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Sep 23, 2011

Amal rated it:

كيف لي أن أكتب سيرةً عنّي إن لم أكن مثلها أو أفضل؟

القرن السادس عشر؛ تبدأ الرواية ببدايته, إنيس, الفتاة الخيّاطه, وأفضل من صنع الفطائر تُصبح ملكةً لمملكة لم تعرف بوجودها قبلاً .. لُعبة الأقدار.

وصفها يكادُ يكون مستحيلاً, أكادُ أُقسم أنني أشمُّ رائحة الدم, وطعم الجوع, وقشعريرة البرد, والخوف, والعطش والألم, يكادُ نفسي يتوقف أثناء الحروب, وأبتسمُ فرحاً بكيفية إعادة البناء للمدن, وتربية الحيوانات وزرعُ الثمار, يزدادُ قهري بالوحشية والإغتصاب, وخداعُ الحروب يدهشني, وموتُ الأبطال More...

4 comments like (3 people liked it)

Apr 08, 2011

Mashael rated it:

كانت هذه الرواية نائمة في مكتبتي منذ زمن لم يخطر ببالي أن أسحب ذلك الكتاب الذي يحمل صورة تلك الفتاة على غلافه كنت أقول سيكون هناك متسع لقرآئة قصة حب , لكن ليس الآن وأسحب ما يقع بجانبها من كتب ,

في ذلك اليوم جاء دوره ووقع في يدي تصفحته شدتني فغرقت بين حروفها مباشرة ,قررت أن أبدأ رحلتي مع إزابيل اللندي , تبدأ إنيس بسرد ما بذاكرتها لأبنتها إزابيل تحدثت عنما عاصرته عن الحب والحرب والثورات , كيف انها ولأجل الحياة هاجرت تبحث عن الحرية بعيداً عن مدينتها سينتياغو لتجد نفسها محاصرة ب More...

4 comments like (6 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Agnes rated it:

While this did not live up to some of Isabel Allende's other work in terms of either writing style or character development, the history was fascinating. It is a fictionalized account of the founding of Chile, told through the eyes of the "mother of the country," the leading conquistador's mistress. The book is written to be her memoirs, so there are rather annoying interludes in which the narrator is in her "present day," talking about how she must finish the story before More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 21, 2007

Katie rated it:

Quickly summed up, Isabel Allende's novel: Ines of My Soul, is a "true" account about Dona Ines Saurez who left Spain in the 1500's to go to the Americas and ended up helping conquering parts of Chile. I find it sad that it took over 400 years for her part in history to be recognized.

I have never read a book by Isabel Allende. This was recommended to me by a friend. So I cannot compare this to any of her other works.

I do not know much about Chilean or Peruvian histo More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 06, 2011

Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it:

Inés Suárez is a heroine that will stick with me for a long time. At the book's opening, she estimates she's about seventy years old and is going to soon die. In the rambling way of someone working through their memories, distracted at times by side stories and the need to unburden her soul, Inés' story unfolds.

Born to an ordinary Spanish family, she and her childhood lover are caught up in the adventures of the Americas and the untold riches any man can claim. She goes to join More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 06, 2011

Courtney rated it:

This is a historical fiction novel, based on the true story of Inés Suárez, a poor Spanish woman who travels to Peru to find her husband (who left her for the adventure of the Americas) in the 1500's. Finding her husband is an excuse for her to leave her hometown and be free. In Spain she was left in limbo as basically a widow waiting for husband, who she may never have had word of. In Peru, she learns of her husband's death and then meets Pedro de Valdivia, war hero and Francisco Pizarro's fi More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

Tasneem rated it:

رواية عبقرية. بل نظلمها إن قلنا رواية. هي ملحمة عظيمة. كتبتها امرأة. الأمر الذي يشي بالفخر. فصدقت حين قالت : أن الحب كالحرب. يفعلها الرجال و تؤرخها النساء. و هاهي بكل عبقرية تكتب عن غزو الأسبان لأمريكا اللاتينية و احتلالهم لأرض تشيلي الخصبة.

تكتب الرواية على لسان المرأة الأسبانية التي حكمت تشيلي مع عشيقها الفارس الغازي بيدرو دي بالديبيا الذي غزا تشيلي و ارتكب من الجرائم في حق أهلها ما يشيب له الولدان. تكتبها و هي التشيلية التي تنحدر من سلالة لبدا و أن تعُذّبت على يد More...

6 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 12, 2009

Chandra rated it:

This and Zorro are a bit of a departure from Isabel Allende's typical style. This novel tells the story of real life conquistadora Ines Suarez. (Allende says in her author's note: This novel is a work of intuition, but any similarity to events and persons relating to the conquest of Chile is not coincidental.) For better or worse, Ines played a vital role in the conquest of Chile and the Mapuche people. I enjoyed reading this quite a bit, but for me it doesn't quite measure up to Allende's oth More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2009

Oona rated it:

Well, Isabel Allende has been one of my favorite writers since high school. I read The House of the Spirits and fell in love with her fantastical and historical story. I've been a devoted reader of her stuff throughout the years. Unfortunately, I haven't yet found another of her books that resonates as much as House of the Spirit did and this book is no exception. The book is about the Spanish conquest of Chile and includes a lot of interesting history and well-developed characters. The bat More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 18, 2009

Carmen rated it:

Ever since I finished my undergrad degree, I've always wanted to read a book in Spanish - just to say I've done it and I hear that Allende is a fantastic writer!

