Isabel Allende
Daughter of Fortune (1999)
So, I started reading this book in 2006 or possibly even 2005.
No, seriously.
I never gave up, because I did want to find out what happened, however, the book ended up at work, as my “OMG! I have an appointment and I don’t have a book!” book. But since I almost always carry a book with me, it was very slow going.
Eliza was abandoned as a baby on the steps of the Sommers house, and adopted by Rose (a spinster) and (somewhat against his will) Rose’s brother Jeremy. It is a strange childhood, and perhaps because she is raised by two siblings who were never married, Eliza falls into a relationship with an unsuitable young man. When the inevitable happens, Eliza decides her only recourse is to attempt to follow her lover to the Americas.
There were two parts I particularly liked about this story. First, was Eliza’s relationship with Tao Chi’en, who saves her life, and her time spent wandering around as a young boy.
Is this an historically accurate depiction of the west during the Gold Rush? Probably not. But it was interesting, and the individuals Eliza meets feel real and distinct.
So why did it take me so long to read this book? Because although it was interesting, it never truly grabbed me. I could read a couple pages, put the book down, and then be fine not reading any more for months. That doesn’t make it a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It simply because that the story interested me, but didn’t suck me in to the point of no return.
Rating: 6/10
Zorro (2005)
translated by Margaret Sayers Peden
As I've mentioned before, I love swashbuckling adventures, and as swashbuckling adventurers go, Zorro is one of my favorites.
Last summer, when "The Legend of Zorro" was out, I saw this book, but assumed it was related to the movie, and didn't pick it up.
My mistake.
Isabel Allende tells the story of Diego's childhood and youth--the events in his life that turned him into Zorro, while allowing him to play the fop to keep his identity secret. We learn of his birth, and the birth of Bernardo, and how the two grew up together, and influenced each other. It also tells of his time in Spain, where he continued to learn to fence--and where he fell in love.
I really enjoyed this book. Fencing, fighting, pirates--and just a touch of romance. I loved seeing how Diego and Bernardo grew into the men they became. And I especially liked Bernardo's character. One of the things I remember most clearly is a scene with Bernardo, and I always wanted to know more about him. And there is lots in this story about Bernardo.
In many ways, this is the book that I wanted The Mark of Zorro to be. Diego is intelligent, athletic, daring, and romantic. Bernardo is strong, loyal, and wise. Plus, she has added in some strong female characters--an added bonus.
The pacing of the story was very good. It moved quickly--as a swashbuckling adventure should--but there were lots of details about the time and place. Bits of the story reminded me of Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste. Maybe there's something about the time period; pistols were not yet reliable and convenient, so swords were still commonly used (although pistols made a nice ace in the hole.)
Diego is, of course, interesting. He has to grow into the man that we know he becomes, and we see the start of the conflict between Diego and Zorro--how he learns to keep them separate and to hide the truth, and also how he relies upon Bernardo to temper his wilder impulses.
Isabel Allende's Zorro is a worthy heir to the Zorro tradition, providing background and depth to one of the original superheroes--only a superhero whose feats came from athleticism and cunning rather than special powers and technology.
Rating: 8/10
Zorro (2005), Daughter of Fortune (1999)
