Book Review: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

 

Here was another solid find in the selling section at the library. As soon as I saw that this was an Isabel Allende book, it sparked my interest. 

A Long Petal of the Sea is a 2019 novel by Isabel Allende. It felt timely, given the state of affairs in this world, as it focuses on not one, but two countries falling into chaos and, ultimately, becoming hardline, rightwing dictatorships. Eventually, there is an end to both, but only after many long years and much suffering in each case. 

Throughout the novel, we learn a bit about the life of Chilean poet Pablo Naruda. He writes poetry about love and politics, and he remains politically active to the end. He tries to help the Republicans who fled Spain at the end of the civil war, and brings thousands of refugees to Chile, which feels like a world away. Among them are Victor Dalmau, who hurriedly marries his missing (and likely dead) brother Guillem's wife, Roser. 

This was an audiobook, ready by Edoardo Ballerini. He does a masterful job with this reading. If you have a chance to listen to this reading, I recommend it almost just for that reason, although the book itself was quite good as well.

Before I go any farther, however, let me give the usual warnings to stop reading if you intend to read this book, because there will be spoilers ahead.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Okay, so by now if you are still reading this, I have to imagine that you either are familiar with this story already, or perhaps you do not mind the spoilers. Please just don't say that you were not given advanced warning. 

Right off the bat, the title of this book seemed mysterious to me. Yet early on, we learn what it actually means, or rather, what it stands for. It is a description of Chile, the country (Spanish: Largo pétalo de mar), a reference to it's long shape. Chile is also described as a "worm" at one point in the book. 

So reading this book was illuminating. There were historical events which I was really only vaguely aware about, knowing maybe the basic facts. Like the Spanish Civil War, or the overthrow of Allende in Chile, and the brutal Pinochet dictatorship which followed. 

Yet, this moving work by Isabel Allende - yes, she is related to the real-life late former Marxist President Allende of Chile - really brings these events to life. This goes well beyond the stagnant black and white facts of what happened during these events. Through the characters, which Allende brilliants breathes life into, we feel the real impact of these events, the massive suffering inflicted on human beings. We see the despair and ultimate defeat of the Republican cause in Spain in the dying days of the Spanish Civil War. Then the mass exodus into France, the way the world seemed to turn a blind eye to their plight, and then their stay in concentration camps once in France.

Throughout the novel, we learn a bit about the life of Chilean poet Pablo Naruda. He writes poetry about love and politics, and he remains politically active to the end. Naruda tries to help the Republicans who fled Spain at the end of the civil war, and brings thousands of refugees to Chile, which feels like a world away. Among them are Victor Dalmau, who hurriedly marries his missing (and likely dead) brother Guillem's wife, Roser. Roser is pregnant with Guillem's son, and so Victor has to assume responsibilities as a father. They suffer in the final days of war in Spain, then suffer during their stay at a concentration camp in France. Then Victor convinces Naruda to get them on the ship to Chile (in part because he hurriedly marries Roser), and they have a new beginning. The trip across oceans is also an ordeal, but in Chile, they are presented with a new opportunity at life. 

In Chile, we meet the Del Solar family. The head of the household is a conservative businessman, Isidro and his wife Laura Del Solar. They travel from Chile to Liverpool on the MV Reina del Pacifico while the clouds of World War II are gathering, although Isidiro seems convinced that nothing will actually happen. Then they have to hurry back to Chile once war does actually break out. We see them as quite wealthy and privileged. Their daughter Ofelia, who is engaged to Matías Eyzaguirre, starts an affair with Victor. Eventually, this affair ends after Ofelia gets pregnant, although she is told that she gave birth to a boy who died very quickly after birth. Ofelia sinks into depression, and where once she loved Victor, now she loathes him. 

Victor recovers from the affair, although he still thinks of Ofelia. But he is married to Roser, and has his son, Marcel, to take care of. Slowly but surely, they build roots in Chile until they begin to feel more Chilean than Spanish. He is a socialist and befriends a young politicians named Salvador Allende, Eventually, against all odds, Allende wins the presidency and begins to try and implement social reforms to bring about greater equality.

However, Allende remains stubbornly oblivious to the threat of the rightwing in the country plotting a coup. With the backing of the United States and the Chilean military, eventually there is a coup d'etat, with the junta led by General August Pinochet installing a hardline, rightwing dictatorship. Eventually, Victor finds himself back in a concentration camp in a remote, desert region of Chile. 

Eventually, he gets a lucky break when he helps a high-ranking camp official during a medical emergency. Eventually, he gets some measure of freedom and, in time, he and Roser escape to Venezuela. At that point in time, Venezuela is the rare functioning democracy on a continent full of brutal dictatorships. They learn to appreciate Venezuela, although they long to return back home to Chile.

Then a surprise, when Spain's Franco dies. Suddenly, that hardline rightwing dictatorship is at an end. They briefly return to Spain, but find that the country has changed beyond all recognition. They try to make it work, but eventually concede that this new Spain is now a foreign land to them. 

Finally, they return to Chile. The years have passed by very quickly, and the world has changed radically. As has Chile, which seems on the surface prosperous, but which has, in fact, staggering economic inequality. The majority of the wealth of the country is in the hands of just a few families, while the majority of Chileans live in relative poverty. This compromises the Pinochet regime, which eventually is forced to give up power. 

Yet, just as Victor and Roser seem like they will get to enjoy their elder years in quiet retirement, Roser gets terminal cancer. Victor remains in denial, but at some point, even he has to abandon hope.

Now left alone, Victor is living a bit like a hermit when suddenly, he gets a visit from a strange woman. This, he learns, is his daughter, who only recently discovered the truth. Ofelia never gave birth to a boy, but rather a girl. And she did not die, but was taken from Ofelia and given to a German Chilean family, where she was raised with love in a conservative family. She should be happy, yet there is a sadness which pervades, and she and Victor connect on this, among other things.

All in all, a very well-written and powerful book. Allende allows you to feel the passage of time and changes of circumstances. The reader gets good looks into Spain during the Spanish Civil War and Chile from between the war years until after the end of Pinochet. There are also some shorter, less extensive glimpses of southern France and Venezuela.

Truly an epic book. Highly recommended!