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Inés of My Soul (Inés del Alma Mía) by Isabel Allende is a historical fiction book which follows Spanish conquistadora Inés Suarez writing her memoirs on her deathbed. Ms. Allende is a prolific award-winning American-Chilean author.

Inés is a seamstress in Spain, whose husband, Juan of Málaga, left her for the new world. Inés follows him, only to discover he died.

She ties her fortunes with Pedro de Valdivia, and the two set out to conquer Chile. Inés was a woman ahead of her time, not only brave and not afraid to fight, but also establishing schools, soup kitchens, and hospitals.

I knew very little about this book when starting to read it. It was on sale, and I always enjoyed Isabel Allende’s work so I figured I’d pick it up. What I immediately discovered was an epic tale about the founding of Chile, one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited.

I didn’t know anything about Inés Suarez before starting this book. The named sounded familiar but I couldn’t quite place it, after I finished the book, I read more about here. I’d like to think that in Inés of My Soul, author Isabel Allende captured her spirit, and also told of the foundation of Chile in a fascinating and entertaining manner.

Through Inés, the author gives honor to the Mapuche and the Yanaconas, the native tribes which the Spanish tried to subdue. She does not shy away from describing the many injustices and cruelties they suffered at the hands of the conquistadors.

The history in the book was fascinating, as I’ve read about conquistadors before, but never about Chile. Most of the books centered on the Inca Empire and Cortez’s exploits. The characters were well written, and Ms. Allende did not feel the need to make the men weak to make her heroine strong. Quite the opposite, Inés is a strong female, and character, in her own right measuring up to, and often surpassing, the strong men surrounding her.

It shows that the author did a tremendous amount of research, even to the point of justifying atrocities in the name of Spain and the church. A very common excuse back then, and sadly still is today. ( )

Historical fiction about the life of Inés Suárez. Born in Spain in the early 1500s, she sails to South America with her niece to find her husband, Juan de Málaga, who has gone in search of gold. The story is told by Inés, near the end of her life, in the form of a diary she plans to give to her stepdaughter, Isabel. The narrative covers her three romantic relationships, and her participation in the expedition to conquer Chile. They establish the city of Santiago and battle the native people.

Allende is known for her female protagonists, and Inés is the prototype of a strong woman. She becomes self-sufficient as a seamstress, cook, and nurse. Allende employs magical realism here, but less so than some of her previous works. This novel is a sweeping saga covering approximately eighty years. Inés experiences many adventures, hardships, battles, and love affairs. The author does not spare the gruesome details of combat, punishments, and executions.

I enjoyed this book and looked forward to picking it up. It occasionally wanders from the primary storyline. I was not previously aware of Inés Suárez and her role in Chilean history. It inspired me to do further research. ( )

The story of how Spaniards colonized Chile, torturing and subjugating the Indians who were there first, in the 16th century. ( )

I am a huge fan of historical novels well done. I also love to learn about areas and societies of which I know little or nothing. This book fills both bills. Ines Suarez was a remarkable Spanish lady who traveled to the New World in the 1530s and helped to settle Peru and Chili. The only name I recognized from history class was that of Pizzaro, so you can imagine that this was a wholly new adventure for me.

Allende impresses me by her very even-handed handling of the native Indians who already populate the territories that eventually become Peru and Chili. It is a terribly cruel and undeserved fate that await them at the hands of the Spaniards, and, while they are themselves a cruel and bloodthirsty people, they do not seem any less civilized in many ways than the conquistadors who come to conquer and enslave them.

The thread of this novel is woven through the love stories of Ines, who is the mistress of and eventually wife of two of the most important men in the Spanish contingent. She is a woman who is skilled and can hold her own with her male counterparts, and in a world that was not kind to the female gender, she achieved a kind of equality that was rare and outstanding. To see her unflinching attitude in the face of so much carnage, hard work and repeated destruction, made me wonder how long I could have endured such a life. That she was there for the Mapuche wars and still lived into her 80s is a feat unparalleled in her time. She buried all the men around her.

This is not my first Allende, and I have found that I run hot and cold with her. She is a good writer, but sometimes runs in a vein that does not captivate me. I thought this one of her better works. If I had been able to establish a deeper emotional tie to Ines, I would have given it a five. As it is, four stars is a good rating for me, and I am glad I finally sat myself down and read this. I am positive that it has enhanced my understanding and knowledge of the period and the people who settled South America.
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Excellent ( )