I truly enjoyed this novel because of it's rcih descritipion of the era and location. I felt I was in the late 1800s in Valparaiso, Chile. Since Ms Allende created such a vivd portrait of the time and place I could not help but feel every moment of societal cofinement for the heroine. I felt like I was part of her mission to leave the past behind and to search for her lover and her new future.

I especially enjoyed the fact that the heroine was a women who was determined to get what she wanted and that she crossed barriers that were posed by society and family.

I started reading it. Very interesting!! I have read various book and they're all very good! Bottom line: Buy this book, you'll love it!!!

Allende is probably my favorite author, and this book made me realize it. I expected a lot of magical realism like in her debut novel, THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, and was slightly disapointed to find that this was a straightforward story, with no ghosts or magical encounters. But, once I got over that, I realized that this was simply a great novel and story. The photo on the cover -- it's just a photo -- but when you read the book, you see how much it stands for. I had never known much about the founding of San Francisco, the Gold Rush. So besides being a great story, I learned a lot of history. The main character comes to California chasing what she thinks is her great love. Although she lives her daily life, and slowly falls in love with another person from her past, but who is wildly different from her, the search for her first love carries her on. The details, the story -- it's what a novel is supposed to be like. If you find House of the Spirits too magical-farcical for you, this book might be the Allende for you. There is also a semi-sequel to this one called PORTRAIT OF SEPIA. I vote for Catherine Zeta Jones to play Eliza in the movie!

This is the first book I read by this author and I liked it well enough to buy two more of her books.

This novel is slow to start. There is a lot of background information that you need to wade through before getting to the good stuff... but it is well worth it. The background information is needed to make the rest of the story so good.

Once the story gets going it is fast moving and very interesting. I was completely engrossed in the story and felt like I knew the characters personally.

Very good book - worth the read!

good story for a while. second half was less interesting. the history research became more interesting than the story line which dwindled down to a fizzled ending. still easy read and mostly enjoyable.