Paula

I cannot imagine sitting at the bedside of one of my children in a coma.

Isabel Allende not only did that, but used her grief, fear, pain, hope, optimism, memory, and humor to write an extraordinarily compelling book. We come to know not only Paula, Isabel’s gravely ill daughter, but a colorful cast of characters from the family’s past.

We learn about Chilean history and somehow find ourselves laughing and crying in the same chapter. At least I did. Allende is a master with words – and English is not her first language. Do yourself a favor and read this… show more.

In this heart-wrenching memoir, international best-selling author Isabel Allende interweaves her own extraordinary life journey and heritage, with her daughter Paula’s slow and torturous death. 

Driven out of Chile into exile herself, plus endangering her own life helping other refugees escape, Allende writes with deep psychological incite into the fate of the displaced. To being forced to leave one's home and country, to lose your tribe and nation, to survive the damage to your soul, and forever fearing not being safe.

Written to her adult daughter who lies in a coma, Isabel Allende begins, “Listen Paula, I am going to tell you a story so that when you wake up you will not feel so lost.” With that, Allende goes on to tell the great “legend” of their family in Chile, including impetuous, magical women one of whom sprouts wings. Moving back and forth between luscious storytelling and the tension of the hospital, Allende keeps her daughter company while awaiting the outcome of her illness. In this skillful way, Allende finds a place for Paula in a legend larger than life.