄

‘Christmas time calls for Christmas reads! So, pick up ‘The Christmas Orphans Club’, get a cup of tea and get to know Hannah and Finn, and their chosen family of friends in New York.

Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Hannah is an orphan, and Finn disowned by his family when he came out, but Finn has gotten a job in LA and will be moving – so this Christmas has to something very, very, very special, and Hannah starts to kind of panic.

It is a story that jumps back in time to relive their Christmases together and with different POVs. It works really well and creates the right kind of holiday nostalgia that gives the book the right kind of Christmas feeling.

It is not all fun, presents, and Christmas, but also a serious story in creating your kind of family based on friends and create your own traditions with these people. The feeling of feeling ‘left over’ when everyone else returns home for Christmas, then what do you do?! Hannah and Finn create their own family, and their own Christmas traditions, and both pick up a friend along the way, so it becomes a family of four. Thus, there are also highs & lows during the years – not only Christmas gone wrong, but also fall outs in friendships and love.

The book reminded me of ‘Book Lover’ by Emily Henry in its vibe, and it is also a book that I could see being turned into another Christmas movie – but one of the good ones😉 – now get the book and cozy up for a good read.

Merry Christmas!’

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Book of the Week

‘The Island of Sea Women’ by Lisa See

There are books that keep popping up, in conversations, in bookclubs, in enthusiastic reviews years after they were published. This week’s book is one such title, and I have a feeling that Catalina’s review below will resonate with many of you and bring back wonderful memories.

‘Set on the Korean island of Jeju , ‘The Island of Sea Women’ introduces us to an extraordinary matrifocal community of haenyeos, women divers women divers who form the bedrock of their families' sustenance. We learn about their unique way of life, their respectful relationship to the ocean and the environment, their family dynamics, and the unwavering bonds of female friendship.

Spanning decades, the story follow the intertwined lives of Young-sook and Mi-ja, two friends and haenyeos, against complex historical events from the backdrop of Japanese colonial rule to post-Korean War tensions. As the story unfolds, See delves into themes of colonialism and nationalism, meticulously illustrating their profound impact on communities and the ways they sow division among people.

Essentially, "The Island of Sea Women" symbolizes the unwavering resilience of women amid upheaval, beautifully depicting survival amidst relentless change. The book is a profound journey through community strength and the remarkable courage of women in the face of history's toughest tests. 🌊📖

I was completely engrossed, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions while reading this meticulously researched story. Its impact stayed with me for weeks!’

Happy reading!

RESERVE YOUR COPY OF THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN

Book of the Week

‘Covenant of Water’ by Abraham Verghese

Reviewed by Isabella

‘Covenant of Water’ follows a Christian Indian family from 1900 to 1977. A family that seems cursed by what they call ‘the condition’, with each generation seeing one or more members die by drowning. This is the red thread through this incredible book, but just as the branches of a tree (a reference recognized by those who have read the book) the story reaches out in many, multifarious directions through a formidable cast of characters, each and every one memorable, and as if by magic Verghese manages to beautifully weave them all together in what feels like a comforting blanket of new friends you want to spend as much time with as possible.

At the turn of the century a 12 year-old girl is sent to marry a 40 year old man. The young girl will in time become Big Ammachi, the family’s matriarch and bear witness to decades of change, immeasurable joys and immense pain. Big Ammachi and her home, the estate of Parambil, are at the heart of this novel that reaches out across the country through descriptions of historical events - some well known, some more obscure to many of us outside of India and all truly fascinating - as well as through characters that flow in and out of Parambil and much of Kerala (with few but important offshoots to Madras).

At its core ‘Covenant of Water’ is the story of a family, of love and sacrifice and thanks to Verghese’s background as a physician, we are also made privy to the incredible medical strides of the 20th century by brave and brilliant doctors and nurses and how they come to benefit even the least fortunate in a society defined by castes. The novel also manages to weave stories of politics and religion, of societal inequities and, of course, what it meant for India to be colonized by the British.

Verghese is a master at humanizing the inhumane. Your heart will go out to each every one of the (flawed) characters. You will empathize, be shocked, mourn and rejoice throughout ‘Covenant of Water’, so if you haven’t read it yet, a great adventure awaits!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

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