Rating: 4/5 stars.

When reviewing a memoir, I always find it difficult to rate the books because it feels, inadvertently, as if I am rating someone life. That leaves me with a not pleasant aftertaste, of sorts. In these cases, I attempt to rate more the writing style rather than the content itself.

I read Allende's Zorro quite a few years ago and I loved the feel of the book. Allende, like so many Latinx writers of her time, use magical realism to foster their stories. Thankfully, Allende always manages to use this type of style to enrich her stories, which is not an easy feat.

In her memoirs, she uses a tone very much like that of her narrative writing. My Invented Country is on the surface a story about Allende's life but digging deeper it is an account of a country's rise and fall and rise during incredibly horrific events. Allende's gift is to lace her own story with that of her country.

This is not a quick read even at less than 200 pages. Not because of its length but because Allende's tone is almost meandering like a slow conversation with a friend. As a reader, you take your time learning the truth.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.