Reviews
"Allende's storytelling walks a lyrical romanticism on roads imposed by social and political turmoil. . . . The children trapped by geopolitical violence and left to navigate immigration by themselves are the core inspiration for The Wind Knows My Name . The story is a love letter to them, and their plight is powerfully evoked . . . [Allende's] dialogue [is] current, relevant and real." --NPR Book Review "The lives of a Jewish boy escaping Nazi-occupied Europe and a mother and daughter fleeing 21st-century El Salvador intersect in this ambitious, intricate novel about war and immigration. A historical saga that is deeply connected to our present day." --People "This beloved author transports us to two dark periods in history: Nazi-overrun Vienna in 1938 and the current dire situation at the border between the United States and Mexico. . . . Both stories are rich enough to carry the weight of one novel, but Allende expertly intertwines them. Employing her signature touch of magical realism, she wraps us in a compassionate story that reminds us 'we could all just as easily find ourselves in similar situations.'" -- The Washington Post "[Allende is] the queen of magic realism." --BBC "Allende's artistry shapes a lyrical romanticism around social political history and global turmoil." --NPR "It feels something like a modern version of The Secret Garden : lost, grieving people finding joy and hope with each other, with a touch of magic. Beautiful and moving . . . draws parallels between humanitarian crises in different times and places in a way that feels deeply personal." -- Book Riot " The Wind Knows My Name is a treat for fans of Kristin Hannah, Christina Baker Kline, and Julia Alvarez, all authors who understand that history always affects current events." -- Virtuoso, The Magazine "Allende is always a must read and readers will queue for her latest mix of history, suspense, emotional insight, social commentary, mysticism, wit, and tenderness." -- Booklist "Powerful . . . Allende finds real depth in her characters, especially when portraying their sacrifices. This authentic and emotionally harrowing work is a triumphant return to form." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review), Praise for A Long Petal of the Sea "[Isabel Allende] has deftly woven fact and fiction, history and memory, to create . . . one of the strongest and most affecting works in her long career." -- The New York Times Book Review " A Long Petal of the Sea gets to the heart of immigrant struggle. . . . Allende reminds us that these issues, at their core, are made up of individuals and their love stories." -- USA Today "A historical love story penned in the lush and propulsive prose familiar to Allende's millions of fans worldwide, it . . . feels excitingly new and unerringly timely for this international superstar of an author." -- San Francisco Chronicle Praise for Violeta "Fans of Allende's generation-spanning family epics are in for a treat. . . . Violeta's personal loves and tragedies intertwine with decades of Latin American political turmoil, economic uncertainty, and social change." -- The Washington Post " Violeta recalls Allende's best known and highly successful novel, The House of Spirits, which weaves together the personal and the political in a saga stretching across decades." --Associated Press "An immersive saga about a passion-filled life." -- People
