Violeta

Born during the Spanish Flu pandemic and breathing her last breath during the Covid-19 pandemic, Violeta Del Valle lived a full, active life for 100 years. Allende’s (The House of the Spirits) latest finds Violeta recounting her life as if she were writing a series of letters. Born to a wealthy Chilean family, Violeta began her life with privilege until the world economy crashed in the 1920s. Her family moved out to the countryside–the last stop on the train line, where Violeta grew into a headstrong young woman. From there, she moved to the city to work in one of her brother’s businesses, married, separated, fell in love with another man when divorce was not permitted, had two children, and continued to develop her keen business sense. All of this barely covers the first 25 years of her life. Surviving physical and emotional abuse, Violeta comes into her own as she becomes a women’s advocate. Narrator Yareli Arizmenda brings Violeta to life with grace and dignity. Her voice ages as the novel draws to the end and listeners get ready to say goodbye.