Cheap The House of the Spirits (Book) (Isabel Allende) Price

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Customer Reviews of The House of the Spirits

A breathtaking work of art!
This is the type of novel most writers can naught but aspire to craft! I was first introduced to this novel in my sophomore year in high school. (Far from what the misguided reviewer below posted, I did not protest, but devoured every bit of this breathtaking work of art!) I was instantly captured by the unique writing style as well as the remarkable story, and, needless to say, this book remains one of my favorite - if not my very favorite - novels I was assigned to read in high school. <
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>The novel is written in three different narratives, told primarily in a documentary fashion, giving it the feel of an epic. The story follows three generations of women in the Trueba family, whose patriarch is the selfish, dictatorial, but ultimately understandable Esteban Trueba. By naming the female characters of the story specifically to symbolize purity ("Blanca" means "white" in Spanish, while "Clara," "Nivea," and "Alba" embody clarity, snow, and dawn respectively), Allende deliberately explores feminism, setting her story in a society which thrives on conservative, chauvinistic ideals. Which brings me to the violence. Yes, there are rape scenes; let me explain: Allende, at this point in the story, is trying to convey the absolute horror of Esteban Trueba's relations with peasant girls (a metaphor for the mistreatment of the working class by the upper class, and also the mistreatment of women by men, expanding on Allende's notions of feminism). The scenes are explicit because they are meant to be shocking and infuriating to a great degree. Far from making this novel "abhorrent," these scenes add emotional impact to the story. <
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>Who will like this book: <
>-Readers who appreciate a well-worded, well-crafted classic <
>-Feminists <
>-Readers who don't mind being shocked or disturbed by certain scenes that are meant to be shocking and disturbing <
>-Readers who can empathize with profound, colorful, developed characters <
>-Readers who love broad, eventful plotlines and hidden meanings, metaphors, and symbolism <
>-Readers who don't mind a bit of magic realism! <
>-Readers who can appreciate a story which plays out like music <
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>Who will not like this book: <
>-Readers who cannot stand feminism or are open chauvinists <
>-Readers who cannot tolerate shocking or explicit scenes <
>-Readers who are easily offended by the glorification of radical or liberal ideas (for the record, homosexuality is not glorified but stated as a simple, existing part of the world, much like the existence of concepts such as feminism, prejudice, and true love) <
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>With exception to the above mentioned audience, I can guarantee that this book will keep its reader turning pages! A masterpiece!

the house of spirits
this book is eye opening and amazing. it bridges the gap between past and preset, fantasy and reality.