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In the Midst of Winter

Isabel Allende

Start date: January 1, 2018

Finish date: January 31, 2018

Discussion: Chapter Chicks Reading Info

Discussion leader: Brina

Why we're reading this: Our January 2018 Buddy Read.
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Nov 09, 2017 Brina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: hispanic-culture, isabel-allende, historical-fiction, new-york-city

Isabel Allende has been a favorite author of mine since I read her House of the Spirits for the first time when I was in high school. Allende will always hold a special place in my heart because with her magical realism brand of writing, I gained entry into the world of Hispanic women writers, and have been Latin America and its writers ever since. Having read many of Allende's novels and memoirs at this point, I always find myself captivated by her writing, immersing myself in the novel for man Isabel Allende has been a favorite author of mine since I read her House of the Spirits for the first time when I was in high school. Allende will always hold a special place in my heart because with her magical realism brand of writing, I gained entry into the world of Hispanic women writers, and have been Latin America and its writers ever since. Having read many of Allende's novels and memoirs at this point, I always find myself captivated by her writing, immersing myself in the novel for many hours until completion. It came as no surprise that when my library finally had a copy of her newest novel In the Midst of Winter that I wanted to read the book in one sitting, as I have with her other novels in the past. Even though this is a contemporary rather than historical novel and does not contain much of Allende's trademark magical realism, In the Midst of Winter shows how Allende's writing has evolved over the years and ended up being a treat to read.

Allende always begins writing her novels on January 8, the anniversary of the day her daughter Paula slipped into a coma. She began this practice as a means of writing a letter to Paula and has continued to use this date as a point of entry for her books for the past thirty five years. By 2015 and a lifetime of writing and adventures, it almost seemed as though Allende had run out of stories to tell, that is until she met her son and some friends for coffee on New Years Day and together pieced together ideas that would become the basis of this book. Crowdsourcing is a vital part of 21st century living, and it is amusing to see that Allende has adapted to the times, especially with the longevity gene in her family. She cites her son's generation as being crucial in coming up with the story surrounding this book, and, after forming the general ideas, also includes elements from her own family history, as she has in many of her past novels. While not a historical fiction novel, In the Midst of Winter does feature in some of the Allende stories I have become familiar with over the years, while also noting current events that will contain to dominate headlines in the years to come.

In the Midst of Winter takes place during winter storm Jonas and brings together three diverse people as together they cope with personal and external tragedies. New York University adjunct professor Richard Bowmaster takes an emergency trip to the veterinarian and upon returning to his Brooklyn apartment dents the car of Evelyn Ortega, a twentysomething undocumented worker from Guatemala. Assisting Ortega in getting out of harm's way, Bowmaster requires the assistance of his tenant, visiting professor Lucia Maraz. All three protagonists have known their fair share of loss and tragedy in their lives, and, as they wait out the storm, they begin to tell each other their life stories. Ortega came to the United States to escape the violence of the MS-13 gang as well as the extreme poverty that defines day to day life in their countries. Bowmaster and Maraz are both approaching their older age and have suffered from marriages devoid of love as well as personal illness and death of close family members. Even though Maraz only came to New York on a one year commitment, proximity to Bowmaster factored into her decision. Mirroring her own later in life relationships, Allende weaves the romantic interest between Maraz and Bowmaster into other plot lines that all appear to be ripped from the headlines.

While Allende can employ magical realism with the best of authors, she has also brought many critical issues to readers attention through her writing. Even if one does not agree with her politically, she leaves her readers more informed on various issues than they have been before reading her novels. From reading her early work, I am familiar with the turmoil in Chile that lead to the military coup d'état, which overthrew her uncle's government in 1973, leading to her family seeking political refuge. In the Midst of Winter discusses current events such as immigration, which will always remain a hot button issue; human trafficking; rights of the disabled to be treated as whole people; and the aging of the baby boom generation. As the protagonists tell each other their life stories, it almost appears as though Allende tried to do too much with this novel. She introduces a large peripheral cast of characters, and some, including Maraz' daughter Daniela and Bowmaster's father Joseph appear multilayered but do not receive much space within the pages. As I familiar with Allende's books, the plot also seemed to be heading toward a predictable finish, yet one I was still intrigued to read.

As this is a novel, Allende was able to tie up all her loose ends neatly upon the book's conclusion. With little magical realism and an informative yet predictable story, I was not as mesmerized here as I have been with her earlier novels. No one author is going to produce a masterpiece with each book; however, as Allende ages and writes more about current events and less about the magical realism which shaped her past, I find myself reading her novels more for posterity and less because I am captivated by the writing. I hope that before she retires completely to her house of the spirits that Allende has at least one more sweeping historical epic left in her. That is Allende at her best, and the author that made me into a lifelong lover of Hispanic magical realism.

3.5 stars
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Dec 26, 2019 Celia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ten-year-challenge, 2019-read, elyse-review, kindle-unlimited-former

I have to tell you that I have a soft spot in my heart for this book. I was invited to attend the Book Club Matinee sponsored by Simon and Schuster Books in Feb 2017. Isabel Allende was a guest speaker. At the time she was writing this book. She described it as a cold atmosphere and, yes, there was a dead body.

I have finally read it and it was very good. There are three main characters. They are diverse but all have suffered the same: isolation and death to loved ones. They embark on an adventur ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 28, 2018 Lory Sakay rated it liked it · review of another edition

In the Midst of Winter plays on how individual lives hold histories we don't show on our sleeves, how these experiences shape us, and how we can find support in one another. The bizarre adventure these three adults embark upon highlights the above and details a bond that can only come from their shared, similar, traumatic experiences. ...more

1 like · Like · see review