Zorro

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Overview

A child of two worlds -- the son of an aristocratic Spanish military man turned landowner and a Shoshone warrior woman -- young Diego de la Vega cannot silently bear the brutal injustices visited upon the helpless in late-eighteenth-century California. And so a great hero is born -- skilled in athleticism and dazzling swordplay, his persona formed between the Old World and the New -- the legend known as Zorro.

Editorial Reviews

Craig Nova

It is not possible to sum up the surprises, rescues from prisons, flirtations (between Zorro's true love and, for example, a pirate), but the book has plenty of what Hollywood would call non-stop action, and this is told with a pleasure so keen on the author's part that it's difficult not to be swept up in it.
— The Washington Post

Library Journal

Allende's retelling of Zorro displays her essential belief that the fabric of the story-the making of the man-is as important as the actions. Born to an aristocratic Spanish father and a tamed Shoshone warrior in 18th-century California, Diego de la Vega learns the lessons of injustice early. His mother's Indian blood and the violence perpetrated against the Native Americans by European settlers ignite a slow-burning fire in Diego. When Diego is sent to Barcelona with his "milk" brother Bernardo to be educated in the ways of his forebears, he studies with a fencing master and joins an underground resistance group, where Zorro the romantic revolutionary is truly forged. Allende's Zorro is not quite the violent, swashbuckling rogue that Johnston McCulley created in his serial potboilers, but this Zorro doesn't have to be for his character to be compelling. One does long for a little more swordplay, but Diego's crisis of identity, his relationship with Bernardo, and his love for a woman he cannot have make for enthralling reading. Allende (Daughter of Fortune) is a beguiling storyteller, and Zorro provides a rich palate for her customary embellishments. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/05.]-Misha Stone, Seattle P.L. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

More Reviews (9) Fewer Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

A graceful imagining of the saber-wielding, justice-dispensing freedom fighter of yore. Children of the '50s may happily remember Guy Williams's TV portrayal of the legendary Zorro, who carved his signature initial into his enemies' flesh with the point of his sword and kept the entire Spanish army in Alta California busily searching for him. Latter-day Californian Allende (Kingdom of the Golden Dragon, 2004, etc.) provides a backstory that brims with modern concerns: In her hands, Zorro is an ever-so-slightly tormented revolutionary whose sense of justice comes from the accident of his birth. The child of a Spanish officer and a Shoshone Indian woman, Diego de la Vega grows up with a profound knowledge of the injustices wrought by Europeans on California's native peoples. He takes his vulpine identity-zorro is Spanish for "fox"-early on, after a fox delivers him from danger; says his grandmother, helpfully, "That zorro is your totemic animal, your spiritual guide. . . . You must cultivate its skill, its cleverness, its intelligence." He does, reaching adolescence "with no great vices or virtues, except for a disproportionate love of justice, though whether that is a vice or a virtue, I am not sure." A Rousseauian child of nature, de la Vega travels to Spain to acquire a continental education. Becoming radicalized in the bargain, he defies the country's Napoleonic rulers and joins an underground alliance to battle them, then takes the fight back to America. But first de la Vega must endure being shanghaied by pirates, who, neatly enough, haul him before the legendary uber-pirate Jean Lafitte for a parlay. He acquires yet more education in the bayous, then makes for California once more tovisit mayhem on corrupt officialdom on behalf of truth, justice and the Spanish way of life. Allende's tale risks but resists descending into melodrama at every turn. The up-to-date, even postmodern ending makes for a nice touch, too, and will gladden the heart of anyone ready in his or her heart to carve a few Zs into the bad guys.

Austin American-Statesman

“A tale of adventure, history and romance, just in time for long reads on summer afternoons.”

Chicago Tribune

“Lively and fascinating.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“This is a full-blooded retelling of the old masked-man legend, and it crackles with action.”

Houston Chronicle

“One of those rare and perfect matches of subject and author... Sinfully entertaining ... Serious fiction.”

Los Angeles Times

“Allende’s discreetly subversive talent really shows . . . You turn the pages, cheering on the masked man.”

Miami Herald

“Zorro is great fun . . . A thrilling journey into a world in which cultures clash as often as swords.”

People

“Equal parts adventure, historical novel and family saga, Zorro is a moving portrait of a hero who is heartbreakingly human.”

USA Today

“Wonderfully crafted . . . Allende gives Zorro the feel of a folk or fairy tale.”

