Feminist Reflections or an Excuse to Just Talk about Yourself? | A Review of Allende's Mujeres del Alma Mia

Every author aspires to reach the point in their career where they can write whatever they want and are guaranteed to get it published. Such is the case with Isabel Allende's Mujeres del Alma Mia.

This was my first Allende book, and admittedly not the best pick, but it was a free copy I picked up (what else is new) so I figured I might as well give it a read. 

The book is straightforward enough and relatively simple in writing style. The full title translates to Women Of My Soul: On Impatient Love, Long Life, and Good Witches. The book claims to be a reflection on Allende's personal journey with womanhood and feminism, and a tribute to the countless women in her life that have led and supported her along the way. In some ways Mujeres del Alma Mia does this, but a significant portion is also devoted to ramblings or personal anecdotes that seem unrelated to the purported focus of the book. Allende goes on numerous tangents, including recounting her several marriages and divorces, her personal experience with aging and generational divides, and the effects of war on society. While she offers some food for thought, she does a poor job at connecting these topics and stories to the larger feminist narrative of the book. 

Because of this, what claims to be a series of feminist reflections is diminished into a scattered memoir of sorts in which Allende simply shares random thoughts and observations. Perhaps the book would have been better advertised as a collection of essays reflecting on the broader human experience. Allende does admit that the book is somewhat the result of her time spent in quarantine, so maybe she just felt like she had to get her existentialist pandemic reflections on paper. As such, I will try to give her some grace, and perhaps take up my qualms with her marketing team and editors instead. 

Lack of topical cohesion aside, this book and its many musings force readers to grapple with the endless hardships of life, particularly those endured by women. Allende addresses personal and global setbacks faced by women young and old, and while she offers her lament she stills acknowledges the dignity that all women inherently retain, in spite of persecution and setbacks.

Allende's general reflections are both amusing and inspirational, and one comes to recognize the value and beauty of a long life filled with a multiplicity of experiences. Allende documents her personal story, starting as a young girl living in Chile to being a grandmother and accomplished writer residing in the United States. Her life, like countless other women, has been filled with challenges, but they have shaped her into the intelligent and independent individual that she is today. I can only hope to one day be able to offer the same kind of wisdom that only comes from experiencing all that life has to offer. Though hard, life is still worth living, and Allende's messy personal reflections make this abundantly clear.

(Keep an eye out for more Allende reviews in the future, a 2025 goal is to read more Spanish literature)