Book 62, country 68 - Argentina

The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Morrison - first published in the UK 2007

This book reminded me why I no longer read much chick lit – it is superficial and predictable.  Cassie Moore loses her job in Seattle and the same day comes home and finds her partner  in bed with his ex-girlfriend.  After drowning her sorrows in alchohol she makes an impulsive decision to live in Buenos Aires for 6 months, despite speaking no Spanish and knowing nothing about Argentina.  On arrival she spends quite a while feeling sorry for herself.  After much cajoling from her lovely landlady she does finally get out and make some friends.  She has 2 short lived relationships with an Argentinian and a man from New York before falling in love with her landlady’s handyman.  It is an easy and undemanding read.  The best thing about it is the title.  It does give a flavour of the country and its culture. 6/10

21st January 2012

Book 61, Country 67 - Chile

Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende - translated from Spanish and first published in the UK in 2001

Aurora del Valle is born in San Francisco in 1880 and she narrates the story.  Her mother dies giving birth to her and after the death of her Chinese maternal grandfather when she is 5 years old,  she is raised by her very rich and formidable paternal grandmother Paulina del Valle.  Aurora and her family moved back to their native Chile in 1886.  They survive a revolution, flourish financially for a while and Aurora becomes a photographer.   Aurora marries but leaves her husband when he is unfaithful.  She eventually learns why she has always been haunted by nightmares and cannot remember the first 5 years of her life  The book is inhabited by several unusual and very colourful characters.  It is well written and not too long.  It is a sequel to Daughter of Fortune, which I haven't read.  6/10 

10th January 2012