Heather N. (heatherNtexas) reviewed Daughter of Fortune on 9/5/2008 + 4 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Having never read Isabel Allende and having gotten away from ficion nearly completely, I was surprised at how well she was able to draw me into this multi-cultural, continent-hopping story. Allende was able to give a very realistic account of all of the places in this book I've actually been. From the rambling, over-designed Victorian home where the main character Eliza Sommers was brought up to the proliferous fragrances in an Oriental market where Tao Chi'en began his quest for a healer's knowledge in earnest to the lovely shores of the chilly, mirror-clear American River I felt I was truly there - again. There's something unreal about the sunlight coming through the leaves in autumn in Northern California and reading this book transported me. I could hear the water tumbling over those rocks and even smell the eucalyptus over on those hills overlooking the Bay.

The plot was believable while not quite ever predictable. The characters grew and got more interesting all the way till the final chapter. The feminist element got to be a teensie-weensie bit preachy at times but I couldn't help but empathize with the struggles these women faced. The main characters were real - never exaggerated. Here and there a minor character might have been slightly exaggerated - particularly the men.

Historical fiction should first and foremost be entertainment but I'm always pleased when I get to the first page that actually teaches me something. I had not known of the economical and geographical importance of the Chilean port city of Valparaiso in the 19th century and was fascinated to go research it.

This was a fun read. It almost gives me gold fever and I haven't wanted to go back to California for years. And who wouldn't want to visit Valparaiso & Canton? If I believed in reincarnation I would want to come back as a modern version of Paulina Rodriguez de Santa Cruz... but first I'm going to have to go find another Isabel Allende novel to read.

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