Eva Luna: A Novel

In this story about a storyteller, Allende herself wields words like a gardeners trowel, urging quite common words into fantastical blossoms and fruit that feed into a story that carries you gently but swiftly through the pages. As you come to the finale, you feel the healthy glow of a hard-won happy ending

I was terrified of purchasing a used book online because of horror stories about terribly damanged books being sold as "good" books; however, that was not the case with this particular copy sent to me. The copy I ordered said "good" and it could have fallen under the "very good" or "like new" as there was such an insignificant amount of damage. I've bought new books that were in the same condition. Also, I used standard shipping but the company shipped it immediately and it was delivered in less than three business days. I will certainly do future shopping with this seller.

Siempre a pesar del sufrimiento, a pesar de encontrarnos a veces en caminos sin salida, una mano generosa se tiende para ayudarnos, un angel quizas, un ser superior que nos mira desde algun lugar y siempre esta pendiente de nuestro destino.

Un buen libro, como siempre nos tiene acostumbrados esta gran escritora

super mala escritora. sus libros son muy parecidos entre si. o al menos este es muy parecido a la casa de los espiritus! algunas veces me confundia y no sabia si estaba eyendo eva luna o la casa de los espiritus. el libro solo habla de la guerrilla y la lucha de con el gobierno. yo esperaba algun tipo de historia de amor mas detallado o al menos mas detalle en los personajes y alguna trama interesante de ellos pero todo es muy vago. TERRIBLE ESCRITORA!!! prefiero a paulo cohelo o garcia marquez mil veces!

Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors and I’m having fun re-reading some of her books. It took me a little longer to complete this one. I mean that in a good way. Her writing is so beautiful and so rich, that I often found myself re-reading paragraphs. I love the depth and richness of all the characters.

A quote that I loved:
“The house was a vast labyrinth of books. Volumes were stacked from floor to ceiling on every wall, dark, crackling, redolent of leather bindings, smooth to the touch, with their gold titles and translucent gilt-edged pages and delicate typography.”

This is a tale with three protaganists.

One is the narrator, who must surely qualify as one of the most improbable female characters in the history of literature. She can levitate. [So does the book.] She consorts with policemen, guerillas, the elite, the dregs of society, cabinet ministers, artists, and Indians. She loves a beautiful woman who used to be a man. She loves a fierce man who used to be a shy boy. She loves a disfigured man who is old enough to be her grandfather. She loves that man's effete brother as well as his impossibly self-centered wife. She even learns eventually to love herself. She is on both sides of every sort of conflict and doesn't care that this makes her inconsistent. She is above inconsistency. She is a sort of feminine Don Quixote with a long series of Sancho Panzas of three genders.

The second protaganist is a Germanic immigrant to the fictitious Latin American country that is the setting for the tale. He escapes from an abused childhood to become the sexual plaything of two sisters, the official photographer of a violent revolution, and at last the predestined lover of the first protaganist.

The third protaganist is you-- the reader. That's right, you don't just read this story. You don't merely become immersed in it. You become part of it. The author's style weaves a web in which you become entangled. There's no escape. Not that you want one. The book infects your dreams, and improves them.

Most fiction requires the willing suspension of disbelief. This book doesn't bother with that. Disbelief becomes inane when you yourself are part of the story.

This review is for the English language Bantam Book paperback edition published in September 1989, 307 pages. EVA LUNA did not appear on the USA Today top 150 best sellers list, which was started four years after this book was published. However, four of the author's other novels have appeared on the list.

EVA LUNA is the story of an impoverished, illegitimate servant girl, orphaned at age six, illiterate in her formative years for lack of formal education, who simply loves to tell stories and becomes a TV scriptwriter. She is mentored by the evasive ghost of her mother, an opportunistic godmother, a quirky woman who sleeps in a coffin and a confused female transvestite dressed as a woman. The time span is roughly three decades that include the Vietnam War, jet planes, soap operas and the United States meddling in Latin American affairs, which is perhaps not terribly definitive. The setting is supposedly the Caribbean, but the topography is reminiscent of tropical Peru with the politics of Colombia and the economy of Venezuela. The writing style is magical realism and the theme is melancholy.

EVA LUNA is scrambled eggs with a dash of Tabasco, tropical fruit and an aphrodisiac, which turns out tasty and delectable. It reminds me of a quote attributed to Napoleon: You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.