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780060779009
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 4/25/2006
Edition description: REPRINT
Pages: 416
Sales rank: 142,411
Lexile: 1170L (what's this?)
Series: P.S. Series
Product dimensions: 5.31 (w) x 8.00 (h) x 0.93 (d)

Meet the Author

Isabel Allende

Isabel Allende is the author of nine novels, translated into more than twenty-seven languages, including the New York Times bestsellers InÉs of My Soul, Portrait in Sepia, and Daughter of Fortune. In 2004 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Born in Peru and raised in Chile, she lives in California.

Nacida en PerÚ y criada en Chile, Isabel Allende es la autora de nueve novelas incluyendo mÁs recientemente Zorro, Retrato en Sepia, Hija de la Fortuna e InÉs del Alma MÍa. TambiÉn ha escrito cuentos cortos, tres libros autobiogrÁficos incluyendo Mi PaÍs Inventado y Paula, y una trilogÍa de libros para jÓvenes. Sus libros han sido traducidos a mÁs de 27 idiomas y son bestsellers a travÉs del mundo entero. En 2004, fue nombrada a la Academia de Artes y Letras de los Estados Unidos. Vive en California.

Biography

In Isabel Allende's books, human beings do not exist merely in the three-dimensional sense. They can exert themselves as memory, as destiny, as spirits without form, as fairy tales. Just as the more mystical elements of Allende's past have shaped her work, so has the hard-bitten reality. Working as a journalist in Chile, Allende was forced to flee the country with her family after her uncle, President Salvador Allende, was killed in a coup in 1973.

Out of letters to family back in Chile came the manuscript that was to become Allende's first novel. Her arrival on the publishing scene in 1985 with The House of the Spirits was instantly recognized as a literary event. The New York Times called it "a unique achievement, both personal witness and possible allegory of the past, present and future of Latin America."

To read a book by Allende is to believe in (or be persuaded of) the power of transcendence, spiritual and otherwise. Her characters are often what she calls "marginal," those who strive to live on the fringes of society. It may be someone like Of Love and Shadows 's Hipolito Ranquileo, who makes his living as a circus clown; or Eva Luna, a poor orphan who is the center of two Allende books (Eva Luna and The Stories of Eva Luna).

Allende's characters have in common an inner fortitude that proves stronger than their adversity, and a sense of lineage that propels them both forward and backward. When you meet a central character in an Allende novel, be prepared to meet a few generations of his or her family. This multigenerational thread drives The House of the Spirits, the tale of the South American Trueba family. Not only did the novel draw Allende critical accolades (with such breathless raves as "spectacular," "astonishing" and "mesmerizing" from major reviewers), it landed her firmly in the magic realist tradition of predecessor (and acknowledged influence) Gabriel García Márquez. Some of its characters also reappeared in the historical novels Portrait in Sepia and Daughter of Fortune.

"It's strange that my work has been classified as magic realism," Allende has said, "because I see my novels as just being realistic literature." Indeed, much of what might be considered "magic" to others is real to Allende, who based the character Clara del Valle in The House of the Spirits on her own reputedly clairvoyant grandmother. And she has drawn as well upon the political violence that visited her life: Of Love and Shadows (1987) centers on a political crime in Chile, and other Allende books allude to the ideological divisions that affected the author so critically.

But all of her other work was "rehearsal," says Allende, for what she considers her most difficult and personal book. Paula is written for Allende's daughter, who died in 1992 after several months in a coma. Like Allende's fiction, it tells Paula's story through that of Allende's own and of her relatives. Allende again departed from fiction in Aphrodite, a book that pays homage to the romantic powers of food (complete with recipes for two such as "Reconciliation Soup"). The book's lighthearted subject matter had to have been a necessity for Allende, who could not write for nearly three years after the draining experience of writing Paula.

Whichever side of reality she is on, Allende's voice is unfailingly romantic and life-affirming, creating mystery even as she uncloaks it. Like a character in Of Love and Shadows, Allende tells "stories of her own invention whose aim [is] to ease suffering and make time pass more quickly," and she succeeds.

Good To Know

Allende has said that the character of Gregory Reeves in The Infinite Plan is based on her husband, Willie Gordon.

Allende begins all of her books on January 8, which she considers lucky because it was the day she began writing a letter to her dying grandfather that later became The House of the Spirits.

She began her career as a journalist, editing the magazine Paula and later contributing to the Venezuelan paper El Nacional.

