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A Long Petal of the Sea
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
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A Long Petal of the Sea
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Publisher's Summary
New York Times Best Seller
From the author of The House of the Spirits, this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.
“One of the most richly imagined portrayals of the Spanish Civil War to date, and one of the strongest and most affecting works in [Isabel Allende’s] long career.” (The New York Times Book Review)
Named One of The Best Books of The Year By Esquire • Good Housekeeping • Parade
In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires.
Together with two thousand other refugees, Roser and Victor embark on the SS Winnipeg, a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda, to Chile: “the long petal of sea and wine and snow.” As unlikely partners, the couple embraces exile as the rest of Europe erupts in world war. Starting over on a new continent, they face trial after trial, but they will also find joy as they patiently await the day when they might go home. Through it all, their hope of returning to Spain keeps them going. Destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world, Roser and Victor will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along.
A masterful work of historical fiction about hope, exile, and belonging, A Long Petal of the Sea shows Isabel Allende at the height of her powers.
Praise for A Long Petal of the Sea
“Both an intimate look at the relationship between one man and one woman and an epic story of love, war, family, and the search for home, this gorgeous novel, like all the best novels, transports the reader to another time and place, and also sheds light on the way we live now.” (J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Saints for All Occasions)
“This is a novel not just for those of us who have been Allende fans for decades, but also for those who are brand-new to her work: What a joy it must be to come upon Allende for the first time. She knows that all stories are love stories, and the greatest love stories are told by time.” (Colum McCann, National Book Award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin)
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What the critics say
"Edoardo Ballerini's sensitive narration of Isabel Allende's lyrical prose touches the heart.... Ballerini expertly delivers Allende's reminder of how delicate the boundary is between precious freedom and insidious tyranny. Powerful listening." (AudioFile Magazine)
"Majestic...both timeless and perfectly timed for today...Allende’s assured prose vividly evokes her fictional characters [and] historical figures...seamlessly juxtaposing exile with homecoming, otherness with belonging, and tyranny with freedom." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
"A tale that is seductively intimate and strategically charming...a virtuoso of lucidly well-told, utterly enrapturing fiction...Allende deftly addresses war, displacement, violence, and loss in a novel of survival and love under siege." (Booklist, starred review)
What listeners say about A Long Petal of the Sea
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer
- 2020-04-15
Beautiful prose
What a lovely intricate story to weave together many historical events that seem less known to the north american anglophone world. It was a pleasure to listen to.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-02-29
Excellent Historic Book
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. The characters and the setting in Spain then Chile were moving. I sat in my car and went for longer drives, so I could listen to more! If you enjoy historical fiction you will not be disappointed.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eleanor Eliza Cowan
- 2022-09-27
Staunchly Inspiring
Courage and determination abound in the story of living through the ravages of political evil, not once but twice. A profound philosophy of life emerges. Thank you, Isabel Allende!
Eleanor Cowan, Author of ‘A History of a Pedophile’s Wife.’
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- pikake
- 2023-05-26
Love the story
Having many Chilean friends, I felt I was gaining a greater understanding of their history and inheritance.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Osmviv
- 2020-02-05
Wonderful historical novel
I enjoyed this book very much, especially after having been recently in Chile. The story follows the lives of two people thrown together by circumstances and takes them through wars and revolutions. My only criticism is that Allende writes in a very expositional style. once you accept that, it's fascinating. Recommend!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Under Ether
- 2020-02-10
Captivating story
Interesting historical fiction, i learned a great deal about the history of Spain and Chile. A really beautiful story interwoven within some brutal and terrible events. Thought provoking and lingering.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anne
- 2020-07-13
Such a great book !!!
This is the first book of Isabel Allende I have read. I was captivated from beginning to end. I love the way she writes giving colour and shape and smell to everything without being over wordy. A wonderful story !!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carolyn Ryan
- 2022-03-04
Wonderful
Beautiful story, good narration. Tragic, inspiring, everything you need and want in an Allende book. I’m grateful to have found it. This book will live with me for a good long while.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-01-28
A Great Read
loved this book from beginning to end. The characters were real, their journey was fascinating. I was sorry when it ended. I cried too.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mavo
- 2021-05-22
historical fiction without the magic
Unlike many of Allende's other novels, this one doesn't read as magic realism, but more like historical fiction. She still uses her skills at character creation to lure the reader into the story of Victor and Rosaire and we care about them until the end. But parts of the narrative seem journalistic, as she describes what happens in the Spanish Civil War and in the coup in Chile in 1973. But perhaps this is understandable, considering Allende's close personal experience with these events. The style of the book doesn't take away from its appeal for me, but it might attract other readers who don't enjoy the 'magic' of her usual style. I've never read anything by this author that I didn't love.
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