In the Midst of Winter

LoveReading Says

November 2017 Book of the Month

From present-day Brooklyn and Guatemala, to the turbulence of 1970s Brazil and Chile, this stunning novel from the ever-satisfying, ever-surprising Allende is a triumph of storytelling, and a timely exposition of the plight of immigrants and refugees.

Chilean Lucie has been invited by an associate, Richard, to teach Latin American and Caribbean Studies in Brooklyn. At the age of 62, Lucie “intended to enjoy her remaining years of good health... She wanted to live abroad”. But, while Lucie made this move with fire in her belly, and a longing for love in her heart, her flames of hope are somewhat dampened when it becomes clear that neurotic Richard has no interest in romance. But life has a habit of conjuring up the unexpected, which is what happens when Richard is involved in a car collision with a young Guatemalan woman. Nervous, stammering, and unquestionably traumatised, Evelyn reappears on his doorstep late at night. From that moment, three lives become inextricably linked as Lucie, Richard and Evelyn embark on a road-trip to deal with the unexpected cargo in the trunk of Evelyn’s car, sharing their harrowing stories with open honesty along the way.

Novelists are often advised to show, not tell, but Allende breaks this “rule” of writing with characteristic brilliance. She tells the life stories of her three captivating protagonists with incisive, involving detail. Their personal histories wend readers through the tangled politics of Chile and Brazil, and through the excruciating experiences Evelyn endured while growing-up in Guatemala. While salted with stories of tragedy and brutality, this remarkable novel is also spiced with grace, endurance, and the solace that comes from “discovering that lives are often alike and feelings similar”. What’s more, it’s saturated with the glimmering glow of a love that was surely meant to be.  ~ Joanne Owen

Joanne Owen

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