1. Hometown:
  
  San Rafael, California
1. Date of Birth:
  
  August 2, 1942
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Lima, Peru
1. Website:
  
  http://www.isabelallende.com

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sharwest

Posted April 4, 2012

Engaging read

While the first 100 or so pages of the book are slow, the rest of the book is faster paced and a fun read. Swashbuckling characters with romance added make for an entertaining story.
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Anonymous

Posted December 7, 2011

An excellent, exciting story that everyone should read!

I read "Zorro" by Isabel Allende, and I really enjoyed the story. If I picked it up, I had some trouble putting it down! For those who might be interested in reading "Zorro," it is a story about the life of Diego de la Vega and his family, friends, and teachers. It all starts when Diego is born to his parents, Alejandro de la Vega, a captain from the Spanish Military, and Toypurnia, a half Hispanic-half Indian woman who is renamed Regina. He also becomes "milk-brothers" with Bernardo, a boy the same age as him. They are milk-brothers because they are both fed Bernardo's mother Ana's milk while Regina recovers strength from Diego's birth. Over time, Diego and Bernardo grow up together, and are brothers in their minds and spirit. They train together, and even when Diego's teacher refuses to teach Bernardo because of his heavily Indian descent. Diego agrees to teach Bernardo what his fencing teacher Manuel Escalante teaches him. They also spend time out on the ocean, and Diego and Bernardo learn about life on the ship to Barcelona. As time goes on and the two boys mature, they continue training to become powerful warriors. Diego becomes such a great warrior, that Maestro Manuel decides to induct him into his secret group of warriors, La Justicia. There, Diego's alter ego of "Zorro" is born. His main goal after that is to give justice to the unfortunate and the innocent. However, some people try to get in the way of that and figure out his true identity. I read this and really enjoyed it for multiple reasons. One reason I enjoyed this story is because of all of the action involved. There were many fights, battles, and duels between Diego, Bernardo, and a few other characters in the story. It was a thrilling read, and I recommend this book to everyone, especially people who enjoy action.
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EmmaSpanish1

Posted December 6, 2011

Good book, recommended

Diego de la Vega, born and raised in California, travels to Spain at age 16 with his silent milk brother, Bernardo. There, Diego falls in love with his hosts daughter, the impossibly beautiful Juliana. But Juliana does not love Diego back. Diego has always liked adventure, and learns how to fight with swords and other weapons. He assumes the name of Zorro, which is fox in spanish, after a fox that helped him survive when he went into the forest to prove that he was a man amongst the indian tribe that lived nearby him. This masks him from the many foes and enemies he gains in Spain.
Diego is a fighter, but learns to be disciplined, and is clever and brave, if not a little foolish at times. He becomes friends with many in his stay in Spain, and also gains enemies, although they don¿t know who he is, besides the masked vigilante. He fights in duels and wins, and succeeds in getting Juliana¿s attention after he gains a bullet wound.
Bernardo has gone mute after he witnessed people coming into his village and the killing of his family. His mother fed him and Diego, which symbolizes that they are milk brothers. He goes to Spain with Diego and is quiet and mainly goes unnoticed throughout his journey there, just acting as Diego¿s shadow. He returns to California though after he hears word through a sailor about the girl he fell in love with. He promises to keep in touch with Diego, because Diego stays behind to pursue Juliana. There is also another young girl in the house, Juliana¿s younger sister, Isabel. She isn¿t nearly as pretty as Juliana, but she seems smarter and knows what the two boys had been up to. She was sad to see Bernardo go, and he the same for her, he had come to see her as a younger sister.
I enjoyed this book and I think that it was a fun and exciting book, although some parts were slow moving, there was usually good action. For people that like books with fighting and adventure, this book should be read.
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coolguyshavethenamezack

Posted May 18, 2011

Zorro is awsome!

