My dear husband gave me books as presents for my birthday this spring. One was Isabel Allende’s Largo pétalo de mar (2019) Long Petal of the Sea. I enjoyed the story Allende weaves of a Catalan family from northern Spain who flee their country when Franco’s forces win the Spanish Civil War. They are stranded for a time in the concentration camps in France, but gain passage on a ship arranged by Pablo Neruda to immigrate to Chile.
The love story between the main character and his brother’s widow is an interesting one. They marry in order to escape France together with his brother’s infant son. I admire how the marriage is based on mutual respect and compassion. Their platonic love becomes the basis for a very close relationship.
One favorite section for me is when the family is on the Winnipeg, the ship of Spanish refugees to Chile. I liked how all the immigrants worked together to take care of the children, the boat and the meal production.
Long Petal of the Sea has ties to the first novel I read by Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits. The main couple from her debut novel is mentioned as traveling on an upper class vacation ship midway through Long Petal of the Sea. The presidency of Salvador Allende and the subsequent coup by Pinochet also figures in both books. This recent story is a good way to learn the historic ties of Spain and Chile in the mid 1900s. Unfortunately, the main character ends up in a concentration camp in Chile, although he is freed after he helps the man in charge survive a heart attack.
Largo pétalo de mar is not my favorite book by Allende. In one section the story hurriedly passes through 10 years right before Salvador Allende was elected, leaving out important details about the family that were rushed through later. The third person point of view and limited emotional landscape of several characters keeps us at an arm’s length. I found it confusing that two characters had no long term romantic relationships and the underlying psychology for that was never brought to light. The best part about reading the book was I learned a lot about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. Nearly half a million Spaniards fled across the border into France in 1939! I had no idea the number was so large, or that they were held in internment camps until they could get a sponsor.
The last chapter of the book is very well done as the protagonist thinks over his 90 years of life and begins new relationships that will support him into his future now that he is a widower. The wisdom of age from Isabel Allende’s own life reflects in the ending. She is 79 this year.
I appreciate that my husband bought me the book in Spanish, because I like to practice my reading skills whenever I can. I camped out with my María Moliner dictionary at hand for the words I didn’t know. I added several descriptive words to my vocabulary, which is fun.
I’d recommend the book to avid historians.
Gracias, amigos. ¡Olé! –Rebecca
Fake Flamenco 
That was a busy and confusing border in those years. As you said, nearly half a million Spaniards fled across the border into France in 1939. But the next year, after the Germans had conquered France, numerous Jews and others fled in the other direction to get away from the Nazis. Dina Vierny was one of those who guided refugees at night through the mountains from France into Spain. This was doubly dangerous because Dina was Jewish herself. (https://operasandcycling.com/dina-vierny-and-the-maillol-museum/)
The Spanish dictator Francisco Franco was a Fascist, definitely, but he had other problems and usually didn’t try to stop the refugees from taking the train through Spain to Lisbon, where they hoped to get passage on a ship to North or South America.
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That’s fascinating. Thanks for chronicling the reverse path of refugees over the mountains into Spain. I’m glad Jews were able to escape by that route.
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Thank you for the recommendation. I’m a fan of Allende’s writing but I had missed this one.
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Glad to know you’re a fan of Allende’s as well, Mari. Which of her books have you liked best? House of the Spirits has a special place in my heart. I also liked Eva Luna and Daughter of Fortune a lot.
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Thanks for the review, Rebecca. I haven’t read this one by Allende. My first boss in Brazil had a large collection of Agatha Christie’s crime novels in Portuguese. It was excellent reading practice in my new language.
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Thanks for the story about Agatha Christie mysteries in Portuguese. Sounds like it was a fun way to practice! I’ll be interested to know your opinion of Allende’s book once you’ve read it.
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” I found it confusing that two characters had no long term romantic relationships and the underlying psychology for that was never brought to light.” ~ Now that you pointed it out, it was also one of the things that I had issues with in the book.
Great review by the way!
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Thank you for your comments! Glad to know that it seemed mysterious to someone else. I appreciate the compliment on the review. Gracias.
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I enjoyed reading your review of Long Petal of the Sea. It refreshed my memory on some of the details. I cheated, though; I read it in English! I learned a lot of history from this novel. I had no idea that many Spaniards fled the country in 1939 and that many of them ended up in Chile. I always learn some history from Isabel Allende’s novels.
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Thanks, Janet. I think it’s cool that you’ve already read it. English isn’t cheating. : ) I like how Allende’s novels bring history to life.
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I think it sounds like a great read! May give it a read if I can find it!
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Allende is an international author, I bet you will.
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