Eva Luna

by Isabel Allende

Eva Luna

book data

2962 ratings, 3.94 average rating, 159 reviews (more data...)

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published

July 31st 1991 by European Schoolbooks

binding

Paperback, 286 pages

isbn

8497592514 (isbn13: 9788497592512)

description

Las aventuras picarescas de una Sherezade latinoamericana, relatando su nacimiento ilegÍtimo, su orfandad, su adolescencia sin rumbo, sus activida...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 3634)

All ratings | 5 stars (787) | 4 stars (1273) | 3 stars (733) | 2 stars (107) | 1 star (15) | avg 3.94

all | this edition

Audrey

Audrey rated it:

(review of isbn 0828839093)

07/24/07

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: Narcissists

Perhaps it is merely a reflection of my feebleness as a reader that I assume the basic conceit of any first person novel is for the author to be the narrator, more or less. In my defense, this book is dedicated to Allende's mother. And the story itself is about a girl who loses her mother and loves her mother deeply and has all kinds of wooooonderful adventures, only to discover writing and have even more maaaaaaagical adventures, and become highly successful, and be pursued by a general and als...more

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Zoë

Zoë rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

06/19/07

bookshelves: a-delight

Read in June, 2007

This is the first book by Isabel Allende that I've read and I can totally see myself getting addicted to her writing...That, and my mother has sent me about 10 of her books to read here in Malaysia. But I stayed up all night last night just to finish the last half of the book, and that usually means that I really like it. The story is about two people who fall in love, but the story is about thier lives before they meet. The story i...more

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Octavio

Octavio rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

08/08/07

Read in February, 2005

recommends it for: Yes

Awesome Book but don't forget to take your Ritalin before reading this book, if you have a hard time keeping up with too many characters in a Plot, you will need to OD on Ritalin before starting this book, trust me you will need it! This will be a great movie someday, the characters are rich, but it woulf have been better if some of the smaller characters, someday get their own book, here is a suggestion Ms. Allende!

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Huyen

Huyen rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

10/31/08

bookshelves: literature

this is my first genuine encounter with Latin American literature and it's been a gratifying one. Isabelle Allende, a self-proclaimed feminist before (Chilean?) feminism was born takes us on a journey of an orphan with a special talent in story telling. she was lucky enough to be born in Latin America in an era when a woman had a vast number of career choices to be successful: housemaid, scrubwoman, prostitute, or even better, a homosexual, to be tortured, persecuted and raped. there are many fe...more this is my first genuine encounter with Latin American literature and it's been a gratifying one. Isabelle Allende, a self-proclaimed feminist before (Chilean?) feminism was born takes us on a journey of an orphan with a special talent in story telling. she was lucky enough to be born in Latin America in an era when a woman had a vast number of career choices to be successful: housemaid, scrubwoman, prostitute, or even better, a homosexual, to be tortured, persecuted and raped. there are many female characters in the story with one thing in common: impecunious, degraded and forgotten stranded on the fringe of society. They led different lives, some subservient and resigned to fate, but thankfully, the majority, including our protagonist, is one of incredible perseverance and passion. she survived an arduous childhood serving many houses, consoling herself with her imagination and her mother's spirit and sometimes, real friends. Eva fell in love with her girlhood hero, an insolent, audacious urchin, Huberto Naranjo, who later turned into a jungle guerrilla that sought to overthrow the government. But despite her life-long passion for him, she had little sympathy with his cause and his possessiveness and they kissed goodbye as friends when he went on to rescue his comrades from a political prison. Amazingly and completely against my wish, she finally fell in love with a bold, impassioned, intelligent cameraman (too perfect a character to be liked by me) and salved him from his haunting memories in occupied Austria.
The plot is very dense and concise, every single page is interesting and charming, every character takes a life of their own, weaving into the fabric of a society full of contradictions: lavishness of the rich and destitution of the poor, the generosity of nature and the cruelty of man, amicable blending of cultures yet underlying racial prejudice, serene country side untouched by the urban strife. the tone transitions effortlessly from dark humour, piercing contempt and scornful mockery to a more melancholy shade. The narrative runs through the political turmoil of Latin America in the mid twentieth century, those years of repression, violence, corruption and secrecy (this country was endowed with too many dictators, I don't know which one is MrPineapple backed by the Coup Instigation Agency). And of course, rebellion, turbulence and sparks of hope in justice and freedom. Eva's journey is a struggle against poverty and subordination in a patriarchal society, which ended up in a bitter struggle with the man she loved the most. Interestingly Isabel Allende mentioned that no women were involved in the guerrilla revolution in Latin America but it was not necessarily a bad thing. In the end, women were heavily involved in the revolutions in Vietnam or China, which nevertheless did not facilitate the improvement in the status of woman by any means. I think there are many heroines with incredible courage in this story: an Eva Luna that dumped a pot of feces on her master, a Melosi that went against all odds to become a woman and certainly many other unsung heroes who rose above the political establishment and social prejudice to preserve their integrity and kindness.
The only weakness of the novel is in the ending, it didn't seem very convincing to me that after her two great loves, Eva fell in love with this journalist, who she had only met twice. Their interaction did not indicate affection and the ending seems strained as if Allende just gave up. but overall, it was a delightful and fascinating read, for feminists and non-feminists alike.
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miaaa

miaaa rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

10/29/08

Read in October, 2008

recommended to miaaa by: Ronny

This is the second book from Allende that I've read. And it's simply astounding. She introduces me to a woman who was conceived on her father's deathbed -as she says so- and named after her father tribe. She's Eva Luna. She's really good in telling stories, she can make a great and a happy ending out of miserable death to comfort a person who really needs it. A person who she feels like she knows him before.

