Isabel Allende. A writer that you love or “just not your cup of tea”. I am absolutely crazy about her books. She has written about 20 novels and I have read 12 of them.
So, there is still work to be done haha. Of all those millions of books that you can read, I always choose to read an Allende. Why? What makes her so good?
Isabel Allende writes very colourful and visual. Like no other she knows how to describe a beautiful scenery, without endless details. Her writing style is dreamy, mysterious and powerful. Her characters are authentic, courageous and strong. She often mixes historical events with family and love stories.
Most of her books belong to the genre, magical realism. Ehh, and that is? I just checked Wikipedia. Magical realism expresses a primarily realistic view of the real world while also adding magical elements. Apparently I like that!
Everything I described above can be found in her book Island Beneath the Sea. I would say it’s a wonderfully characteristic Allende. The story begins in 18th-century Haiti, at the time Saint-Domingue and a French colony. At a young age, the beautiful Zarité is sold as a slave to a plantation owner. This Frenchman, Toulouse Valmorain, reluctantly takes over the sugar plantation from his ailing father.
The lives of both main characters remain inseparably linked to each other against the background of the slave revolt and independence of Haiti. It is a beautiful story about freedom, love, injustice, willpower and hope, with a lot of realism and a bit of magic.
In case you never read a book of Isabel Allende before, now is the time to start reading this book. Already an Isabel Allende fan, but you haven’t read Island Beneath the Sea yet? Order quickly on The Bookdepository by clicking on this link, or order via Amazon and click on the book below.
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