This extraordinary novel relates the life of its protagonist in a letter addressed by herself to a very loved one, with full details from the days of her birth during the 1920 pandemic (the Spanish flu), to the infamous pandemic of our days.

That’s right, one hundred years of an existence whose origin takes place in a South American country, which is seasoned by several love affairs that would shape the strong and emotional character of Violeta.

The constant crossing of her life and that of her loved ones (and of those not so loved ones) with the events that marked the course of history, accounts for intense episodes that encourage you to turn the pages quickly. Dire events such as the Great Depression, the Second World War, the military dictatorships –which tore several South American nations apart–, would forge the courage of a woman with a commendable degree of self-determination.

In fact, there is a feminist tone in this novel, to uphold the rights of those women victims of family abuse, class oppression, sexual exploitation, and especially of the grieving mothers whose sons and daughters were unjustly accused of being subversive and for that reason they never made it back home.

This narration is very unique, the reader can pretend to be the recipient of this long letter. This will undoubtedly give a much greater intensity to the read. This is for sure, one of Isabel Allende’s best books! Read it and enjoy it!