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A Long Petal of the Sea
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
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A Long Petal of the Sea
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Summary
Bloomsbury presents A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende, read by Edoardo Ballerini.
Sometimes, the difficult thing is not to flee but to return. A love letter to Chile that soars from the Spanish Civil War to the rise and fall of Pinochet, and a stunning return to great storytelling heights, A Long Petal of the Sea is the much-awaited new novel from literary legend Isabel Allende.
September 3, 1939, the day of the Spanish exiles’ splendid arrival in Chile, the Second World War broke out in Europe.
Victor Dalmau is a young doctor when he is caught up in the Spanish Civil War, a tragedy that leaves his life - and the fate of his country - forever changed. Together with his sister-in-law, the pianist Roser Bruguera, he is forced out of his beloved Barcelona and into exile.
When opportunity to seek refuge in Chile arises, they take it, boarding a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda to the promised ‘long petal of sea and wine and snow’ over the seas. There, they find themselves enmeshed in a rich web of characters who come together in love and tragedy over the course of four generations, destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world. A masterful work of historical fiction about hope, exile and belonging, A Long Petal of the Sea is Isabel Allende at the height of her powers.
Critic reviews
"Allende has everything it takes: the ear, the eye, the mind, the heart, the all-encompassing humanity." (New York Times)
"Isabel Allende is a grand story teller who writes with surpassing compassion and insight. Her place as an icon of world literature was secured long ago. She will be celebrated, by readers and writers alike, for generations to come." (Khaled Hosseini)
"Allende marries the fictional and the historical in lush, sprawling epics. A Long Petal of the Sea takes its place in the unparalleled canon she has created, exploring the sacrifices we make for the sake of those we love, and the love we sacrifice for the sake of our families." (Jodi Picoult)
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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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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ying Ling Lee
- 03-03-20
Life story of Victor
A beautiful story with great characters spanning 6 decades starting in Spain escaping the Spanish civil war to Chile. Living in hope, surviving and enduring war and all it brings with it to modern times.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aggie
- 09-05-21
epic story of enduring love
loved this story but got a bit tired of the narrator's voice by the third section so finished it by reading the hard copy myself
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alby
- 06-01-21
A wonderful and sweeping tale
I loved listening to this book, it was fact heavy but it didn't read like a history lesson, yet I did learn much history and the politics of the time through the incredible lives of the characters.
Taking us from the Spanish Civil War, a flight to France, their concentration camps, a sea voyage to Chile and later Pinochet's rule and beyond, it was a wondering and sweeping tale of birth and rebirth, change and pivotal moments.
It was a beautiful portrayal of the human condition, our convictions and carrying them through, as well as exploring such a range of human emotion and fortitude.
Ultimately, for me, the sotry spoke of love, in its many forms and each of them was beautifully put forward. I went on an incredible journey with Victor and Roser Dalmau and I feel like I will miss them for a little while now that their tale has ended.
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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
- PP
- 03-06-20
Never disappoints
I have been a fan of Isabel’s books for such a long time. All her stories and way of writing rises all sorts of emotions in me and this book did just the same.
Always recommend a book by her.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Polly Skerratt
- 09-08-22
Startlingly beautiful.
This book held my attention and gave me food for thought.
I particularly liked how the characters were drawn and their journey through turbulent political eras.
The machinations of different political regimes were sometimes hard to follow, but the story provided an overarching continuity which was eventually most satisfying.
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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
- KMV
- 31-07-20
In honour of those who are no longer here
I would highly recommend listening to Isabel Allende speaking with Don George in a virtual interview for the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival 2020. Allende shares background to the writing of this novel that adds a rich layer to an already fascinating story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vicuña
- 31-07-21
A memorable story woven around fact
Isabelle Allende is one of my favourite authors and this outing is one of her best. It’s woven around fact and I learned a lot about the Spanish civil war, Pablo Neruda and the more recent history of Chile.
Allende’s tackles difficult issues with sensitivity. This is a family saga which covers a couple of generations and it’s a compelling tale which I enjoyed.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Yellow
- 25-06-22
Enjoyable. Very linear. No surprises
Enjoyed this story because of its historic focus. I quite enjoyed learning about the history of Chile through a family story. And how political developments in Europe led to the migration of European refugees to South America.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Jewels
- 03-05-20
It was education
You get to travel a lifetime with Victor... A tough life but there is always hope. For me the story was a little too 'neat' I wanted everything to be tidied up and it was... But life is seldom like that. Its like a diary in many ways and will leave many of us humbled at how easy our lives are.
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1 person found this helpful
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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
- Sean J Joyce
- 29-06-20
Highly engrossing and informative story
This is a highly informative and entertaining story which chronicles both the Spanish civil war and many decades of Chilean history through the epic lives of two people. I was thoroughly invested in their story throughout. The narrator's voice lends itself to the main narrative, but often lets down the female characters with samey, overly melodramatic dialogue that doesn't do them justice.
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