My expectations were lived up to by this book. I didn't read it in Spanish, but it was a GREAT read. It was a fictional history book on the founding of Chile in South America. It is therefore, set in the 1500's and from the viewpoint of a woman - Ines Suarez. She takes us through her life story and her part in the founding Sa More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

May 23, 2011

Kim rated it:

I do give this book 3 stars because it held my attention and kept me reading til the end. I am fascinated by history and must admit to my shocking naivete regarding Spanish acquisition by conquest and in this case..... Chile. My childhood history books glorified the "conquistadors" and didn't delve too much into the specifics of how the victory was attained. I knew we subjugated and enslaved the natives but not much more. This book was eye-opening and upsetting at times though thor More...

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May 15, 2011

Javier rated it:

No sabía de qué era el libro antes de comenzar a leerlo, por lo que me sorprendió en las primeras páginas cuando descubrí que era de la historia de Chile por allá por el siglo XVI, y más aún al terminarlo y haberme dado cuenta que me encantó y aprendí mucho de mi país. No lo encuentro muy similar a otros libros de Allende que he leído, pero no iría tan lejos como otros reviews que dicen que es algo completamente distinto.

El libro habla sobre Inés de Suárez, mujer de la cual no se hab More...

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Feb 08, 2011

Elsje rated it:

In deze roman beschrijft Allende het geromantiseerde leven van Inés Suárez, die in het stichten van Chili in de 16e eeuw een belangrijke rol speelde.

We volgen Inés vanaf dat ze een jaar of twintig is en zich geeft aan een foute man. Die foute man bezwijkt voor de fabels met goud en roem die geschilderd worden als zekere toekomst voor mensen die de Nieuwe Wereld (Zuid-Amerika) onder Spaanse heerschappij zullen brengen.

Inés volgt haar man (die inmiddels overleden blijkt) en kri More...

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Dec 07, 2010

Tammy rated it:

Having read and loved The House of Spirits(possibly my favourite book of all time), I've come to expect only the best from Isabel Allende.

She is, I believe, one of the few authors whose descriptive, multi-layered and hypnotic prose make the reader feel as if they were actually living and experiencing the heart and soul of her stories instead of just merely reading it.

And with this book, it's no different.

Inés of my soul chronicles the life of real life sixteenth-cen More...

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Dec 01, 2010

Rea rated it:

From the perspective of someone looking at the craft that's gone into weaving this novel, it is an excellent piece. A true work of art. Very well written and somewhat reminiscent of works written prior to the 70's. 5 star no doubt about it. For me, personally, I think it was a 3 star read. So I'm going to meet in the middle.

At times when reading this, I had to keep reminding myself that the narrative is a (probably romanticized) fictionalized version of events and not the absolute trut More...

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Nov 06, 2010

Bibliophile rated it:

Dupa ce-am terminat romanul asta, mi-am zis ca o sa-mi vina tare greu sa ma mai apuc de altceva, mai ales dupa ce rumeg toate informatiile mai nou introduse in creieras. N-am mai intalnit de foarte multa vreme, si cand zic asta chiar asta vreau sa spun, o carte atat de bine alcatuita, si atat de bine povestita!

In speta, e un roman de aventuri [sa-i zicem asa, sa nu-i spunem de dragoste, pentru ca eu nu prea citesc de-astea amoroase], despre cucerirea Chile-ului de catre spanioli. Da, More...

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Dec 04, 2009

Lisa rated it:

I am marveled at Isabel Allende's surreal historical narrative. "Ines of my Soul" is a captivating, penetrating and sensual memoir of a courageous and passionate Ines Suarez to her daughter Isabel. the recount of the wars in Chile in the 16th Century, vividly captures the atrocities that have been committed by two very different cultures. The gruesome confrontation where one fights because of greed (conquistadors) and the other for freedom (Indigenous Indians) leaves a bittersweet tast More...

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Sep 14, 2009

David rated it:

Isabel Allende is Chile's most famous author. She is recognized worldwide for her novels, most of which are described as "magic realism" (magical elements in a realistic setting). This work, however, tells the story of the original conquest of Chile through the eyes of Ines Suarez. Her story begins in Spain in the early 1500s. She comes to Peru in search of her husband (who died before she could find him). She becomes the mistress of Pedro de Valdivia, but we soon discover she is no ho More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 12, 2009

Beth rated it:

I have long been an admirer of Isabel Allende's books and was delighted to find that her latest book, Ines of My Soul is about a famous conquistadora of Chile who in the mid-16th century helps to build the city of Santiago.

