Title: Inés of My Soul
Author: Isabel Allende
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN: 977-80061161544
Genre: Fiction
In the early years of the conquest of the Americas, Inés Suárez, a seamstress condemned to a life of toil, flees Spain to seek adventure in the New World. As Inés makes her way to Chile, she begins a fiery romance with Pedro de Valdivia, war hero and field marshal to the famed Francisco Pizarro. Together the lovers will build the new city of Santiago, and they will wage war against the indigenous Chileans—a bloody struggle that will change Inés and Valdivia forever, inexorably pulling each of them toward separate destinies.
Inés of My Soul is a work of breathtaking scope that masterfully dramatizes the known events of Inés Suárez’s life, crafting them into a novel rich with the narrative brilliance and passion readers have come to expect from Isabel Allende.
My Review:
Inés of My Soul by Isabel Allende gives an historical fictional account of the life and times of Inés Suárez and is a story written in a deeply rich and near lyrical manner. Inés flees Spain in search of her husband who had left for the New World in Chile. Heartbroken, yet not defeated when she learns of her husband’s death in the New World, Inés falls in love again, this time to Pedro de Valdivia, and together, the two create a lasting impact on the future of Chile and especially the city of Santiago. Readers will be enthralled by the strength of Inés and her resolve in her life’s passions as Allende brings her characters to life, transporting readers effortlessly into the time period and into the various locales. Expertly crafted prose and vivid imagery along with bibliographical references make Inés of My Soul a work to be enjoyed by all readers of historical fiction.
Born in Peru and raised in Chile, Isabel Allende is the author of many bestselling novels, including, most recently, Ines of My Soul, Zorro, Portrait in Sepia, and Daughter of Fortune. She has also written a collection of stories; three memoirs, The Sum of Our Days, My Invented Country, and Paula; and a trilogy of young adult novels. Her books have been translated into more than 27 languages and have become bestsellers across four continents. In 2004 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Allende lives in California.
Further information about author Isabel Allende may be found on her website.
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I received an copy of Inés of My Soul by Isabel Allende from TLC Book Tours to be a part of this tour and offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.
I used to say that I didn’t enjoy historical fiction and I’ve recently discovered that I do enjoy it as long as it’s not about British royalty. This book sounds fantastic – I’ve been anxious to try Allende’s work, and this might be a good one to start with.
I have been a long time fan of Allende’s writing.
This is the only book I’ve read by Allende and I found it to be beautifully written. I’m glad you enjoyed it as well! Thanks for being on the tour.