Maya's Notebook - by Isabel Allende (Paperback)

About the Book

After the death of her beloved grandfather, nineteen-year-old Maya Vidal, turning to drugs, alcohol, and petty crimes, becomes trapped in a war between assassins, the police, the FBI, and Interpol, until her grandmother helps her escape to the remote island of Chiloâe, off coast of Chile where she tries to make sense of her life. Maya, a young American on the run records in her diary her adjustment to a new country, her drug problems, her romantic life, and other developments.

Book Synopsis

"Allende can spin a yarn with the grace of a poet."--Entertainment Weekly

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, NOW WITH A NEW DEAR READER LETTER

From the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The House of the Spirits, an enthralling and suspenseful coming-of-age story about a teenage girl who must unravel the mysteries of her past in order to save herself.

Nineteen-year-old Maya Vidal grew up in a rambling old house in Berkeley with her grandmother Nini--a force of nature whose formidable strength helped her build a new life after she emigrated from Chile in 1973--and Popo, an African-American astronomer and professor whose solid, comforting presence helps calm the turbulence of Maya's adolescence.

When Popo dies of cancer, Maya comes undone and turns to drugs, alcohol, and petty crime. When she becomes lost in the dangerous underworld of Las Vegas, Maya becomes caught in the crosshairs of deadly warring forces. Her one chance for survival is Nini, who helps her escape to a remote island off the coast of Chile. Here, Maya tries to make sense of the past to discover the truth about her life and her family, and embarks on her greatest adventure: a journey of self-discovery and forgiveness.

Review Quotes

What sets Maya's Notebook apart from the usual teen-in-trouble fare is the soaring redemption Maya finds in Chile. The village's peaceful pace is a tonic to both Maya and the reader...a captivating read by a great storyteller." -- John Barron, Chicago Tribune

"A brilliant storyteller, Allende creates a giant spiderweb of relationships; pull one thread and the whole structure shudders...fans of Allende and those new to her work will find a great deal of satisfaction in following the often-harrowing but always enlightening adventures of Maya Vidal." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

"A gritty, violent, cautionary tale set firmly in the present. . . . But the writing is still all Allende: driven by emotion...framed by her brand of lyrical description." -- Miami Herald

"Maya's Notebook sings a contemporary tune...the narrative expands from harsh twenty-first century language to lyrical descriptions of Maya's unfolding exterior and interior worlds. It's a coming-of-age tale achieved by immersion in ageless wisdom...the beauty of Allende's writing remains undeniable." -- San Jose Mercury News

"Maya's story is soul-restoring in its fierce conviction that there is no damage done to a society, family or individual that cannot be eclipsed by hope and love. Allende makes you believe that, even if you don't, at least for a while." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Longtime fans of Isabel Allende's work will find much of the author's beguiling mix of clear-eyed toughness and lightness of spirit in her new protagonist, and will welcome another chapter in Allende's continuing exploration of Latin America. Those introduced to Allende by Maya's Notebook surely will want more." -- Seattle Times

"Allende can spin a yarn with the grace of a poet." -- Entertainment Weekly

"Gripping...Allende retains the storytelling magic that is her signature, while deftly juxtaposing the alternating universes of the past-including Chile's dark history of political terror-and present...A tale of a girl's journey toward self-discovery, of the fierce power of truth, and of the healing force of love." -- Jane Ciabattari, O magazine

"Isabel Allende enchants in Maya's Notebook." -- Vanity Fair

"Allende paints a vivid picture contrasting Maya's drug-clouded past and her recovery in Chiloé. Yet another accomplished work by a master storyteller that will enthrall and captivate. This is a must-read." -- Library Journal (starred review)

"Allende is a master at plucking heartstrings, and Maya's family drama is hard to resist." -- Kirkus Reviews

"An explosive novel...Every character is enthralling...This is a boldly plotted, sharply funny, and purposefully bone-shaking novel of sexual violence, political terror, "collective shame," and dark family secrets, all transcended by courage and love." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Bruising and cinematically vivid...Maya's Notebook exerts a raw and genuine power...Its strength is Maya's distinctive voice: vulnerable but spiked with irony, wounded yet defiant, like a teenage emo-punk's pierced tongue." -- Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times

"A riveting new novel...From the very start, Maya is in possession of a strong and authentic voice that guides the novel and gives it shape." -- Malena Watrous, San Francisco Chronicle