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The House of the Spirits
Isabel Allende. Bantam Books: 1986. ISBN: 0553273914. 433 pages.
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About the Author
A page of detailed biographical information on The House of the Spirits including excerpts from interviews in which Allende interprets her own work.
The autobiographical roots of The House of the Spirits are fascinating: Allende fashioned the character of the the "President" after her uncle, Salvador Allende, who in 1971 became the first Marxist elected by popular vote in Latin America (he was assassinated by General Augusto Pinochet two years later).
All in the Family
A synopsis of the literary traditions and genres with which The House of the Spirits is affiliated and a brief explanation of these connections, giving your book group the opportunity to understand Allende’s novel in a larger literary perspective.
The history of Chile and the meaning of magical realism are explored in this section. You'll learn why some critics argue that Latin American fiction "has a sense of mission that puts estheticism in its rightful place."
Talk Back to the Critics
Excerpts of some major critical reviews of The House of the Spirits from authoritative journals, newspapers, and magazines. We encourage your book group to enjoy the opportunity to argue with expert opinion.
One critic thinks Allende's novel plagiarizes a famous novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: "Only the dullest reader can fail to be distracted by the shameless cloning from One Hundred Years of Solitude."
Character Tree
A list of major characters and their dominant characteristics and values, showing characters’ relationships to each other.
Having a little trouble keeping all these generations of Truebas straight? Want to pinpoint the character who manages to escape Esteban's bloody legacy? Skip to this section to renew your acquaintance.
Streams of Themes
A breakdown of potential major discussion themes in The House of the Spirits including ways these themes are interconnected.
What did you make of the fact that Esteban's first love, Rosa, has a mantle of gorgeous green hair? Learn how the literary tradition of magical realism also functions as a guiding theme in Allende's novel in this section.
Doorways to Discussion
A chronologically and thematically organized list of discussion questions, which function to explore, in a logical and thoughtful manner, the questions and possibilities that The House of the Spirits evokes.
Allende's novel covers almost a century of radical change, but certain people and things manage to remain unnervingly the same. Who or what is the most touched by the violent cultural shifts that shake the country, and who or what slides under the radar? Check the 54 questions in this section for a complete list of both specific and general questions on this groundbreaking novel.
Taste Test
A selection of other books on subjects similar to those in The House of the Spirits to consider for future book group meetings or for private reading.
If you like reading Latin American fiction, stories that combine the personal and the political, or novels about the complexities of family, we’ve included lots of books we think you’ll enjoy!
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