I was initally attracted to this novel by the its comparison to the marvellous writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, having previously read only the bestseller 'Daughter of Fortune.'
Clearly, Magic Realism is an important element in this work, and it does bare resemblance to the works of the forementioned, but there is something about this work that left me mildly disappointed.
I adored the characters, particularly the gorgeous Mimi, and of course Eva herself, yet I would have liked to learn more about Rolf, who was presented as initially somewhat egotistical, however it was implied that he changed when visiting the mountains...How?
Additionally, Eva's best friend turned gureilla fighter captivated me - what happened to him and how did he respond to the union between Rolf and Eva?
I adored the complexity and subtle plot, and its commentary on love, yet also found myself mildly disappointed with the second marriage of Eva's Turk friend and the manner in which Eva's life was so marvellously drawn out and explored, yet her love between Rolf was somewhat hurried. It seemed to reduce the sprawling luxury of the work.
However, this was a hugely interesting and entertaining read, and certainly one I enjoyed more than 'Daughter of Fortune'.
It had the same epic grand narrative voice and a somewhat intricate path, but was both easy to read and likeable.
I plan to delve into more of Isobel Allende's outstanding works; revel in their complexity and language, and would recommend this book for reading, though perhaps not for purchasing.

The novel Eva Luna by Isabel Allende combines magical realism with a plot that is sure to please if given a chance. With a background filling beginning, Eva Luna's life unfolds in front of the reader's eyes as she struggles to survive in an unnamed Latin American country full of political strife. The plot of the novel is interesting as Eva Luna travels and tells her stories to whomever will listen to them. Eva Luna's story captivates the reader as she tells of how she had been conceived on her father's death bed and how she had almost died at birth. The novel is full of sexual scenes and includes a transvestite named Mimi as well. Although the beginning of the novel was not as compelling as it could have been, the remainder of the novel was enchanting with it's humor and spell-bounding plot. House of Spirits is completely different than Eva Luna in many ways because in Eva Luna, the story of one woman's life is told in completion rather than having the lives of many people told at one time. If you have been intrigued by House of Spirits, Eva Luna is a great novel to read but it is more aimed towards a mature audience. Isabel Allende is a truly fantastic author while intertwining magic into a truly entertaining story and making it flow simultaneously.

Conceived on her father's deathbed and almost strangled to death by her umbilical cord, the baby who emerged would become the woman, Eva Luna. Her birth is incredible and her life is even more so as Eva spins for us her story and the story of those who impacted her life.
Isabel Allende captivates the reader by having us take a glimpse of the life and times of Eva Luna, a child whose life is so surreal and incredible to the point where fact and fantasy become one and the same. Eva's voice sweeps us into the dark world of perverts, undesirables and revolutionaries. Through Eva's stories you get a closer look at a society rotten at its core while masquerading as a democracy.
Come with Eva, as a little girl where she plays with a stuffed puma owned by a mad-man who uses Indians for his embalming experiments. Watch as this orphaned girl is "sold" off by her strange godmother who believes in the gods of her ancesteral Africa and the saints of Catholicism. Watch Eva as she grows from childhood to adolescense to an adult who has to confront the reality of love and revolution.
EVA LUNA is a lyric tale whose language draws you immediately into the life of the character and her supporting cast. You feel a deep empathy for this woman and you see through her eyes the contradictions that life has to offer. Allende has given us an exceptional work that explores both the spiritual, political and sensual side of a woman caught up in the stream of chaos in her South American country. Come, let Eva tell you a story, her story and you will find yourself unable to tear yourself away from her amazing tale.

I loved this quirky book. I love House of Spirits and have taught it a number of times. However, I found Daughter of Fortune slihtly disppointing in comparison - the author seemed somehow Americanised and I still haven't been able to finish Paula - as a mother I found it too scary a subject. But I craved the experience of entering into the world of Allende's Latin America. So I was delighted to find this book in a charity shop! I have mixed feelings about early magical realism novels as I find they can be too cyptic, but I feel Allende was one of the first authors to make the genre accessible.

It is even more accessible in this delightful novel. It seems lighthearted and wierd and it some ways irreverantly trivial but underlying all this is the vibrancy and violence of Latin America. The first person narration really pulled me in and I really felt an intimacy in her style - truly as if I was sitting with her in an exotic land listening to her weave her tales.

Highly recommended!

I prefer Allende's earlier book, 'The House of the Spirits' honestly, but this book is not bad. Allende got a little over-imaginative with the characters I feel, but that's just me. The House of the Spirits (Everyman's Library Classics & Contemporary Classics)

Isabel Allende's Eva Luna manages to be about many diverse things: a picaresque soap opera; the story of Latin America; the tale of a woman coming to self-determination; an autobiography; a description of the creation and nature of fiction: and yet never loses its narrative fascination. Allende uses very little dialog, and the characters, Eva herself included, are more 'imaginary' than most novelists attempt: but believable and in the end quite moving.

This was narrative at its most magical. It bore the signs of great art, at least for me: the resonance of other times and places, the sense of recognition...

Eva Luna at first reminded me strongly of Fina Estampa by Caetano Veloso, so much so that I went looking for a song called Eva Luna on the CD which wasn't there.

