The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Ellen's comments:

You can read Allende's first novel in two ways.

You can read it as the chronicle of the wealthy and famous deValle/Trueba family through four generations. Esteban Trueba becomes engaged to green-haired Rosa the Beautiful, older daughter of a prominent family in the capital of an unnamed South American country. He takes a lease on a section of a mine far removed from the city and spends two years in great deprivation to make enough money to marry Rosa. Unfortunately, before the marriage, she dies of poison meant for her father, a political aspirant.

Esteban takes over his family's country estate, which has fallen into extreme disrepair since his father's death, and builds it back to its former glory. In need of a wife, he returns to the city and marries Rosa's younger sister, Clara deVille, builds a mansion in the city for his family, and their time is divided between the two homes.

Clara, who communicates with spirits, bears a daughter, Blanca, and twin sons, Jaime and Nicolas. Following Clara's example, Blanca, Jaime (a doctor), and Blanca's daughter, Alba, work long hours in the slums helping the poor. They, along with Nicolas, all develop love affairs "beneath them," either in the city slums or at the country villa.

Meanwhile, Esteban, a man of violent emotions, has built a commercial empire and become a powerful Senator. At 92, he looks back over his life and reevaluates it.

A second way to read the book is as the chronicle of a country. From a nominal democracy--they have a President and a legislature--but basically a medieval system of lords and serfs, we follow it through the rise of Socialism and Communism and on to the vicious military coup that follows. All this develops during Esteban's lifetime and involves him and his family, often tragically. One is struck by how quickly and radically conditions can change for virtually anyone. We in the U.S. have largely been insulated from the vicissitudes of radical political upheaval, and this is a window on the world outside our borders.

Check status at GPL or place book on hold.