Zorro: A Novel (P.S.) by Isabel Allende Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Zorro: A Novel (P.S.)
Book Review: Zorro Begins!
Summary: 4 Stars
What a wonderful story told by a brilliant author. This Zorro origin tale reminds me of one of my favorite movies from last year, "Batman Begins." Like this novel, that movie provided a fresh new look at a familiar hero. That movie developed the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman through dark cinematic images and flashbacks in the same way that Allende develops Diego de la Vega/Zorro through her beautiful prose. It is no wonder that the creator of Batman was influenced by Johnston McCulley's Zorro. My one disappointment was that this book had to end. This sorrow not only came from the fascinating and imaginative tale ending, but also from the lack of true Zorro adventures (as the legendary hero fighting injustice in old California). I had hoped to read more swashbuckling once Allende established Diego as Zorro. Perhaps Allende will save these tales for further novels. One can only hope.Book Review: Zorro, by Isabel Allende Allende, Isabel. Zorro. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.
Summary: 5 Stars
Zorro was an epic and thrilling tale, starting in California. The main character in the story was Diego de la Vega, the son of a Spanish captain and an Indian woman. His mother became ill after childbirth, so a servant who gave birth at the same time cared for him and breastfed him and her son, Bernardo. Over the course of their childhood, Diego and Bernardo became closer than best friends. They were brothers.
Being wealthy and intelligent, Captain Alejandro de la Vega taught Diego many things. But, unknown to Alejandro, sometimes Diego and Bernardo were taken to Diego's mother's tribe and were taught about their culture.
When Diego and Bernardo were ten years old, Captain de la Vega went on a trip to bring pleasantries to his hacienda. While he was away, a band of pirates broke into the hacienda, killed Bernardo's mother, and stole anything valuable. Diego's mother was wounded, and Diego hid her. Eventually, Diego ventured out to Padre Mendoza to save her. His mother survived the attack, but, because of his mother's death, Bernardo did not speak for many years. Bernardo went to live with the Indian tribe to recover and found his true love, a girl named Light-in-the-Night. Bernardo was maturing.
Diego's grandmother, White Owl, brought him and Bernardo to the tribe because she wanted them to find their destinies. They had to walk for four days, and then for four days dance around a sacred fire pit. The final part of the journey was that each boy would venture on his way for four days alone. Bernardo found a small black foal, which he called Tornado, and taught it to survive. He knew he was destined to be like a horse: strong and full of endurance. Diego's journey was much harder. He could not find much to eat. On the third day, he was bitten by a rattlesnake. Diego lay on the ground, but was always watched by the protective eye of a fox, a zorro. Bernardo found Diego and brought him to White Owl, saving his life. Diego realized that he would be like a fox: brave and cunning.
A friend of Diego's father offered Diego to come to Barcelona, across the Atlantic, and they crossed aboard the Madre de Dios from Panama to Barcelona, Spain. The crew was friendly and cheerful. The cook, Galileo Tempesta, being a former magician, taught Diego many amazing tricks.
Barcelona was huge. Diego and Bernardo were brought to their host, Tomás de Romeu. He was a wealthy man with two daughters, Isabel and Juliana. Juliana was the local beauty, and Diego knew she was the most beautiful in the world. Soon, a wealthy man, Rafael Moncada, started to court Juliana. Juliana did not love him, but he was relentless. Diego also loved Juliana, but she did not notice. Soon after arriving, Diego went to meet with Maestro Manuel Escalante, a very famous fencing master. Diego began lessons with him, and became an excellent swordsman. Also, Rafael Moncada came to despise Diego.
Bernardo befriended the local tribe of Gypsies when he saved a Gypsie named Amalia from an angry crowd. Diego soon became friends with them as well.
Maestro Escalante saw a need for justice inside Diego, so he brought Diego to La Justicia, a secret society devoted to justice. He was made a member, and his chosen code name: Zorro. Zorro's first adventure was to free detainees from prison.
The band of Gypsies was accused of smuggling weapons. Bernardo found out early, giving him a chance to alert the Gypsies. While the Gypsies fled Barcelona, Diego and Bernardo stalled the soldiers. Shortly after the Gypsies left, Bernardo received a letter saying that Light-in-the-Night had given birth and wanted Bernardo to return to California. He left in January, but left Diego a letter telling him to be wary that Zorro did not take over his life.
It was 1814, and Napoleon had just lost all his power. Tomás de Romeu and his daughters left when violence broke out, along with the girls' chaperone, Nuria. They believed they would be safe away from Barcelona.
La Justicia was in danger. When a member was found in the home of Maestro Escalante, the fencing master was taken to a barracks. Diego decided that he would free Escalante. Zorro fought his way out, but the rescue worked. Escalante left Barcelona as a free man. But that is not all. Rafael Moncada found Tomás de Romeu's shelter, had him arrested, and took him to the impregnable La Ciudadela. Diego knew that he could not be rescued, but he and the girls were allowed to see him one last time. At that time, Tomás sold everything he owned, and charged Diego to bring his daughters to California. Diego and the girls packed and were soon far away from Barcelona.
Diego, Juliana, Isabel, and Nuria began their trek across the widest part of Spain acting as pilgrims. They had walked halfway across Spain when they encountered the Gypsies. Until they reached the west coast of Spain, they traveled with the Gypsies. At the port on the coast, Diego met another old friend: Galileo Tempesta. He welcomed Diego, and the captain, Santiago de León, allowed them to cross the Atlantic on the Madre de Dios.
The de Romeu sisters and Nuria had a good time aboard until, off the Cuban coast, they were attacked by pirates. Jean Lafitte, a businessman and pirate involved in illegal activities, took Diego and the women prisoner.
What will happen to our heroes? Will they remain prisoners of Jean Lafitte, or will Zorro save them all?
I loved reading this book, because the characters were developed extremely well. Bernardo went from being "a runny-nosed boy (p.89)" to being a man. Diego also developed a lot during the book. Zorro helped to change Diego's personality forever. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adventure. It's a great book to read, and its definitely worth buying for your bookshelf.
Book Review: good job
Summary: 5 Stars
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