My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende
Emelia was born in San Francisco in 1866. Her mother was a novice nun and a virgin when she met the dashing, aristocratic Mr. Gonzalo Andrés del Valle. He returned to Chile before Emelia was born. Emelia was a strong, independent woman.
Emelia grew up in the Mission District with her mother, Molly Walsh, and her father, Papo. When she was old enough to contribute to the family, she wrote dime novels in English and Spanish under the name of Brandon J. Price. Next, she took a job as a columnist using the same pseudonym. After the paper sent her to NYC, she took the job of war correspondent, under her own name, for the Chilean Civil War in 1891, where she tracked down her biological father. This is a historical novel with a strong female protagonist.
“Emilia is a wild and bright spirit.”
In NYC, Emelia eagerly learned about the pleasures of sex from Owen Whelan. He introduced her to a doctor who provided her with a diaphragm and instructions to use condoms to avoid infections. Omene, the divine odalisque (belly dancer), taught her about men. Docility and eagerness to please, celebrated qualities in a woman, were grave obstacles to moving up in the world.
With these worldly lessons learned, Emelia was ready to join the ranks of war correspondents reporting on the 1891 Chilean Civil War. She split the beat with Eric Whelan. She reported on President José Manuel Balmaceda, and Eric reported on the rebels. Eventually, they fell in love and got engaged.
Emelia was on the defeated side of the war. Her wartime friends, journalist Rodolfo León, and canteen girl Angelita Ayalef died in the conflict. Her only surviving friend was the yellow dog, Covadonga.
Pauline del Valle was a powerful matriarch whom Emelia eventually won over.
This is a story of a modern, liberated woman set in 19th-century San Francisco and Chile.
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