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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Allende's lively retelling of the Zorro legend reads as effortlessly as the hero himself might slice his trademark "Z" on the wall with a flash of his sword. Born Diego de la Vega in 1795 to the valiant hidalgo, Alejandro, and the beautiful Regina, the daughter of a Spanish deserter and an Indian shaman, our hero grows up in California before traveling to Spain. Raised alongside his wet nurse's son, Bernardo, Diego becomes friends for life with his "milk brother," despite the boys' class differences. Though born into privilege, Diego has deep ties to California's exploited natives—both through blood and friendship—that account for his abiding sense of justice and identification with the underdog. In Catalonia, these instincts as well as Diego's swordsmanship intrigue Manuel Escalante, a member of the secret society La Justicia. Escalante recruits Diego into the society, which is dedicated to fighting all forms of oppression, and thus begins Diego's construction of his dashing, secret alter ego, Zorro. With loyal Bernardo at his side, Zorro hones his fantastic skills, evolves into a noble hero and returns to California to reclaim his family's estate in a breathtaking duel. All the while, he encounters numerous historical figures, who anchor this incredible tale in a reality that enriches and contextualizes the Zorro myth. Allende's latest page-turner explodes with vivid characterization and high-speed storytelling.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Allende, born in Peru and raised in Chile, now resides in California, and out of her abiding interest in Spanish American and California history and culture, she has fashioned her historical fiction (including the companion novels Daughter of Fortune, 1999, and Portrait in Sepia, 2001). In her latest historical novel, she imaginatively creates, in the words of the narrator, "the origins of the legend"--the legend being none other than Zorro, the famous Robin Hood of eighteenth-century colonial California. The novel's conceit is that the testimony offered here is a bird's-eye view of the provenance of Zorro as recorded by someone who knew him well, but the identity of that person is not revealed until the novel's end. Allende's complete familiarity with setting includes not only the "custom of the country" in Southern California when still in Spanish hands but also the complicated political atmosphere of Spain itself during the Napoleonic era, to which Diego de la Vega is dispatched as a teenager for his formal education. It is in Spain where the physical disguise of Zorro and the social-reform mentality that motivates him first bear adult fruit. (Diego is one-quarter Native American and thus understands the downtrodden.) Allende's mesmerizing narrative voice never loses timbre or flags in either tension or entertainment value. To describe her as a clever novelist is to signify that she is both inventive and intelligent. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely wonderful,
By kasthu (Lynchburg, VA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Zorro Large Print (Paperback)
Forget what you've seen in Hollywood (a la the Mark of Zorro ad the Mask of Zorro)- Isabel Allende tells the story of Zorro, or "the fox." Born in 1795 in California of mixed parentage, Diego de la Vega grows up with a thirst to see justice being done. Contact with his Indian grandmother leads Diego and his blood brother Bernardo to undergo the initiation ceremony into that tribe. One of his taks is to perform a feat of bravery in the woods. The sighting of a fox gives Diego the courage to continue with his mission. Many years later, when he becomes a member of the exclusive European secret society called La Justicia, Diego will take the name of Zorro. Zorro is actually a coming of age story, beginning with Zorro's birth and continuing until he is a young man. Although Diego has a human adversary in the shape of Rafael Moncada, his real struggle is with himself, or the two personalities that he creates for himself: Diego de la Vega, the European-educated aristocrat, and Zorro, the avenger of justice.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Origin of the Sign of the Z Reimagined in Largely Picaresque Terms,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Zorro Unabridged Cd Low Price (Audio CD)
"But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." -- 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NKJV)As a youngster, the masked avenger of right aspect of Zorro was the obvious surface story. But beneath the humorous tales leading up to dramatic swordplay and escapes, there were serious themes of civic responsibility, the requirement to follow one's conscience rather than one's self interest, and something much finer than vigilante action. It was easy, however, to see who Zorro was . . . and the dual nature of being a fluttery dandy in public and a fierce righter of wrong behind a mask added to the story's appeal. But how did Zorro get to be that way? I could never figure that out. In this novel, Isabel Allende takes the fictional hero and makes him even larger than the "fictional life" by providing heroic antecedents for his adult activities. I was impressed by how seriously she took every aspect of the adult fictional character . . . and how well she wove in themes such as feminism, racial justice, and the coming-of-age desire to make something of oneself. Although it's an origin story that I would never have imagined on my own, the story fits my sense of the adult Zorro. I don't have very high expectations for fictional origin novels. This one vastly exceeded what I could have hoped to find. I thought that it was more interesting than the original stories. Very nice. I had the distinct pleasure of listening to the unabridged CD version by Blair Brown, which I highly recommend. Ms. Brown's reading brings liveliness to the story that my own reading would not have equaled. Brava, Ms. Allende and Ms. Brown!
5.0 out of 5 stars
New Brand of Hero,
This review is from: Zorro: A Novel (Hardcover)
Isabel Allende writes with an effortless flow. Her action is enthralling, her drama captivating. Allende carves out a ZORRO who is romantic and historical, but one who exhibits sensibilities we can relate to. Thematically the book has more in common with modern greats like "My Fractured Life", "Saturday", and "Life of Pi" than most historical fiction. You'll see "Zorro" on the bestseller list for a long time.
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