25 Apr / A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabelle Allende, translated by Nick Caistor and Amanda Hopkinson [in Booklist]
*STARRED REVIEW
How fitting that what might be Isabel Allende’s best work gets aurally elevated by one of audio’s most gifted narrators. For nearly 10 hours, Edoardo Ballerini embodies the extended Dalmau family, flowing through six decades, multiple countries, two continents, recounting the Spanish Civil War and the growing militarism of Chile’s incoming Pinochet regime.
With empathy and grace, Ballerini introduces the leading couple in Spain: doctor-to-be Victor who marries pianist Roser, who is pregnant with his dead brother’s child. Saved by the poet Pablo Neruda who, in real life, chartered a ship to transport 2,000 Spanish refugees to new lives in Chile, Victor and Roser arrive in Santiago, where they are initially housed by Felipe, the idealistic heir to the wealthy del Solar family. The couple remains entwined with the del Solars, even as their own relationship undergoes multiple metamorphoses. Displacement never seems far, and exile a necessary repetition.
Ballerini’s affecting performance owes much to his signature irresistible rhythm, which he gently sustains throughout; his most memorable moments, ironically, seem to be when he animates more minor characters – the del Solar’s lifelong housekeeper, Juana, for example, is especially indelible – as if testing unexpected characterizations might be less noticeable over minimal airtime. Author and reader remain ideally paired, enabling even greater reach for eager audiences.
Review: “Media,” Booklist, April 1, 2020
Readers: Adult
Published: 2020