Quite right. She was born in Peru but is Chilean. My mistake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Allende

I believe that the deposed ruler, Allende, was Isabel's uncle?

lindad_amato wrote:I believe that the deposed ruler, Allende, was Isabel's uncle?

Not quite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Allende#Biography says Her father was a first cousin of Salvador Allende, President of Chile from 1970 to 1973; so Salvador is her first cousin once removed.[5][6][7] Many sources cite Allende as being Salvador Allende's niece (without specifying that the relationship is that Tomas and Salvador are cousins);[8] the confusion stems from Allende herself often referring to Salvador as her "'uncle" (tío) in her private life and public interviews.[9] This is because in Spanish a "first cousin once removed" is translated as "second degree uncle" (tío en segundo grado).

Robert Tulip wrote:
Esteban and Rosa are the first love affair, and the first tragedy.

Not much of a love affair. He only kissed her once.

Robert Tulip wrote: Mermaids are a symbol of the danger of beauty.

Ahhhhh, I didn't know that. Thanks for that Robert. I figured there was something symbolic with the green hair and mermaidness. And the Catholic faith is full of symbolism's.

heledd wrote: As I haven’t read the whole book yet, I’m confused by whose voice we are hearing. Someone not yet born? Certainly on page 33 we have Estaban’s voice. Can’t wait to read more.

Good question. I'm gonna guess at this time it is Clara's.

Robert Tulip wrote: Occasionally through the book the narration switches without warning or explanation from third person to first person, with the story told by Esteban.

When this first happened I was taken back by it. Wondering what the heck! But when it happened the second time I appreciated it. It got me inside Esteban's head.

I am wondering if other characters in the book will be doing this as the story moves forward.

kelstan wrote:I'm having trouble seeing Rosa and Esteban as a tragic love affair. I find Rosa quite vacuous, beautiful but with no substance. She certainly doesn't seem to have any love for Esteban - it's as though she really has no thoughts or feelings of her own at all. And Esteban's professed "love" seems like little more than a desire to possess something beautiful - certainly it doesn't seem as though there is any real love for Rosa the person. I can't seem to empathize with either of these characters - is it just me?

No it is not just you. I really didn't have much sympathy for Esteban. If he was in this day and age he would be considered a stalker. As for Rosa well she has her looks but that's about it.

Robert Tulip wrote: Just like the infant Clara telling the church we are fucked if the stories about hell are lies, the death of Rosa from strychnine poisoning introduces a jarring note. People seek to create a beautiful dream, regardless of reality, but reality intrudes to point out that the dream is self-serving.

I had to read that a couple times in the book. Kept thinking I was reading it wrong. Thought it should of said if the stories about hell are "true" we are all F'd.

heledd wrote:The problem is, I could not read the book as a parable, because I simply did not know enough about the coup in Chile, and for a while was not even sure that it was set in Chile.

I have been waiting to see Chile mentioned myself. What year is this suppose to be? I wouldn't mind Goggling images and seeing what they were wearing and such.