Violeta

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Violeta’s life is marked by personal tragedy, political unrest, and passionate love affairs. Which of the novel’s events did you find the most moving? Which of the protagonist’s romantic partners did you like best, and why?

2. Isabel Allende is one of the world’s most acclaimed and prolific Spanish-language authors. What similarities and differences can you identify between Violeta (2022) and Allende’s earlier works, such as The House of the Spirits (1982) or Eva Luna (1987)? If this is your first time reading Allende, are you interested in reading more?

3. Violeta is an example of an epistolary novel. Compare and contrast Allende’s use of this narrative form to another epistolary novel, such as Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You (2021), which is told through the email exchanges of four friends. Can you identify any advantages or challenges the epistolary format presents compared to more common narrative structures?