Remarkable...a big book that can comprehend the history of a nation, and so many lives, with love

An exotic vision and a brilliant, impassioned epic

Mesmerizing... A novel of force and charm

This is a novel like the novels no one seems to write anymore: thick with plot and bristling with characters who play out their lives over three generations of conflict and reconciliation. A novel to be read for its brilliant craftsmanship and its narrative of inescapable power

Announcing a truly great read: a novel thick and thrilling, full of fantasy, terror and wit, elaborately crafted yet serious and accurate in its historical and social observations

Extraordinary... Powerful... Sharply observant, witty and eloquent

Allende is another remarkable storyteller from a continent blessed with many such enchanters . . . Allende has an affection for her characters quite beyond politics, and an estimable ability to bring them to life

Intensely moving. Both entertaining and deeply serious

An enjoyable, solid, gothic fantasy offering

Hugely enjoyable and highly recommended.

a literal fairytale romance which keeps you gripped until the very end.

A lovely book, beautiful to look at and a captivating story. Goodman has a superb way of drawing you into her world, the magic within is subtle, enchanting enough to weave a spell over the reader without causing you to suspend belief.