“Disappointing and Forgettable”
I really wanted to like My Name is Emilia del Valle—I used to be a huge fan of Isabel Allende’s earlier novels—but this one just didn’t do it for me. I gave up about halfway through because I simply didn’t care how the story ended.
The setup had potential: a young woman abandoned at birth, forging her own path as a journalist in 19th-century San Francisco, and later journeying to Chile to uncover her roots. Sounds like the makings of a gripping, adventurous tale, right? Unfortunately, it never took off. The so-called “adventure” felt flat and low stakes, and Emilia’s journey didn’t pull me in emotionally or intellectually. The whole thing read more like a lukewarm historical outline than a story I could get invested in.
I admire Allende for spotlighting strong, complex female leads, but this time it felt like she was going through the motions. I didn’t feel the spark or heart that used to draw me in. A big disappointment from an author whose work I once eagerly devoured.