I read the Novel Zorro, by Isabel Allende for a book report in school, and at first I was expecting a simple boreing book that I had to do for a school project, but as i began to read more, I found what an exciting and creative story it really was. The book is a prequile to the 1919 novel, The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston Mcmulley, and its about Dieago de la Vega (aka Zorro) and his journy into becomeing the masked hero Zorro. his father, Captain Alejandro de la Vega, marries a young indian girl named Toypurnia (who changes her name later to Regina). they meet through a missionary, because Alejandro was a millitary man stationed there, because the tribe Regina belonged to was frequently attacking the spanish mission. However, in the end the victors were the spanish and Regina and Alejandro got happily married. They moved to the country and Alejandro becomes a hacienda owner, along with them is Ana, a close friend of Regina and a religous convert to the missionary. Then they have a son, Diego De La Viga, coincedentally and the same week Ana has her child, Bernardo, both grow up together as the closest of friends (considered milk brothers because they both were breast fed by the same women) and as they grew older they picked up many traits and talents that defined their type of character throughout the book. Diego recieved fence training and spent much time with the indians of his area (which is how he got the name "Zorro" because on a vision quest a fox was spiritually part of him)Overall, the book began to get very exciting, "when Diego regained conciousness, the ruffians were still running around the house looking for loot, and smoke from the fire was drifting into the room" this is the seen from the book where Pirates had come onto the property of Regina and Diego, they were rampageing and all Diego and his mother could do was fight back. Diego had to count on his skills with a sword to defend his property and his mother. but durning the fight Diego brakes two ribs and is knocked unconcious (hence the quote) but if he thought that was bad, he couldn't even imagine what happened to his dear friend Bernardo, which you can only find out if you take the time to read the book, because it just would'nt be right for me to spoil it for you. I can honestly say this book was worth reading, and that Isabel Allende disserves holding the title of having a New York Times best seller. i really recomend this book to anyone who loves history and action, the sword fights were very exciting and the story itself fits in perfectly to the 1919 book The Curse of Capistrano. This book really reflects Hispanic culture, and history, I recomend anyone who has an interest in this book should take the oprotunity to read it.
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Sueszoo

Posted March 14, 2010

A very well done book, but not for everyone.

I received this book as a gift from my husband, who knows that I love the movie -and so does he- "Zorro" with Antonio Bandaras and Anthony Hopkins. (We collect both books and movies.) I enjoy nothing more than a well-written book, which this is. Yes, the movie is escapism and fantastical, so what? We all need a good hero now and then. In this book, the author provides the childhood background of Zorro and explains where he got those "fantastical" abilities like sword-fighting and those gymnastics that Bandaras does in the movie. Her writing takes you in and provides a background and a "reasonable" explanation for our hero's abilities. Written from the viewpoint of another character, one who you don't find out who it is until the end, unless you can figure out who it is (which you probably can). No, this isn't a "classic", just engaging and well-written. The characters have depth and have human faults; some you'll like and some not. It's a good "escapism" read for a long weekend.
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Anonymous

Posted February 10, 2010

Really liked it

A thoroughly entertaining read. I really enjoyed it.
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Scotty-2-Hotty

Posted April 29, 2009

Book Review: Zorro By: Isabel Allende HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. New York, NY.

Zorro is an incredible entertaining and enlightening novel. The author, Isabel Allende, creates an environment of pure enjoyment as you learn about the history of Diego de la Vega, Zorro. However Allende masterfully places in rich and insightful details about the history and life of the Hispanic people also. The way they live, act, and why they did it, all while reading about the life of Zorro. "To their eyes, the ancient Catalan port resembled a forest of mast and sails. There were ships of every origin, shape, and size. If the youths had been impressed by the little town of Panama, imagine the effect Barcelona had on them." Pg. 110. Allende drops in a historic backdrop of Barcelona, in brilliant imagery and in all its grandeur without straying away from the story. A gift Allende presented to readers throughout the novel.
Diego de la Vega was born in Alta California, he is the son of a famous Spanish general and a great female Indian warrior. He learns multiple virtues from both the Spanish and Indian world forming his immensely successful childhood. His constant activities, hard work, and studies lead to his unmatchable agility and mind. While enduring an Indian right of passage he is influenced by a fox "Zorro" and thus Zorro was born.
Throughout his travel a maturity is born and a greater knowledge envelopes him. He crosses the Atlantic to study in Spain and becomes obsessed with the art of fencing. His master, Emanuel Escalante, teaches him all about the art, and the hobby is adopted instantly. "For Diego, fencing was the most important activity of the day." Pg. 132. This love might of only come second to love he has for a women. But the beauty of his love, Juliana, a fierce rivalry is developed with Moncada, one who also craves Juliana's heart. With these two loves fondly in his mind and Spain under a harsh Napoleon rule Diego joins a group to help the poor and needy. He soon becomes a master of stealth and justice. He soon returns home in hope to save his "Hacienda" and perform similar tasks to that in Spain.
Zorro is most defiantly a necessary read. A fantastic adventure, coming of age, and historical masterpiece all mingled into one. With and array of back stories that keep readers interested and wanting more. With a man fighting for what's right, Zorro is an influential and prodigiously well written novel. "For Justice! - Diego and Isabel exclaimed in unison." Pg. 384.
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Spikalus

Posted January 10, 2009

Wicked Bueno!

