My Name Is Emilia del Valle, Isabel Allende
My Name Is Emilia del Valle, Isabel Allende
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My Name Is Emilia del Valle

Author: Isabel Allende, Frances Riddle

Narrator: Coral Peña, Johnathan McClain

Unabridged: 10 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/06/2025


Synopsis

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 in 1866, an Irish nun, 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 seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily 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, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning 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.

About Isabel Allende

It is a good person who is a world renowned author, but says her best achievement is not her books, but the love she shares with a few people, especially her family, and having always tried to help people. Such are the thoughts of Isabel Allende, a Chilean author who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Hussein Obama. She has written: The House of the Spirits, and City of the Beasts. Her novels are considered to be the genre of magical realism. They are usually based on her own experiences, historical events, and pay homage to the lives of women. She also uses elements of myth and realism.

Allende was born in Lima, Peru. Her father was a cousin to Salvador Allende, the President of Chile from 1970 to 1973. Her father left her mother, so Isabel ended up moving to many places when her mother married a diplomat. In 1962 Isabel married an engineering student, when she moved back to Chile to complete her secondary education. She then led a dual life as obedient wife and mother, but in public was Barbara Cartland, well-known tv personality, a dramatist, and journalist with a feminine magazine.

Allende had jobs with the United Nations in Santiago, then Brussels and elsewhere. In Chile she translated books from English to Spanish, but was fired because she made some changes on her own (which were not appreciated) and was altering some endings from "happily ever after", to allow the heroine some independence to do good in the world.

She now runs the Isabel Allende Foundation, founded in 1996 to honor the author's daughter Paula Frias, who passed away at age 29. They award life-changing grants to women to improve their care.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Canadian Jen on May 15, 2025

My love affair with South America continues. I love learning of the culture, the people, the landscape. Allende does this exceptionally well. And in case you didn’t catch her name - it’s Emilia Del Valle. And she’s quite the memorable character. Late 1800’s on the cusp of a new century. Emilia was bor......more

Goodreads review by Angela M on March 06, 2025

Isabel Allende once again has given us a story of a strong woman, deeply connected to her family and culture, a story full of heart and courage depicting a piece of history of her native Chile. The story telling is alluring from the first page. Her writing is as usual mesmerizing with descriptions o......more

Goodreads review by Terrie on May 06, 2025

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY 5/6/25!!! I get excited every time Isabel Allende has a new book coming out, knowing a strong, independent female character will be at the center of her novel... My Name Is Emilia del Valle is no exception. Emilia is confident, unafraid, and talented. She is tall and beautif......more

Goodreads review by Ceecee on April 01, 2025

4 - 5 stars rounded up. Emilia del Valle doesn’t have the most auspicious start in life when her wealthy Chilean father abandons her mother, Molly Walsh, before she is even born. However, when Molly marries, Emilia regards her stepfather as her true father. He encourages her with her desire to write,......more

Goodreads review by Constantine on April 06, 2025

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre: Historical Fiction + Literary Fiction My Name is Emilia del Valle is a historical novel set in 1866 in San Francisco. It follows the protagonist Emilia right before her birth and how her mother got pregnant with her when she was an Irish nun. Her Chilean aristocrat father didn’t wa......more


Quotes

“Isabel Allende is a literary treasure. Her latest novel is a beautifully written portrait of a woman coming of age and finding her voice. In this tale of love, war, betrayal, and redemption, Allende transports the reader wholeheartedly to the nineteenth century, a time when women’s choices were limited and their ambitions thwarted. Bold and unwilling to be bound by the conventions of the day, Emilia del Valle dares to forge her own path and break the rules set for women, and in doing so finds herself on a dangerous journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she believes to be true.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Women

“A captivating novel of love and war from one of our most revered storytellers.”—Kate Morton, author of Homecoming

“Isabel Allende is one of the great storytellers of our time. Her books are multilayered, deeply magical, and unputdownable—and they always touch the heart. They’re quite simply beautiful. My Name is Emilia del Valle is a spellbinding masterpiece. I really loved it.”—Santa Montefiore, author of The Girl in the Castle

“Bestselling author Isabel Allende has crafted yet another spellbinding narrative in My Name Is Emilia del Valle, a historical novel about self-discovery, ambition, and destiny.”Harper’s Bazaar

“Isabel Allende never fails to deliver on the sweeping and spellbinding front. Her latest historical novel is about an ambitious young aspiring writer who goes after her dreams—much like Allende herself did.”Today

“Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction should look no further. . . . If you have ever read a Kristin Hannah book or think you might enjoy historical fiction, Allende is here for you.”—Her Campus

“The author of The House of the Spirits and Violeta delivers a captivating new novel set in the mid-nineteenth century.”BookBub

“In this spellbinding historical novel . . . a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.The Nerd Daily

“Isabel Allende’s latest novel follows Emilia del Valle’s transformative journey across continents and through generations. With her signature lyrical prose, Allende explores themes of love, self-discovery, and resilience, crafting an emotional tapestry that will captivate readers.”AL DÍA