Ines of My Soul: A Novel
by Isabel Allende
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I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up b/c I generally love Isabel Allende and didn't even read the about portion.
Turns out it's about a Spanish conquistadora, Ines Suarez and how she helped with Chile's establishment for the King in the 1500's.
I love historical fiction, so it has that going for it. But then again, it's talking about colonialism and the main character is primary in that colonizer role. At the same time, Allende strikes a good balance between describing Spain's effort...more
Turns out it's about a Spanish conquistadora, Ines Suarez and how she helped with Chile's establishment for the King in the 1500's.
I love historical fiction, so it has that going for it. But then again, it's talking about colonialism and the main character is primary in that colonizer role. At the same time, Allende strikes a good balance between describing Spain's effort...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
everyone
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 history, so I found t...more
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 history, so I found t...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone
First of all, I read the hardcover edition. I'm a little biased in what I am going to say because I believe Allende to be an excellent writer -- as evidenced by my purchase of the hardcover edition even though it would be a while before I got to it to read it. As far as style goes, Allende always gets thumbs up from me. The story itself is very interesting, but Allende's rendition of it makes it all the more so. Based on historical events, Allende's tale brings out the characters and makes th...more
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Read in May, 2008
I always love Allende's writing.
There is a real life historical figure named Ines, a Spanish seamstress, who traveled to the new world, helped found the city of Santiago, and found the nation of Chile for Spain. Anyway Allende did some research on this lady and using her biographical information and some artistic liberties, tells the story of Ines and her conquest of the new world.
It's a great book in detailing and telling the story of the agony and suffering that had to take place to c...more
There is a real life historical figure named Ines, a Spanish seamstress, who traveled to the new world, helped found the city of Santiago, and found the nation of Chile for Spain. Anyway Allende did some research on this lady and using her biographical information and some artistic liberties, tells the story of Ines and her conquest of the new world.
It's a great book in detailing and telling the story of the agony and suffering that had to take place to c...more
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Read in October, 2007
Ines of My Soul wasn't my favorite of Isabel Allende's novels, but it was an excellent story and a good read. It is the story of Ines Suarez, a seamstress from Spain who comes to Latin America in the 1500s. She is initially seeking her first husband, who left her in Spain to hunt for El Dorado, but she ends up participating in the Spanish expedition to settle Chile.
At first the book seems a little disconnected, disorganized. But at the same time, that seems natural, as it is Ines Suarez writ...more
At first the book seems a little disconnected, disorganized. But at the same time, that seems natural, as it is Ines Suarez writ...more
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Read in April, 2008
I finally finished listening to this today, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I picked this up because LJ had a review that specifically recommended the audiobook, and I'm glad that I went for the audiobook, and not the regular book. I don't think I would have liked it as much otherwise. I say that because the narrator's accent and pronunciation made it that much easier to fall into the story, which is set primarily in Chile in the 1500s. (Sometimes when I am presented with words or names i...more
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Read in January, 2007
Born into a poor family in Spain, Ines, a seamstress, finds herself condemned to a life of hard work without reward or hope for the future. It is the sixteenth century, the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the Americas, and when her shiftless husband disappears to the New World. Ines uses the opportunity to search for him as an excuse to flee her stifling homeland and seek adventure. After her treacherous journey takes her to Peru, she learns that her husband has died in battle. Soon she beg...more
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I have a difficult time reviewing this book. Quoting Amazon.com, this book is "the grand tale of Doña Inés Suárez (1507– 1580), arguably [Chile's] founding mother. Writing in the year of her death, Inés tells of her modest girlhood in Spain and traveling to the New World as a young wife to find her missing husband, Juan. Upon learning of Juan's humiliating death in battle, Inés determines to stay in the fledgling colony of Peru, where she falls fervently in love with Don Pedro de Va...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in October, 2007
This is the story of Inés Suárez, an actual historic figure who lived in the early-mid 1500's. She was apparently one of the founders of Chile. In this novel, Inés is a very old woman about to die and is recounting the story of her adventure-filled life to her daughter. She was born and spent her childhood in Spain, made her way alone to the New World. She lived in Peru for a short period of time and fell in love with a soldier/adventurer and together they lead an expedition to Chile and fo...more
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Read in January, 2008
Gostei muito deste livro e recomendo-o por vários motivos:
Primeiro, porque é uma obra onde nem tudo é imaginação, sendo muitas das coisas factos históricos. Depois, porque junta temas tão contraditórios como a guerra e o amor e também porque, à medida que acompanhamos esta história ficamos a conhecer um pouco mais sobre o modo de vida daquela época (século XVI) e também os esforços feitos e abusos cometidos para conquistar e colonizar um território e submeter o povo que lá v...more
Primeiro, porque é uma obra onde nem tudo é imaginação, sendo muitas das coisas factos históricos. Depois, porque junta temas tão contraditórios como a guerra e o amor e também porque, à medida que acompanhamos esta história ficamos a conhecer um pouco mais sobre o modo de vida daquela época (século XVI) e também os esforços feitos e abusos cometidos para conquistar e colonizar um território e submeter o povo que lá v...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
People interested in South American history
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
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Fatsdomino892000
My interest in this book was aroused when I heard an interview with Isabel Allende on NPR a year and one-half ago and I filed the title away as one to look for and read later. (Marcus Aurelius counsels us not to leave book to be read until later because in most cases "later" never comes!) When I saw <u>Ines of My Soul<u> at the public library last week I remembered it and took it out.
