Violeta is the new novel by Isabel Allende. Here she goes back to her roots in Chile. It is a sweeping saga of the century long life of Violeta De Valle, born during the Spanish flu pandemic and dying at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. It is a story of family, love and loss, history, culture, politics, women’s rights and more.

Although Allende is one of my favorite authors and undoubtedly a master story teller, this book left me feeling mildly disappointed. It felt like more of the same and like she was taking the easy way out. Nothing really extraordinary here, just a retelling of Chile’s brutal history through the lens of one woman and her family. An ok read. Fans of Allende’s historical fiction will enjoy this book, but if you’re new to Allende, start with one of her earlier novels.