Zorro is the story of the young Diego de la Vega¿s life from his birth to his becoming a man. (Metaphorically not biologically of course.) It is set during the Napoleonic Era when Spain was occupied by France. Diego was born in Alta California by a half Spanish - half Indian warrior woman and a distinguished Hidalgo of the Spanish Army but later, after his 15th birthday, he traveled with his best friend / ¿milk-brother¿ to Spain. That is where Diego learns to be a gentleman and, secretly, how to be a freedom fighter. With this combination, Zorro is born. It is a great adventure full of historic facts and Spanish culture that will keep you reading all night long.
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nprfan1

Posted November 23, 2008

more from this reviewer

The old movie swashbucklers would be pleased

You should know two things before you start reading this book. First, Isabel Allende's memories of Zorro are of the Disney version. There is a Bernardo in her book, but Tyrone Power did not have a Bernardo backing him up in the movie - but then again, neither Power nor Guy Williams (the TV Zorro) had an Isabel or a Lolita as a love interest.

Second, while this is an extremely good novel, don't read it with the expectation that it's similar in any way to any of Allende's other books. "Zorro" is completely unlike anything else she has ever written. The other Allende novels I've read have been more similar to, say, Gabriel Garcia Marquez in tone and plot, although Allende's other novels never had the mysticism of Garcia Marquez's wonderful tales.

For this book, Allende has gone off in a completely different and enchanting direction. Where she borrows from the known Zorro legend, she borrows accurately - the characters of, for example, Moncada and Garcia were completely accurate, and I could picture them in my head as they were in the TV series. Where she goes off on her own, her story is totally believable and logical.

I find myself hoping that Allende will write a sequel, but I know that it will never happen. I do hope, though, that this book will bring about a resurgence of interest in Zorro.
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Anonymous

Posted March 14, 2008

did this for a book report

this was over all a good book. the only problem i had with it was that i would read a paragraph, and then reread it five times because i couldn't understand it the first time. however, it was over all a good book and i DO recomend it.
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Anonymous

Posted January 23, 2008

Not the Zorro we know

Sorry, but I was terribly disappointed with this story. It is original and welll written, but takes far too many liberties with the Zorro character and legend. If Sra. Allende wished to rewrite so much of Zorro's family and personal history, why did she not invent a whole new character?
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Anonymous

Posted December 16, 2007

The Birth Of Zorro

Zorro by Isabel Allende is the prequel to the other Zorro Chronicles. Allende¿s Zorro was published in 2005, by the HarperCollins Publishers. Zorro by Isabel Allende tells the story of Diego de la Vega¿s fight for the justice of the innocent. Diego de la Vega is one fourth Native American and three fourths Spanish. He is the son of the honorable and loyal Captain Alejandro de la Vega, and the son of Toypurnia 'who later takes the name of Regina', the rebellious ex-Chief of a fierce tribe who were among the first Indians to rebel against the Spanish. Diego and his mother are both looked down upon by the other Spanish nobles and colonists because Regina is half Spanish and half Indian. Zorro tells the story of young Diego, of how he is forced to face both of his heritages. Diego spent most of his childhood with his milk brother Bernardo, 'many people mistaken them as twins', at Diego¿s grandmother¿s, 'White Owl¿s', tribe and learn of the Native Americans rights of pass and their history and myths. They also are sent on a set of trials to see their futures before they cross the line of manhood. In their adolescent years, Diego and Bernado are sent to Barcelona, Spain by Diego¿s father, Alejandro, to go and practice fencing with the most famous fencing master, Maestro Manuel Escalante. Maestro Manuel will not teach Bernardo because he is an Indian, so Diego makes a pact with Bernardo, that whatever he learns from Manuel, he will teach Bernardo. On their way to Barcelona, they both learn how to tie sailor knots, swing from the ropes on the ships, how to play gambling games and win, and even Diego learns how to do magic tricks. Upon their arrival in Barcelona, they stay with Tomas de Romeu, an old friend of Diego¿s father. Diego immediately falls for his daughter, Juliana, although he has some competition to win her heart, Rafael Moncada. As Diego grew in years, his fencing skills grew immensely, pleasing Maestro Manuel, but he also got closer to the maestro allowing him to then know that he could trust Diego with his secret and bring Diego into the secret organization `La Justicia.¿ That is where the birth of Zorro began and Diego de la Vega began his journey down the road to self discovery. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes history in detail, along with sword play. Isabel Allende did an amazing job on bringing Zorro¿s birth to life. In this book, many historic events are discussed and many resolved. I liked this book because of the action and adventure, wrapped around the history of the world. But also because Zorro is a symbol that stood out for the people, and Isabel Allende relates that the reason Diego became Zorro was to avenge his grandmother¿s tribe when they were killed. I learned of the many unhappy things that happened to not only the Indians by the Spanish, but of what happened to the Spanish by the French. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes descriptive details of stories. Isabel Allende wrote Zorro with a very imaginative and detailed vocabulary. Zorro was full of imaginative sword play, acrobatics, and magic tricks. Diego becomes enchanting as both Zorro and himself. Heroism is presented to the public by Zorro, who becomes loved by the poor and innocent that he defends, and feared by the evil and corrupted as they read his initials that he slashed into the bad guys!
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Anonymous

Posted January 15, 2007

Hurra !!!!

Please read this not because who wrote it, read it without any stereotypes and enjoy a very interesting Zorro, more human and close to reality than the one some of us grew up watching in black and white TV shows or modern Hollywood movies. Sorry Mr. Banderas there is room for improvement and lots of Latino actors who deserve the role if this book is ever made into a movie.
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Anonymous

Posted December 19, 2006

Exciting and Fun

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great depiction of one of the most dashing, and amazing characters in history. A great book for the collection.
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Anonymous

Posted February 3, 2007

The Original Caped Crusader

Isabel Allende has written a wonderful story in her rendition of Zorro's life. The more recent Zorro movies only tell audiences of Zorro's adult life. Allende has taken the other road (a road that is very similar to that of the storyline of Batman Begins) by telling the story of how young Diego de la Vega became the legendary fox, Zorro. Her inclusion of some semi-political content with the marriage of Diego's father, Alejandro to an Indian woman, is an interesting angle. It was a very integral part in Diego's transformation into Zorro, although most of the story takes place in Spain. Allende's writing style is one that is simple enough for anyone to read. This is definitely one of the best aspects of Zorro. She does not write in big flowery terms. It is a book that anyone of any age could read, and would love to read, because as the book notes, 'We all pledge allegiance to Zorro.'
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Anonymous

Posted September 7, 2006

Outstanding

Allende did an awesome job on this book!! The way she brings the characters to life is amazing. Once you start, you can't let go. It was a bit slow in the begining and rushed in the end, but Great anyways.
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Anonymous

Posted March 20, 2006

Well written and enticing

Allende did an excellent job bringing to life this legend of Zorro, I enjoyed every bit of his adventures and growth. Did think, however, that she rushed at the end. This book could have easily commanded a sequel to two.
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Anonymous

Posted August 27, 2005

An Interesting Read

Isabel Allende tackles the legend of Zorro in this latest novel. I enjoyed the explanations and histories of all the characters. I was disappointed that there were not more escapades of Zorro, the novel seems to end abruptly. I wanted more explanation of Diego's life masquerading as Zorro and as a husband. There was no mention of him having children.
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Anonymous

Posted August 11, 2005

Good

It may be boring at first, but, I think that as the plot evolves, it becomes a great book, full of adventure, romance, and little touches of comedy. I absolutely recommend it.
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Anonymous

Posted September 18, 2005

Allende blew it

Great start and great history and Forrest Gumpization of Zorro into the histories of early 19th century California and Barcelona. But what insight we gain into a potential version of Zorro's youth leads us ultimately to sacrifice the excitement, pride, and fantasy of the hero, who we neither come to know well nor who we can continue to watch happily from afar. If Allende ever took any pleasure in the Zorro legend, the process of producing this book apparently robbed her of it. Ultimately, she blows it, giving us such a realistic source of a legend and such an impersonal narrative that we lose the magic and humor that made Zorro so enduring and appealing a figure.
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Zorro

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Engaging read

An excellent, exciting story that everyone should read!

Good book, recommended

Zorro is awsome!

A very well done book, but not for everyone.

Really liked it

Book Review: Zorro By: Isabel Allende HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. New York, NY.

Wicked Bueno!

The old movie swashbucklers would be pleased

did this for a book report

Not the Zorro we know

The Birth Of Zorro

Hurra !!!!

Exciting and Fun

The Original Caped Crusader

Outstanding

Well written and enticing

An Interesting Read

Good

Allende blew it