Originally I had chosen Jennifer Haigh 's " News from Heaven " for our January selection but as I started reading it I found nothing heavenly about it. Like, "However humble the town was, it must have a Chinese or Mexican restaurant." or that fleas don't bite Chileans or Guatemalans but only Richard because he's light-blooded. Sometimes there are things said that seem like if a non-famous, non-Chilean author said them in today's politically charged environment there would be outrage. The elapsed time is approximately over a long weekend from a Friday to a Tuesday in the current day, plus all the stories they tell of their lives through the last half-century. The current scene is New York City and up-state New York but the flash backs take you anywhere between Canada and Chile, including Chicago, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Venezuela.
The novel is set in January of 2016 but flashes back through several decades. I guess it was a good thing the bottle magically appeared because Evelyn said in vigils there was always liquor. And then suddenly they had a bottle of tequila that Richard used to wipe the amulet with. I don't recall them planning to go there during the road trip but all of a sudden they were. I found it to be very well written although at the end, perhaps my mind wandered instead of listening to the audio, but I was a little confused about why they went to the Institute. At the same time, she manages to bring some levity to the story and at times it is downright comical. This is a very timely novel that shows a compassionate side to the current Central American migrant situation receiving much attention in the U.S.
This is the third novel of hers that I read and definitely the most enjoyable. That was thirty years ago - so Allende definitely has staying power. (Write what you know is common advice to beginning authors.) Allende is no novice - I first read her in college as prescribed by a literature professor who may also have been Chilean, or Latina at the least. I believe the rarity of this angle adds additional interest. In her novels she frequently relies heavily on her Chilean origin. Isabel Allende is masterful at drawing deep, rich characters on her canvass. Click " here " to open new page link to Amazon.
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