A Long Petal of the Sea

Lyrical and evocative historical fiction about two lost souls fleeing the Spanish Civil War and the lives they make for themselves in Chili. Victor, a medic for the militia, must flee Spain with his mother and Roser, his brother's pregnant lover. Since his father and brother's death, Victor must do what is best for the women in his life. Told over the course of decades, A Long Petal of the Sea, tells us the up and downs of the life that Victor has forged for himself. Set in a country where I have read little, it was fascinating to learn more about Chile and the political strife they were facing. This story is really a 3.5 rating for me. For a lot of the book I wasn't sure where the story was going but I was still intrigued. I enjoyed the characters and thought they were very human, but didn't always love them. They were real and flawed. Character driven and beautifully narrated. 

The Soul of a Woman

 

Allende, Isabel. The Soul of a Woman. digital. 2021. Books on Tape. 

Bestselling author, Isabel Allende, offers up an intimate memoir on the impact feminism has had in her unique and fulfilling life. As a child and later as a young woman in the sixties; Isabel realized that women were often seen and not heard. Her mother's circumstance and that of many other women in Chile inspired her to a life of action - she is nothing, if not passionate in all her undertakings. Three marriages, two children, one heartbreaking loss, and travels around the globe have brought her closer to the human condition and the hearts of women everywhere. Women want not just love, but safety, bodily autonomy, value, respect, and connectedness. The Soul of a Woman is a quilt of stories, poetry, anecdotes, and truths that women carry - in every culture and continent. Passionately narrated by Gisela Chipe; filled with warmth, feeling, and emotion. The book concludes with the hope that Allende will "light the torch of our daughters and granddaughters with mine. They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished." Beautiful and fulfilling; a must read for women everywhere. Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN