Daughter of Fortune

Daughter of Fortune (1999) Isabel Allende

So, I started reading this book in 2006 or possibly even 2005.

No, seriously.

I never gave up, because I did want to find out what happened, however, the book ended up at work, as my “OMG! I have an appointment and I don’t have a book!” book. But since I almost always carry a book with me, it was very slow going.

Eliza was abandoned as a baby on the steps of the Sommers house, and adopted by Rose (a spinster) and (somewhat against his will) Rose’s brother Jeremy. It is a strange childhood, and perhaps because she is raised by two siblings who were never married, Eliza falls into a relationship with an unsuitable young man. When the inevitable happens, Eliza decides her only recourse is to attempt to follow her lover to the Americas.

There were two parts I particularly liked about this story. First, was Eliza’s relationship with Tao Chi’en, who saves her life, and her time spent wandering around as a young boy.

Is this an historically accurate depiction of the west during the Gold Rush? Probably not. But it was interesting, and the individuals Eliza meets feel real and distinct.

So why did it take me so long to read this book? Because although it was interesting, it never truly grabbed me. I could read a couple pages, put the book down, and then be fine not reading any more for months. That doesn’t make it a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It simply because that the story interested me, but didn’t suck me in to the point of no return.
Rating: 6/10

Published by HarperTorch

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