By Carmen Lebar
Content Warning: violence, drug abuse, racism, colourism, domestic abuse
Violeta by Isabel Allende is the newest historical fiction novel from the prolific author. The novel centres around Violeta who is writing her life’s story—spanning 100 years—to her grandson. The novel chronicles many major events in Violeta’s story, but also many key historical moments that occur throughout her life. Violeta is born during a thunderstorm in an unnamed South American country, when the Spanish Flu is running rampant throughout the world. From there, the reader is swept away into an engrossing novel about relationships, identity, and storytelling. In parts devastating and inspiring, Violeta is a novel that creates a vivid and complex picture of a Latinx woman creating herself.
Allende is masterful in writing historical fiction, but with Violeta, I think she’s really showing off her craft. The story she writes about Violeta does not rely on historical events to progress the plot. Every historical event Allende uses is intentional and adds to Violeta’s life. What Allende does very well is focus on Violeta’s story and her personal history—and how this personal history connects to world events. I felt this created a more intimate reading of Violeta’s story, and that the historical references didn’t distract from the overall plot. Allende writes in-depth moments of intimacy, abuse, caregiving, and thievery. As every chapter ended, I didn’t want to put my book down. I wanted to keep reading further to learn who Violeta is.
The writing in this novel is some of my favourite. Allende writes Violeta in a first-person narrative which gives a very personal element to the novel. As Violeta chronicles her life, there are very private details that feel life-like that creates a familiarity with her audience—her grandson. We see the ups and downs steeped in pure emotion and honesty. Violeta’s narrative voice is one that begs to be listened to. I was hooked by every word Allende wrote and felt like I was being personally given Violeta’s story. There’s an intimacy in this novel that’s hard to come by. The words Allende uses created such amazing characterization for Violeta. It was a pleasure to see how Violeta goes from a young woman who is unsure of herself and her future, to the confident centennial she is by the end of the novel.
Violeta is an absorbing historical fiction novel that history lovers will no doubt enjoy. But this novel isn’t just for history buffs. The stories Violeta tells about organized crime, love, family, and identity will delight even the pickiest of readers. This is a novel that will make you laugh, cry, and make you think how you would tell your own story if given the chance. Violeta is a great addition to Allende’s canon and is one I think people will return to time and time again. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking to read more books by Latinx authors, but also anyone who is ready to go on a fictitious, lifelong journey.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. Please note that Carmen has recently acquired a new position with Penguin Random House Canada. Her thoughts and opinions are her own, but for transparency we'd like to share this detail.