I found it a most enjoyable read. If there is an element of exaggeration, one should re...more
I found it a most enjoyable read. If there is an element of exaggeration, one should re...more
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recommends it for:
historians, believers in manifest destiny, Signor Columbus
As with any Allende novel I read, this story dragged me into the life (and the mind, the bed, the pain, the loves) of the characters. Ines Suarez, the protagonist, is a woman of passion and strength who inspires while also presenting readers with the flaws that so many of us have. This book delves into the excitement and horrors of colonization (in this case Spanish of South America, in particular Peru, Argentina, and Chile) and gives readers a fiction but realistic glimpse into the process by...more
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Read in May, 2008
I really enjoy reading Allende's book, and this topic was intriguing, but I was put off by the colonizer's narrative. Yes, she was a woman, and that unusual, etc, but I expected a little more from Allende. It was painful to hear the narrative just from the conquistadors' perspective, the racism and objectification of the Indians and Blacks who traveled with them, in addition to the decision of the native peoples. I know it happened, and it isn't pretty, but I had hoped the book would add new ...more
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Read in January, 2008
I read this in preparation for my trip to Chile. I didn't find it particularly compelling as a novel or a great piece of literature. Yet there are aspects of the book that certainly stand out.
Obviously if you are interested in Chile it is a great book to read. And if you are looking for strong female characters, Allende always provides.
However, the most interesting part of this book was the more balanced approach for depicting European/Western conquests. There is plenty of descripti...more
Obviously if you are interested in Chile it is a great book to read. And if you are looking for strong female characters, Allende always provides.
However, the most interesting part of this book was the more balanced approach for depicting European/Western conquests. There is plenty of descripti...more
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Read in December, 2006
I found this book in a hostel in Chile and had to abscond with it because I did not have a similar sized book with which to exchange (bad!). In general, I love Allende's style of writing. While it flows like stream of consciousness in a kind of unorthodox way, it is not hard to follow and allows you to gain a unique perspective from the narrating main character. Though, I have to admit, I'm getting a bit tired of the type of characters she writes about. When I pick up a new (or sometimes, ju...more
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Read in June, 2008
This book follows Allende's passion for epic novels which make for great reads on airplanes (where I read this). The writing is excellent as always. Also, the topic of Ines Suarez, a single woman who helped found Chile, is fascinating, and her character is entirely believable. However, the novel got a little bogged down in history and viciously bloody wars with the indigenous peoples of South America. I generally love Allende's writing for her juicy, sensuous details about love and relations...more
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Read in July, 2007
I was disappointed after finishing this book; I had really hoped it would grab my attention, transport me back in time, and make me want to read more about the time period. However, it didn't; not really, anyway.
The first thing I should mention is the fact that this book was originally written in another language and the translation may be part of why I didn't enjoy reading this book. If I could have read it in the orginal format, then, maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
The story seemed...more
The first thing I should mention is the fact that this book was originally written in another language and the translation may be part of why I didn't enjoy reading this book. If I could have read it in the orginal format, then, maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
The story seemed...more
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Read in January, 2007
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
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Read in August, 2007
Narrated as a first-person retrospective account shortly before death in old age, this novel is based on the life of Inés Suárez, lover & partner of Pedro Valdivia, Spanish conquistador & first governor of Chile.
It is vividly told & does not shrink from exposing many horrors that the Spanish inflicted on the resident indigenous people, the Mapuche.
I never identified closely with Inés, the protagonist, though she confides her thoughts & feelings. I suppose it's because ...more
It is vividly told & does not shrink from exposing many horrors that the Spanish inflicted on the resident indigenous people, the Mapuche.
I never identified closely with Inés, the protagonist, though she confides her thoughts & feelings. I suppose it's because ...more
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