Ines of My Soul Author:Isabel Allende, Margaret Sayers Peden (Translator) In the early years of the conquest of the Americas, Ines Suerez, a seamstress condemned to a life of toil, flees Spain to seek adventure in the New World. As Ines makes her way to Chile, she begins a fiery romance with Pedro de Valdivia, war hero and field marshal to the famed Francisco Pizarro. — Together the lovers will build the new city of Sa... more »ntiago, and they will wage war against the indigenous Chileans -- a bloody struggle that will change Ines and Valdivia forever, inexorably pulling each of them toward separate destinies.« less
Based on the Spanish Conquest of Peru, this is a historical fiction by Isabel Allende. The story is told through the eyes of Ines who was originally a seamstress but adventures to the new world in search of her husband. It is interestig that Allende never seems to take sides, but takes a unvarnished view of this bloody time in America's history. It was a great read.
Close to death, Ines Suarez tells her life story to her daughter in this historical novel of the sixteenth century. It begins as Ines searches for her husband in the Americas believing that he has left Spain. Then she meets Pedro de Valdivia, a war war hero and field marshal for Francisco Pizarro, who wants to conquer new territories. He focuses on Chile, which has eluded other Spanish soldiers. And, the lovers do conquer Chile but they encounter obstacle after obstacle yet finally succeed, managing also to create the city of Santiago.
In short, the book depicts the colonization of Chile by the Spaniards as led by Valdivia. His fiery romance with Ines is portrayed with their very human ambitions, faults, and passions adding another dimension to this historical undertaking.
The story is emotional ride. It describes the difficult early years when Ines lived in Spain followed by her search for her first husband in Peru and Chile. Later meeting Valdivia, the lovers found Santiago but her affair with Valdivia gradually fades. Life in Santiago goes on finding her with other lovers. A passionate tale, it written with historical and lavish detail about the country and its natives. It's a fascinating read
Allende brings the 16th century to life in this engrossing historical novel about Ines Suarez, a lowly seamstress from Spain who improbably became a key figure in the conquest of Chile. Passionately told, engrossing and vividly detailed.
I really enjoyed this book and Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors. This is the story of a brave Spanish woman and her decision to journey to the New World during the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru and Chili. It is a wonderful and exciting story of the founding colonists in Chili and the leadership of Ines Suarez in this amazing adventure of conquest and settlement. I would recommend it to anyone. Genny
