Violeta

by Isabel Allende

he was uninterested in the suspect business dealings and struggled to keep afloat in a social environment full of people with whom he shared no interests or ideals.

All that remained was an enormous Judith with the severed head of Holofernes resting on a platter.

The journey of life has long and tedious stretches, step by step, day by day, without anything exciting happening, but memory is made up of the unexpected events that mark your course.

We were lacking for nothing in material terms, that was certain, but I had the sensation of walking a tightrope, always worried

And that’s how our conversations rapidly devolved into fights; any mundane topic could lead to a brutal battle.

Ulla was a girl tanned by the summer sun and the winter snow, athletic, strong, happy, and free of the existential and political dilemmas that plagued Vania.

took to the extreme the Nordic concept of janteloven, which meant: Don’t think you’re so special—remember that the nail that sticks out is the one the hammer hits.

never seen gravity, but I have evidence that it exists at every moment. That’s how I feel about the truth of Christ; it’s a monumental force that manifests itself in everything and gives meaning to my life.