NILTON TEIXEIRA's Reviews > The House of the Spirits
The House of the Spirits
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by
5 stunning stars!
This book was originally published in 1982, in Buenos Aires.
It was the author’s debut.
This was my first time reading Isabel Allende, and I can’t express enough the joy I had while reading this book.
What an epic drama!
I was swept away.
The story details the life of the Trueba family, spanning four generations, between 1910 and 1970s, and tracing the post-colonial social and political upheavals of Chile
Although my edition was translated from the Spanish, the translator, Magda Bogin, did (in my opinion) an excellent job.
The writing is superb!
Enthralling is the perfect word to describe this book.
It has all the right ingredients for a formidable tale. One of those that satisfies and at the same time you want more.
I felt like I was back to my parent’s living room in Brazil, during my teens, watching a Brazilian telenovela (it’s an addiction in that country).
I loved the writing style. It was different for me.
It is a lot of telling, with little dialogues. It’s packed with words (144k).
She has this skill of telling you a story and then changing directions by adding a side story (or two) and then getting back to the main story. This happens through out the book. It may infuriate some readers, thinking that she can’t keep focused, but it did not bother me. It was refreshing.
There are two more follow ups, “Portrait in Sepia” and “Daughter of Fortune”, continuing the family saga, forming the “Involuntary Trilogy”, but they can be read out of order, as they are considered standalone. I’m planning on reading these books soon, perhaps next January, unless I feel that urge to read them sooner.
I’m really so booked until December.
I have to stop paying attention to new releases and read the books that I own.
I also want to re-read various classics that I loved in the past, but this time in English, not Portuguese.
So little time…
I wonder if the 1993 movie adaptation is any good. The casting is top notch: Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas…
Paperback : 481 pages, 180k words
Average reading time: 14-16 hours
Audiobook narrated by Thom Rivera & Marisol Ramirez: 18 hours 51 seconds (normal speed).
I’m looking forward to reading the next two books, already separated.
This book was originally published in 1982, in Buenos Aires.
It was the author’s debut.
This was my first time reading Isabel Allende, and I can’t express enough the joy I had while reading this book.
What an epic drama!
I was swept away.
The story details the life of the Trueba family, spanning four generations, between 1910 and 1970s, and tracing the post-colonial social and political upheavals of Chile
Although my edition was translated from the Spanish, the translator, Magda Bogin, did (in my opinion) an excellent job.
The writing is superb!
Enthralling is the perfect word to describe this book.
It has all the right ingredients for a formidable tale. One of those that satisfies and at the same time you want more.
I felt like I was back to my parent’s living room in Brazil, during my teens, watching a Brazilian telenovela (it’s an addiction in that country).
I loved the writing style. It was different for me.
It is a lot of telling, with little dialogues. It’s packed with words (144k).
She has this skill of telling you a story and then changing directions by adding a side story (or two) and then getting back to the main story. This happens through out the book. It may infuriate some readers, thinking that she can’t keep focused, but it did not bother me. It was refreshing.
There are two more follow ups, “Portrait in Sepia” and “Daughter of Fortune”, continuing the family saga, forming the “Involuntary Trilogy”, but they can be read out of order, as they are considered standalone. I’m planning on reading these books soon, perhaps next January, unless I feel that urge to read them sooner.
I’m really so booked until December.
I have to stop paying attention to new releases and read the books that I own.
I also want to re-read various classics that I loved in the past, but this time in English, not Portuguese.
So little time…
I wonder if the 1993 movie adaptation is any good. The casting is top notch: Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas…
Paperback : 481 pages, 180k words
Average reading time: 14-16 hours
Audiobook narrated by Thom Rivera & Marisol Ramirez: 18 hours 51 seconds (normal speed).
I’m looking forward to reading the next two books, already separated.
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Reading Progress
October 15, 2020
– Shelved
October 15, 2020
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 22, 2022
–
Started Reading
August 26, 2022
–
1.01%
"A great start!
This one looks very promising, but as I own a copy, I need to prioritize the book from the library, that was available from “skip the line” option, “Babel” or “The Necessity of Violence”, by R. F. Kuang. I only have 3 days!
I will get back to this one next week."
page
5
This one looks very promising, but as I own a copy, I need to prioritize the book from the library, that was available from “skip the line” option, “Babel” or “The Necessity of Violence”, by R. F. Kuang. I only have 3 days!
I will get back to this one next week."
September 16, 2022
–
1.01%
"I will get back to this one next.
I was waiting for the audiobook from the library, to play along, and I just received a copy."
page
5
I was waiting for the audiobook from the library, to play along, and I just received a copy."
September 26, 2022
–
20.0%
"This is my first book by this author. I have seven or eight more sitting on the shelves.
My first impression is that I think that I’m going to have a hard time picking up something else after this one. Even though it is translated from Spanish, I’m in love with the writing and storytelling."
My first impression is that I think that I’m going to have a hard time picking up something else after this one. Even though it is translated from Spanish, I’m in love with the writing and storytelling."
September 27, 2022
–
40.0%
"Marvellous!
The writing is everything!
It’s simply fascinating!
I’m only at 40%, but I think that it will take the crown as the best book that I have read this year (right now “Pachinko” is holding the crown). Let’s see."
The writing is everything!
It’s simply fascinating!
I’m only at 40%, but I think that it will take the crown as the best book that I have read this year (right now “Pachinko” is holding the crown). Let’s see."
September 28, 2022
–
70.0%
"My heart is bursting!
I see brilliant 5 stars coming, plus a crown full of diamonds, as it takes the title as the best book that I have read this year (to date), taking the title from Pachinko.
Simply stunning!"
I see brilliant 5 stars coming, plus a crown full of diamonds, as it takes the title as the best book that I have read this year (to date), taking the title from Pachinko.
Simply stunning!"
September 29, 2022
–
85.0%
"I so need to finish this book!
Hopefully tonight.
I’ve been swept away!
I should have saved it for the weekend, when I could have read it in two sittings.
I’m at work right now, but my mind is in this book."
Hopefully tonight.
I’ve been swept away!
I should have saved it for the weekend, when I could have read it in two sittings.
I’m at work right now, but my mind is in this book."
September 29, 2022
– Shelved as:
my-5-stars
September 29, 2022
–
Finished Reading
November 12, 2022
– Shelved as:
my-top-20-subject-to-change
Comments Showing 1-36 of 36 (36 new)
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message 1:
by
Lynne
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rated it 4 stars
Sep 30, 2022 02:00AM
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And I will try to watch the movie adaptation
My tbr seems unlimited.
I say this to myself everyday, Nilton! I own a copy of this book, I love this authors' writing, and after reading your wonderful and passionate review, I need to get to this read it! So glad you loved it and that it brought back many fond memories for you! The best kind of read, don't you agree? :-D
“The House of the Spirits”, by Isabel Allende, translated from the Spanish by Magda Bogin
“Pachinko”, by Min Jin Lee
“Redemption Road”, by John Hart
“We Need to Talk About Kevin”, by Lionel Shriver (it’s all about the writing - this is riveting but a disturbing book)
“Shantaram”, by Gregory David Roberts
“Under This Unbroken Sky”, by Shandi Mitchell (very depressing but wonderfully written)
“The Poppy War”, by R. F. Kuang (book 1 of 3)
“The House in the Cerulean Sea”, by T J Klune
“The Power of the Dog”, by Thomas Savage
“Mister Pip”, by Lloyd Jones (devastating)