The book begins with this fascinating woman's youth in Spain where she marries a man, Juan de Malaga, who leaves her in Spain to pursue riches in the Americas.

After several years in Spain as a "widow of the Americas", Ines negotiates a permit More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 03, 2011

Giuliana rated it:

Knowing virtually nothing about Chile, let alone Chilean and Spanish history, I was glad to learn about it by reading this book. The thing is, the writing didn't exactly transport me. Allende is a good writer, but the writing and/or translation is a bit clunky. Maybe if I could read Spanish, I might have liked the original better. Some of the plot points were under developed; this may have to do with Allende's having to fill out and conjecture what may have happened based on the presumably dry f More...

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Jun 18, 2011

Mrsgaskell rated it:

This is the imagined story of a real person, Inés Suarez, a 16th century Spanish seamstress who travelled to Peru searching for her husband. Finding that he had died, she became the mistress of Pedro de Valdivio, conquistador and field marshal to Francisco Pizarro. They crossed the desert to Chile amidst much hardship, and eventually founded the city of Santiago. After a number of years, Valdivio abandoned Inés under threat of the Inquisition because he had a wife in Spain. She married and live More...

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Jan 19, 2011

Jgrace rated it:

Ines of My Soul – Isabel Allende
4 stars

Inez Suarez, a 16th century conquistadora, played an important role in the Spanish conquest of Chile. Ines of My Soul is the fictional memoir of this amazing woman. Allende gives Inez a voice to tell the story of her marriages, love affairs and adventures. She details the brutality of the wars against the indigenous population, and describes the difficult labor of founding a city in a new land. Inez directs the text of her memoir to More...

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Dec 19, 2011

Alice rated it:

I am no history expert. I know even less about South American history. And so, from the standpoint of accuracy or filling in details I didn't already know, I can't comment on this book. But then, I don't think that was the point of this novel.

American audiences, in general, aren't familiar with Chilean history, so that makes the filling-out of a female role in Chilean history much more plausible than if she'd chosen a region most of us Americans have already been repeating stories More...

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Sep 01, 2010

Astrid rated it:

beside house of the spirit, i must say i love how this book presented its narration. based on historical account of dona ines herself, allende managed to grip her emotions throughout the novel.

it's "herstory" version of telling the history of chile, the history of the founding of santiago and how women are one of the greatest foundation in founding a community. a fact often being ignored.

it took me reading again on the indian history of the latin america, which More...

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May 17, 2011

Trisha rated it:

Ines of My Soul takes readers deep into the heart of South America, specifically to the colonization of Chile by a small group of Spanish. The amount of detail is a wee bit overwhelming, but Allende manages to weave the social, political, historical, and personal into a complex and beautiful tapestry. But said tapestry is a bit on the heavy side and is probably best appreciated in small doses.

Not to generalize or suggest anything too particularly gendered, but Ines of My Soul is a hist More...

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Mar 19, 2009

Bev rated it:

I listened to this on tape in the car, and I have to say first that Blair Brown is a wonderful reader. I've heard her read a few books now, and she always does a nice job. She reads this one with a pseudo-Spanish accent, and while it's not consistent and sometimes becomes a bit "cheesy," the overall narration is still quite enjoyable.

This story was often fascinating, but sometimes it dragged. I think Agnes' review below sums up my opinion perfectly, so I'm re-stating it More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 18, 2011

Amanda rated it:

OH. MY. GOD.
I just read this while I was in Italy last October, and I think I read this in a few days as well. I love LOVE Isabel Allende and have read close to everything she has published (which is not a short list). But this book TOPS almost every other book I have read.
She, of course, has such a particular way that she looks at how to tell a story, her attempt at historical fiction is not a challenge to that. This is the story of the founding of Chile, and it only made me want More...

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Dec 31, 2010

Merredith rated it:

I like Isabelle Allende and I had no idea what this book was about before I started reading it. I was pleasantly surprised when I started, to find that it is a historical account of the founding of Chile in the 1500s. I oh-so-briefly learned about the conquistadores back in 6th grade or so, and have not learned much about any of that since. I think maybe we touched on it in high school spanish class. The whole thing was so lifelike and realistic. A lot of historical novels are kind of romantic b More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 24, 2009

Christine rated it:

I think I particularly enjoyed this book because of the timing of when I read it. I recently returned to the US after living in Chile for a year, and the book talks about the conquest and founding of Chile as narrated by Ines Suarez, the heroine of the novel. For those who have lived or spent time in Chile, if you're at all interested in the origin of the names of so many places and streets in Chile, this book will give you that history and the colorful stories behind it. You'll recognize a l More...

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Feb 05, 2009

Bookmarks Magazine added it

If In_�s of My Soul isn't among Isabel Allende's best novels, it still tells a remarkable, ambitious, and heretofore untold story about one of the first female conquistadors of the New World. Allende finds so many surreal subplots in In_�s's own story that the author's imagination, rather than magical realism, prevails in her attempt to recreate the 16th-century Americas. All aspects of the story entertain and educate. At the same time, the detractors have some complaints: Allende embarks on too m

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