My Name Is Emilia del Valle

My Name Is Emilia del Valle

Isabel Allende

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.In San Francisco 1866, an Irish nun, left pregnant and abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia Del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of sixteen, she begins to publish pulp fiction under a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can't contain her sense of adventure any longer, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at the San Francisco Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, along with Eric, and while there, begins to uncover the truth about her father and the country that represents her roots. But as the war escalates, Emilia finds herself in danger and at a crossroads, questioning both her identity and her destiny.A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart.

Publication Year: 2025


From the Forum

No posts yet

Kick off the convo with a theory, question, musing, or update

Recent Reviews

Your rating:

  • mevsmyTBR
    May 13, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    Grateful to #NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the ARC!

    Emilia del Valle is a writer and journalist born in San Francisco in the late 1800s to an Irish mother and an absentee Chilean father. She grow up to become a journalist who travels to Chile as a foreign correspondent to cover the Chilean Civil War of 1891. While there, she promises her mother to reconnect with her father and in doing so, Emilia builds connections to her ancestral homeland despite the political upheaval.

    I know very little about the history of Chile and this period in particular and this novel made me interested in learning more about that history. Emilia is a remarkable character and I greatly enjoyed her story. This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction and are interested in exploring unique historical settings.

    0
    comments 0
    Reply
  • View all reviews
    Community recs if you liked this book...