My Invented Country: A Memoir
by Isabel Allende

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Book Reviews of My Invented Country: A Memoir

Book Review: Lovers of Allende's style will not be dissapointed
Summary: 4 Stars

But this is not to say I didn't enjoy it, its filled with her signature descriptive narrative, in the first few pages of this book she writes such a line: "I am as old as aspirin". She takes you through the tumultuous polical history of her native country of Chilie to her present life in the United States. She also gives some insight into what it really feels like to be an immigrant, never being able to set your roots anywhere for too long, and how difficult and often isolated one can feel when trying to integrate into a new place or culture.

What makes this book so straight forward and approachable in nature is it reads almost like a travel piece. Allende takes you on a journey through Chilie from what they eat, how they dress and how they behave. She gets into the mindset of the people of the Chilie and gives you their streotypes and tries to explain why they tend to behave as they do sometimes. Its not at all offensive, on the contrary I think you'll find you will recognise many of these characteristics in alot of people. I love her for doing that. Not many writers in the West are so honest when they speak about the mannerisms or behaviour of other cultures in case they might offend some readers. Allende's however treats her readers as adults and tells it like it is. Speaking of which, she explores the whole 'political correctness' of the West and how really in some places in the world they just don't sugar coat things, which is truely refreshing.

I would highly recommend to this book as an intro to her works as its nice and short and a very easy smooth read. But my favourite is Paula as well as her fictional novel House of The Spirits. But if you're a fan of her work as I am, you'll be grateful to plunge into any of her works! Enjoy it.

Biographies & Memoirs Books

• History
• Literature & Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Travel