I read recently an exact parallel of the episode of the bald patrina in a story in Ihara Saikaku's Life of an Amorous Woman written in 17th century Japan (basis for Mizoguchi's Life of Oharu for those interested), which was odd.

For those of you who are stalwart devotees to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who believe Updike is a mere scribbler compared to the Latin literary lion, who believe "One Hundred Years of Solitude" should be worshiped more piously than the Bible and Koran put together, it may behoove you stop reading this review ahora mismo. OK, I'm going to admit "One Hundred Years" is the only novel I've read by Marquez, and "Eva Luna" is the only novel I've ready by Allende. But "One Hundred Years" is supposed to be Marquez' magnum opus and "Eva Luna" is not generally considered one of Allende's top works, so I think it's OK to compare. Having said this, I would rather read ten more novels by Allende than one more by Marquez.

As I began "Eva Luna," I was afraid that I had stumbled into a Marquez imitator who was going to be even more mind-numbing than the original. Instead, I found a writer who, I'm sorry, has taken the madcap, Latin-style adventure story thought by many to be perfected by Marquez and improved on it so much that I wondered if Allende has been inspired by Marquez at all. Now I understand that Marquez is an immensely talented artist and that it could very well be that I belong to a small minority of literary fiction readers who merely don't care for Marquez' particular style. Some may even want to point out that Marquez' style is just too high-brow and advanced for my philistine intellect, which may very well be accurate.

Nevertheless, it is clear to me that Allende's characters are obviously more well-rounded, more interesting, and more human than anything Marquez could ever conjure up. I appreciate the level of thought in his stream-of-consciousnesses, but they didn't necessarily add to the story. In fact, it muddied up a novel that already contained to many half-formed characters that seemed more like dashed-off profiles of historic figures than anyone I would be interested in learning more about. All of Allende's main characters - Eva, Rolf, Huberto, madrina, the gloriously sexed-up twin sisters who lived with Rolf - are all clearly labors of love from Allende. Her interwoven plot devices are also more disciplined than Marquez, which may be because Allende doesn't seem to take herself as seriously as Marquez. One gets the impression that Marquez was busily mopping his brow while hunched over his keyboard pounding out "One Hundred Years," thinking to himself how the magnificent piece of art he was creating was going make Joyce look light a lightweight and make even another Nobel Prize look unworthy. Allende, on the other hand, gives the impression she actually had fun writing her novel, perhaps smiling wryly at the fact she was creating such a fine piece of literary entertainment, happy and content that she has been given the gift to do what she does.

I can't say I'll never read Marquez again; in fact, I hope to give the man another shot one day soon. When someone gets called the "Greatest Living Novelist" as often as he does, it's possible I'm just missing the boat. But I'm much more anxious to get back to gorgeous, intelligent, and even somewhat philosophical stylings of Allende before too long. "Zorro" seems to be getting mixed reviews, but I don't care. This woman makes me want to become proficient enough in Spanish to read fiction in its original form.

Isabel Allende's "The Stories of Eva Luna" captivated my senses as no other novel has done. Another world is waiting inside the cover. Allende holds the power to make her readers cry, laugh and scream with delight, only to wish they could experience her stories for the first time all over again! She was my first love of Latin American litereature and has turned me into a fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez as well. Other short fiction novels are not even comparable! Do yourself a favor & enjoy this one!

This is one of my favorite books, and I recommend it to everyone. I love the main character, Eva Luna, a strong young woman with a no-nonsense approach to life and love. The stories are enticing and complex, so well written you'll feel you're actually living the scene. Read it and then buy the sequel, Tales of Eva Luna, which is also excellent.