She has a difficult life, especially once her mother passed away. Living alone at suc...more This is the second book from Allende that I've read. And it's simply astounding. She introduces me to a woman who was conceived on her father's deathbed -as she says so- and named after her father tribe. She's Eva Luna. She's really good in telling stories, she can make a great and a happy ending out of miserable death to comfort a person who really needs it. A person who she feels like she knows him before.

She has a difficult life, especially once her mother passed away. Living alone at such young age is never easy. But somehow Eva Luna reminds me to Sara Crewe from the Little Princess. Both possess ability to invent stories, and those massive imaginations are able to keep them through the pain and difficulties. Both are brave girls as well.

Once you start to read it, it's almost impossible to put it down. Her life range from being a servant, adopted daughter of a fine Turk merchant, adopted sister and best friend of the country leading guerilla's leader, to a vivid writer who can write down the guerilla's movement into the national station TV show under the government nose. She may not Evita Peron but she's having her own way to love her country.

***

Ini buku kedua Allende yang aku baca. Sungguh, ceritanya begitu memukau. Allende memperkenalkanku kepada seorang perempuan yang dikandung saat ayahnya sedang sekarat -paling tidak demikian menurutnya- dan diberi nama sesuai dengan suku ayahnya. Eva Luna. Seorang perempuan yang mahir menyampaikan cerita dan mampu menciptakan akhir cerita yang hebat dan bahagia atas kematian mengenaskan demi seseorang yang membutuhkan cerita itu demi kedamaian hatinya.

Eva Luna menjalani hidup yang sangat sulit, terutama setelah kematian ibunya. Hidup sendiri di usia yang begitu muda tidak pernah mudah. Namun Eva mengingatkanku pada Sara Crewe dari buku the Little Princess. Keduanya memiliki kemampuan untuk menciptakan cerita-cerita indah atau unik dan imaginasi mereka yang luar biasa itu yang mampu membuat mereka bertahan hidup melalui semua masalah dan kerumitan hidup.

Jika sudah memulai membaca buku ini, rasanya sulit sekali untuk meletakkannya. Kehidupannya begitu bervariasi. Dimulai dari menjadi anak pelayan dan pelayan, anak angkat saudagar Turki yang baik hati, sahabat sekaligus adik perempuan pemimpin kelompok gerilyawan negaranya hingga menjadi seorang penulis yang memasukkan pergerakan gerilyawan ke dalam karyanya untuk ditayangkan secara nasional lewat televisi persis di bawah hidung para penguasa saat itu. Mungkin dia bukan Evita Peron tapi Eva Luna punya cara sendiri untuk mencintai negaranya....less

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Patrick

Patrick rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

03/05/08

Read in February, 2008

When I finished it, this book reminded me of a Charles Dickens life tale in which everything kind of comes together. The large cast of characters tie up nicely in the end, a love story that even ends similarly to Great Expectations in that there are almost two endings: the real and the imagined, the happy and the sad.

There's a richness to the language, but a melodrama to the plot. I'm still kind of on the fence on this book. At times, it did read like a harlequin, but at others it was pro...more

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Elizabeth

Elizabeth rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

07/03/08

Read in February, 2008

I read this book to give Isabelle Allende a second chance after being unable to finish Daughter of Fortune. Although she still has not quite won me over, I think that Eva Luna showcased the author's strength - words and descriptions that are lyrical, encompassing and lyrical in their own right. Because what I appreciate about Allende's work is her descriptive style I think her work is almost like poetry which does not work as well in long form especially in a story that has a strong plot (or a...more

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Vera

Vera rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

01/13/08

Read in April, 2002

I liked it, but I feel like some of the magic was lost reading it in English instead of Spanish. I'd like to read it over again in the right language to get the full effect. I don't remember it that well - the story bounces around all over the place, following a man and woman as they have... well, bizarre experiences in their separate lives. Very hard to get into for a while there. It doesn't all start to come together until this one moment near the end when you realize both of their lives have ...more

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Vicky

Vicky rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

11/30/08

bookshelves: book-club, historical-fiction

Read in November, 2008

recommended to Vicky by: Book Club Choice for November 2008

Eva Luna is a likeable character. She was a survivor and independent which I like in a female character. She was very fortunate with the people in her life. She learned from all and used what she learned from each to survive. Set in South American country during the tumultuous years of the 20th century.

