Eva Luna: A Novel

The first half of Ms. Allende's novel is somewhat erratic, a bunch of stories that seem unconnected...except for narrator, Eva Luna, who does not even take part in some of the stories.So you ask, What keeps me reading this book that at times seems disconnected? The answer: a group of characters that are so unbelievable, interesting, and original that I never considered putting the book down and couldn't stop reading.I believe, that characters are what drive a story and in the end, as some time has passed, you remember the characters more than the story. I call it the "Michael Corleone Syndrome." When I have asked Godfather 1 and 2 enthusiasts what they remember about the stories they always say Michael Corleone or Vito Corleone and seem to skip over my question about the story and plot.In the first half of "Eva Luna," and throughout the book the characters might not be up to the "Michael Corleone standard" but they are not far behind. The Professor, for example, is a man who wants to cure cancer but since almost all his patients die he decides to embalm them and put them in a seperate room in the house that is like a museum.The plump but pretty sisters, who have thrown tradition to the wind, decide to fulfill their passions by a having threesomes with their cute cousin. It's simply the pleasure of the whole thing and they follow the Freudian theory of the pleasure principle to the extreme without any qualms.Eva mother's was impregnated by a dying man who at the time when she was cleaning his soiled body she noticed he had an erection, and not one to deny a dying man his wish she has sex with the man and that all it takes to get her pregnant with the wonderful Eva. The man died right after the ejuculation.These are just a few on the characters, and when we come across them in the second half of the novel, at times a hundred and fifty pages later, you have no problem remembering any of them. It is in the second half of this beautiful, character driven novel that it all comes together. This is a wonderful novel, true to my 'Michael Corleone Syndrome.'

What a captivating little treasure this is! Written by Isabel Allende, this is the fantastical story of Eva Luna, a poor child living in an unnamed South American country who is orphaned at a young age and learns to rely on her wits and love of words and storytelling to survive. The motley and bizarre companions she meets on her way to adulthood could only populate a novel—a professor who embalms corpses so well that they never decay, a Lebanese immigrant with a harelip who loves her like a daughter, a hardened guerrilla fighter who becomes her tender lover, a transvestite who teaches her table manners. And the list goes on!This book has everything. It will make you cry. And laugh. And roll your eyes. But most of all, it is a spellbinding and magical story written in prose that is almost poetical in its beauty and flow. Isabel Allende is a genius.

Great novel. Read years ago and lost the old copy so I purchased a new one. The new cover illustrations are pretty bland but Allende is a highly imaginative and almost lyrical writer. Fans of Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez (R.I.P) and Paulo Coelho may like this author.

I have never been disappointed in Isabel Allende's ability to draw her reader into her world. You hardly realize you're getting a history lesson to boot with the richness of both her characters and the background landscape.Well done once again, Ms. Allende!

Amazing is understatement!What a book, what a colorful characters, what an amazing story telling. Couldn't get enough of it.Hats off to the most talented and amazing writer Isabel!

I wrote a noteearlyer.

La autora de el libro es de mis preferidas excelente redacción y permite sentir y entender la historia hace que uno se estremezca . Me encanto lo volvería leer

Why was the ending so abrupt? I reread it to see if I missed something , as Ms Allende often writes magically between the lines. I will try again .

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. If you love stories Eva Luna is for you. It is beautifully detailed and completely unpredictable. If I have any criticism it is that the ending seemed a little abrupt and left me feeling I wanted more.

An informative s tory with many well established characters. Throughout herlife Eva experienced a variety of interesting characters who were woven we l into the plot.

I love the way this author writes, so poetic, so enthralling. The characters are so well drawn and likeable, I wanted to read more of all their stories and of the many fascinating characters.

I read this book many times and it never fails to enchant

Good condition.Bought for friend who had been looking for it. Small print.