The extraordinary story of an unforgettable young woman whose tale of love and war, discovery and redemption, takes us from nineteenth-century San Francisco to Santiago

'A spellbinding masterpiece' SANTA MONTEFIORE

'Isabel Allende is a literary treasure' KRISTIN HANNAH

Emilia del Valle was always destined for great things.

Abandoned at birth by her Chilean aristocrat father, Emilia comes of age in nineteenth-century San Francisco as an independent and fiercely ambitious young woman, decades ahead of her time. She will do whatever it takes to pursue her life’s passion for writing, even if it means publishing under a man’s name.

When Emilia lands a position as a journalist for the Daily Examiner, her unwavering sense of adventure – and new-found determination to survive in her own name – leads her to seize the chance to cover a brewing civil war in Chile alongside another talented reporter.

But the assignment offers Emilia more than just an opportunity to prove herself as a writer. Before long she embarks on a treacherous, life-changing journey in a homeland she never knew, to uncover the truth about her father – and herself.

A masterclass in historical storytelling from Isabel Allende, My Name is Emilia del Valle is a powerful tale of love and war, told by a valiant young woman who confronts monumental challenges, survives and reinvents herself along the way.

Details

ISBN13: 9781526687647
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 304
Edition:
Publication Date:
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 19.6(H)x12.8(L)x2.6(W)
Weight (gm):

Author Biography

Born in Peru and raised in Chile, Isabel Allende is a literary living legend and phenomenon. With 77 million books sold, she is the most-read author in the Spanish language throughout the world, and a blockbuster international bestseller of adult novels. A novelist, feminist and philanthropist, Isabel won worldwide acclaim in 1982 with her first novel, The House of the Spirits. Her work has been translated into over 42 languages, and received the PEN Center Lifetime Achievement Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She lives in California.

Reviews

A deeply researched historical adventure, excavating both romantic and journalistic exploits with verve and passion ... The upheaval that Emilia del Valle recounts in 1891 is our clarion call in 2025 * Washington Post *
Seamlessly blending history with fiction, Allende vividly brings to life one of the most gruesome parts of 19th-century Chile’s history and its lasting impact ... My Name is Emilia del Valle is the perfect addition to the Del Valle literary universe * New Statesman *
'A grand storyteller' -- Khaled Hosseini
'Bestselling author Isabel Allende has crafted yet another spellbinding narrative in My Name Is Emilia del Valle, a historical novel about self-discovery, ambition, and destiny' * Harper's Bazaar *
'A captivating novel of love and war from one of our most revered storyteller' -- Kate Morton, author of Homecoming
'Emilia del Valle dares to forge her own path and break the rules set for women, and in doing so finds herself on a dangerous journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she believes to be true' -- Kristin Hannah
'Isabel Allende is one of the great storytellers of our time. Her books are multilayered, deeply magical, and unputdownable - and they always touch the heart. They’re quite simply beautiful. My Name is Emilia del Valle is a spellbinding masterpiece. I really loved it' -- Santa Montefiore