Ines of my Soul

When I started reading Isabel Allende's newest book, I didn't realize that Ines, the book's narrator, was based on a real person. Ines Suarez, who left her life as a poor seamstress in Spain in the 1530's, was a conquistadora and influential in the formation of the modern nation of Chile. Allende wrote the book, I think, in large part to give voice to a woman who although had contributed greatly to the conquest of Chile and the building up of Santiago, had largely been forgotten by historians.

The story telling is wonderful and I really enjoyed reading this book. AJ gave it to me for my birthday, and I read it the first week of January as I sat in the hospital with MJ. I learned quite a lot about the Spanish conquest of Chile.

I would love to learn more about Allende's process of putting the book together. She makes Ines into a fiery, independent, and tough woman, and I wonder how she found out about her in the first place and what documents she used to piece the story together. How much is really known about Ines?

I listened to a short interview with Allende on NPR and she (first?) found Ines in the Inquisition records of Ines' lover, Pedro de Valdivia. Pedro was married and had left his wife in Spain to come to the Americas as a central figure in the conquest of Spain. Allende describes the love that motivated Ines to follow him to Chile and help him fulfill his dream to extend Spain's territory to the south. Allende said that one she found Ines' connection to Valdivia, she was researched other Spaniards involved in the conquest of Chile to piece together a story. Still, though, I am left unsatisfied with the back story of the novel.