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Caroline

Caroline rated it:

(review of isbn 0140244425)

06/25/07

Read in June, 2007

While this book was, at times, powerfully written and while I didn't have as much of an aversion to the "mystical realism" (Janaki's categorization) bit as I thought I would, I also didn't feel all that moved by the story. I identified with the characters, especially early on, but the obsession with pinning down the kind of falling in love they were all doing was kind of annoying- the exaggerated romp in the sheets with a cherubic pair of female cousins who smelled like cloves, lemon, ...more

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Venessa

Venessa rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

04/16/08

Read in April, 2008

"Reality is a jumble we can't always measure or decipher, because everything is happening at the same time."

Allende is brilliant, and I was very happy to have this book as a distraction during one of the most heartbreaking weeks of my life. When I thought I would go crazy because I couldn't concentrate on anything, I would turn to Allende's beautiful, magical, wonderful storytelling to forget that I am losing half of my soul for a little while. As all of her stories, this one is ma...more

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waaronj

waaronj rated it:

(review of isbn 0060951281)

10/18/07

Read in January, 2007

Though not putting me in thrall, this book generally kept my attention. I enjoyed several of the characters without feeling that their portrayals were especially compelling or enlightening. The plot meandered and different episodes of Eva's life were often disjoint. Greater depth of characters, especially Eva herself, and plot continuity would be desirable. However, there were some great scenes, such as the visit of Riad's cousin.
Judging from one book, Allende seems to be a competent writ...more

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Allegra

Allegra rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

08/18/08

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Allegra by: Free-Box!
recommends it for: People who like mangoes

I could not put down this masterfully written romance (and by romance, I do not mean slobbery mush-fest, endless lust, or repetitve thrusting "love" scenes). The book is chock-full of rich and layered culture, the characters are complex and lovable, the situations the heroine finds herself in are intriguing, and the messages are inspiring. The author patches fascinating tidbits from history flawlessly together with deep emotion and the most fanciful of fantasies. I loved it, I read ...more

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Kim

Kim rated it:

(review of isbn 0060951281)

06/17/07

Read in May, 2007

recommends it for: those who enjoy magical realism

Eva Luna was a solid read, which follows Allende's usual pattern of joining political conflict, magical realism, and tales of passionate romances. It's a sensual read, which lingers mostly on Eva's romantic trials and tribulations, but also does some exploring of dictatorships, the role of the guerrilla, and acceptance of homosexuality in society. I love her writing style, and recommend her to those interested in the cultures and fictions of Latin America. For those capable, I highly recommen...more

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Clare

Clare rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

10/01/07

Read in August, 2007

Such a collision of steamy sex, political upheaval, self-discovery, and trans-sexualism!

I have to say that I was greatly entertained by this book, what with all the young lovers going at it "incansablemente" and the heroine and her friends being subjected to the somewhat sordid depths of Allende's crazy imagination. Allende also seems to have a habit of letting her heroines hook up with thinly veiled famous revolutionaries (it was Victor Jarra in Casa de los Espiritus, and here see...more

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Stacey

Stacey marked it as to-read (review of isbn 0553280589)

11/26/08

bookshelves: to-read

Any of you read/like this?

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Mike

Mike rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

04/15/07

recommends it for: Men who don't often read women authors

I guess you have to have an appreciation for the mystical in order to enjoy this book, though I normally don't care at all for the mystical. I don't read fantasy, sci-fi, or most others who include fantasy and the mystical in their writings.
But Isabelle Allende just lures me in with her sensual, interesting, exciting and occasionaly sexual tales. To my mind she's an amazing woman, great to hear interviewed, and repeatedly writes fascinating books. Read this one before reading Tales of Eva Luna....more

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Jessica

Jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

05/16/07

Read in April, 2007

I spent far too long working my way through Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. Allende is a wonderful writer, and I really enjoyed the book whenever I was working on it, but the plot shifts between SO MANY characters that every time I'd take a break and return to the book, I'd be all confused about who the current character was, and I'd have to backtrack to make sense of what was going on. Regardless, a good book, though I'd pick House of the Spirits over t

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T.J.

T.J. rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

06/07/08

bookshelves: international-reading

Read in November, 2004

recommends it for: people who like a good yarn

I'll admit that part of my love for this book is due to the fact that I read it while riding a bus across South Africa. That aside, it's amazing. Allende weaves bizarre characters and situations together in a travel novel that tells of an uncertain, topsy turvy Chile that is still nonetheless beautiful and engaging. I love to return to this book. Although it's not as strong in my mind as other Allende books like House of Spirits or Portrait in Sepia, it's a definite great read.

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Kira

Kira rated it:

(review of isbn 0553280589)

02/29/08

bookshelves: latinamerican

Read in February, 2008

Don't get me wrong, I love Isabel Allende, she makes me want to run off to South America and have passionate affairs with exotic men but this isn't her best book. Where The House of the Spirits was an extraordinary tale of a family that spans generations with plenty of magical realism to boot, Eva Luna is a somewhat disjointed tale of a heady girl during the nation's revolution - sure, she sleeps around, and talks to her mother's spirit, but it's not nearly as beautiful or gripping.

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trivia questions

In Isabel Allende's novel, Eva Luna where is Rolf Carle born?
a. Poland
b. Austria
c. Slovakia
d. Germany
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