Isabel Allende wrote Eva Luna in a way that would keep the readers wondering what happens next. I got trapped reading the story because I wanted to know what happened to the characters. Allende talked about a different character of the story until the last few chapters of the book and then she put them together. Every character that Allende wrote about in the book was somehow connected to the life of Eva Luna. By the time I got to the second chapter, I had already figured out the ending of the book, I thought.
Eva Luna's mother, Consuelo, brought up a good question when she talked to the nuns at the church where she had been sent: "Yes, but who had the say in heaven, God or his Mama?" For some reason that question just stuck in my mind. I think Allende wrote this in her story to show that Consuelo had a questioning mind, although people thought that she was silly. Eva Luna was six years old when her mother died, and she instantly became an orphan. A man said that he was going to leave Eva Luna everything, "Write in my will Pastor. I want this little girl to be my sole heir. Everything is to go to her when I die." Allende creates sympathy for Eva because the Pastor did not write in the will what the man had wanted for her. All of the people who worked in the man's house had ot go find more work for themselves. The government did not know of Eva Luna's existence until she got Riad Halabi to pay someone to get her some type of papers. Eva worked very hard when she was a little child. People said that they would teach her how to read, but they never seemed to have the time. When Eva finally learned how to write and read she said "Writing was the best thing that had happened to me in all my life; I was euphoric." Through out Eva's life she told stories to people who would listen to her. As she learned how to write, she started to write down her stories. She ended up being a writer as she became an adult. Allende has written a story that expresses a child's life and lets the readers watch her grow up. I got confused by some of the Spanish words that Allende used. There were a couple of other words that she used that confused me, but it did not take away from the book. I think that if I reread the book, I would pick up on things that I missed the first time. There was one time during the book that I was confused about the idenity of a couple of her characters. I had to go back and find whick name she used for a certain character when she would bring them back into the story.
Isabel Allende held my attention through out the book. I felt that I could relate to the characters of the story because I know how hard it is when you move from place to place. Allende gave me an excellent picture of what she was writting about. I liked the fact that she used a large cast of characters in her story. I think that it added to the book. I enjoyed reading about how hard it was for Eva Luna to receive an education, and what she did with it afterward.

This novel definitely follows Allende's form of vast and varied characters, a plot covering an epic length of time, and Dickensian twists and turns.
But the main character is not as interesting or complex as Greg Reeves in "The Infinite Plan," and the most areas of the plot simply lack the intense realism of "Plan" and "The House of Spirits."
The references to the metaphysical world are devoid of the absolute wonder caused by works such as "Spirits." And worst of all, her prose, despite having Margeret Sayers Peden translating once again, does not have the same poetic ring.
There are, however, still moments in the novel that seem to illuminate any perception of life as dark or dull, thus giving relief to the low-effort and sometimes repetitive nature of the rest of the book.

This novel is a romantic one. The romance starts nearly at the end of the book, but it's a very good novel. It will make you laugh and make you amazed!!! Although, it's magic realism, you should try keep an open mind. It's a different book that's all. But you'll love it!!!

The story of Eva and Rolf is spellbinding. Isabel Allende proves to be a wonderful writer with this book. The only problem is that the book turns boring at some point, some parts drag on for too long and she seems to get lost in tangents. Otherwise it's an excellent book.

Isabel Allende is an extraordinary story teller. Her narrative is enchanting and exhiliarating. Risky and brazen, Allende tackles erotica, sensuality, sexuality, gender issues, politics with honesty and great taste. Eva Luna stirs the senses and stimulates the imagination!

Isabel Allende, desde su primera novela que leí "La Casa de Espiritus" hasta la más útlima, por tanto que me fascinaba su escritura, siempre voy a ser su fiel lector.
Ella es una verdadera cuentista y en "Eva Luna" conlleva a lo máximo su creatividad en "crear cuentos" espontaneamente para una noche solitaria.
Buen libro que recomiendo a todos los que a Uds. les gusta tema de amor que se termina feliz.

Do not be fooled by the first sentence being shown in Spanish above (as I was). This is the English language version of Eva Luna, and the store mistakenly put the first sentence of the Spanish version by the title. I know this is not a review of the book, but I would like to prevent someone else from making the mistake I did and ending up paying almost the full price of the book in shipping charges to try to return it and get the correct version.

It's pretty good. I actually picked this up from my sister's bookshelf and it's the first Allende novel that I've read. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed. I've heard she was really, really good and I was expecting something phenomenal. Maybe that spoiled my appreciation for it...or I just picked up the wrong Allende book. Next time, I'll go for "House of Spirits."

It's pretty good. I actually picked this up from my sister's bookshelf and it's the first Allende novel that I've read. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed. I've heard she was really, really good and I was expecting something phenomenal. Maybe that spoiled my appreciation for it...or I just picked up the wrong Allende book. Next time, I'll go for "House of Spirits."

This was the first South American writer that I have actually read...and wow! I was blown away by the lush imagery and the incredible characters. The way Ms. Allende wrote this was like a painting, it was so vivid. Eva Luna is an incredible symphony for the mind. I would recommend this to anyone.

I love some of Isabel Allende's books, like "Paula", others were really bad like the ones she wrote for kids.
This book is not that good, I was about to drop it. The political part was to long and the story of Eva not very interesting.

As it happened with The House of Spirits nor depth or intelligence in the story is to be found. Some ideas put together at random with a disrespectful (because it`s just hollow and unadvertently made use of) politics background.
Reading I. Allende I got the idea, she picks some good-sounding topics from somewhere or someone and applies them both here and there in her stories.
She never engages in risky considerations about the characters.
Every might-be an interesting beginning to go on working throughout the book is always aborted after a few lines and let alone never to be mentioned again.
I`ve got the impression, she just can`t do it.