Ines of My Soul - by Isabel Allende (Paperback)

About the Book

Though she was born into poverty, Inâes Suâarez, a seamstress in 16th-century Spain, embodies the same restless hope and opportunism that fuels her nation's conquest of the Americas. Learning that her shiftless husband has vanished, Inâes uses his disappearance to embark on her own adventure. It is a journey will lead her to Pedro de Valdivia--a conquistador who becomes the first royal governor of Chile--and to a love that not only changes her life but the course of history.

Book Synopsis

"Powerfully evocative. . . . Allende is at her best here; spinning words like spells, enthralling the reader with surreal visions of the New World."-- Newsweek

A passionate epic of love, freedom, and conquest, based on historical events, from the New York Times bestselling author of The House of the Spirits and A Long Petal of the Sea.

Though she was born into poverty, Inés Suárez, a seamstress in sixteenth-century Spain, embodies the same restless hope and opportunism that fuels her nation's conquest of the Americas.

Learning that her shiftless husband has vanished, Inés uses his disappearance to embark on her own adventure. It is a journey will lead her to Pedro de Valdivia--a conquistador who becomes the first royal governor of Chile--and to a love that not only changes her life but the course of history.

Review Quotes

"Allende...has written her surest work since THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS." -- USA Today

"Allende is a master storyteller at the peak of her powers, as she demonstrates in her latest novel." -- Los Angeles Times

"Allende's imagination delivers the enchantment. . . . This is one work Allende fans should not miss." -- Miami Herald

"Vivid...Allende's reach is broad...Allende succeeds in resurrecting a woman from history and endowing her with the gravitas of a hero." -- New York Times Book Review

"A powerfully evocative narrative...Allende is at her best here." -- Newsweek

"Thoroughly researched...a colorful, entertaining tale of the hardscrabble adventures and desperate deeds of some of our hemisphere's first Europeans" -- Elle

"Solid and well-constructed...Ines is rescued by Allende from history's dust bin." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Allende's keen intelligence and lively prose keep readers wishing for more." -- San Diego Union-Tribune

"Might be Allende's best novel, better even than THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS." -- Boston Globe

"Vivid and convincing...." -- Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post

"Well-grounded...As always, Allende focuses on the story." -- Atlantic Monthly

"Compelling...a complex and truly rich tale" -- Baltimore Sun

"earthy and ironic." -- New York Times

"Thrilling epic...the memoir she ascribes to Ines promotes a more democratic view of how the New World was settled." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

"Riveting...A colorful and clear-eyed portrait...Suarez's story is so fabulous and life-affirming...that it simply captivates" -- Chicago Sun-Times

"Allende has given [Ines] an instantly appealing voice...even the most unpliable reader will be hooked." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A thourough and unflinching account...Allende...keeps the pages turning. It's a joy to see Ines triumph." -- Rocky Mountain News

"Ines of My Soul is a powerful novel...[Ines] is, in Allende's skilled hands, a wholly human character." -- Charlotte Observer

"An elegant work of historical fiction." -- Wichita Eagle

"engrossing...Fans of Allende's earlier novels will...find enjoyment in INES OF MY SOUL." -- Christian Science Monitor

"Brilliant...A beautifully crafted work by one of the finest writers of our time." -- Providence Journal

"Ines of My Soul is an absorbing and illuminating book." -- The Globe and Mail

"Meticulously researched." -- Library Journal

"Allende crafts a swift, thrilling epic, packed with fierce battles and passionate romance." -- Publishers Weekly

"Fiction about the conquistador experience...can't possibly get better" -- Booklist (starred review)

"Allende always delivers. This time it's with an enchanting historical fiction about Chile." -- American Way

"A master storyteller." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Allende is a genius." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Possesses the eyes, ears, mind, heart and pluck to manufacture generous and feisty fiction." -- Miami Herald

"Surely one of the most graceful and yet haunting writers alive." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch