Of Love and Shadows - Isabel Allende

Isabel Allende is related to Salvador Allende, the socialist Chilean hero assassinated by General Pinochet in the military coup of 1973. Of Love And Shadows, published in 1987, was made into a film starring Antonio Banderas and 20-odd years on its depiction of political events in an (unnamed) South American state is a clear reflection on what happened in Chile and the awful consequences of a right-wing dictatorship , with its inevitable slaughters and injustices. One of Allende's many strengths as a writer is to powerfully evoke a clear picture of life under regimes determined to oppress and ... more

This is Isabel's second novel and written in almost a journalistic style. It is set in Chile and deal with the shocking crimes commited by Dictator Pinochet. The author tells the story of lives changed and controlled by acts of evil. This evil that dramatically affects the lives of thousands of innocent people. The book really is a valuable history lesson, in that it highlights to the world the torture that took place over many years. Allende perfectly captures the fear and emotions present at the time. In the midst of all this, the book is about a couple destined to be together called Irene ... more