Zorro

Isabel Allende is a mastermind. She takes a popular legend and breathes new and refreshing life into him and his family. This is a rich novel with commentary on race, class, and gender, and it is also a lot of fun in the bargain. Isabel is a delicious supporting character to Diego's predictably buccaneer heroic antics. While I would not quite give this a five-star review (perhaps because I'm still dazed from The House of the Spirits), this is a solid 4.5 book that is worth the time it takes to read

I should have enjoyed this book far more than I did. One of my favourite novels/series is The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, which actually predates Zorro as the 'father of all the action heroes with the double personality', and so I thought I should read about Sir Percy's nearest chronological successor, Diego de la Vega AKA Zorro. But I just couldn't get into the character, as retold by Chilean writer Isabel Allende, or his picaresque adventures. In fact, this damn novel sent me into a reading slump - two weeks to read nearly 400 pages!

Anyway, I did enjoy learning about the early history of California, where Diego's story starts with a Spanish father and an Indian (native American) mother, and can't praise the author enough for show more her research - the mark (pardon the pun) of a good historical novel for me is bringing the dry facts of the past to life. Orczy did the same for the French Revolution, baring the odd instance of melodrama: 'This is called literary licence,' the narrator of Zorro's life explains, 'and as I understand it, it is more legitimate than all-out lies.'

I also loved the narrative voice of the story, which sounds very authentic, if not to the era of the story than of classic adventure stories from the early twentieth century. The dialogue was slightly ridiculous, however, and Diego reminded me of Antonio Banderas as Puss ... In Boots every time he challenged someone to a duel, or whatever.

I think the charm of Sir Percy Blakeney/the Scarlet Pimpernel that Zorro is missing - at least in this modern revision - is mystery. Sir Percy is equally talented at all of the 'gentlemanly arts' and uses ingenuity and bare-faced impudence to achieve his rescues as the Pimpernel, but the reader never really gets inside his head. Here, Diego/Zorro is laid wide-open and comes across as arrogant and cartoonish as a result (especially with the mask and cape). And the passionate romance between Sir Percy and his wife Marguerite is diluted into Diego mooning after the virginal daughter of his Spanish sponsor, Juliana, who eventually falls in love with a pirate. Isabel, her sister, is a far better character, but she is described as a cross-eyed tomboy and written off the page (despite being the narrator).

I was expecting Allende to raise Zorro above his dime store origins, but she maintained the tone (and testosterone) far too closely for me. Back to the Scarlet Pimpernel! show less

L'impressione che ne ho ricavato è che Isabel Allende si sia divertita a scrivere questo romanzo. È una rivisitazione del classico cappa e spada, ma l'autrice scombina i generi e diventa lo stesso tempo un picaresco e un romanzo di formazione. Il trionfo della mescolanza e del meticcio, con l'autentico Hidalgo spagnolo insidiato da mezzosangue indios, creoli, zingari e napoleonici. La scrittura è un po' lenta all' inizio ma poi prende il ritmo. Gli uomini sono descritti, compreso il protagonista, fin nei loro difetti. E anche le donne. Donne che dovrebbero essere solo comprimarie ma che in realtà dirigono la storia, ognuna a suo modo, con la saggezza oppure a volte con la propria volubilità.Tutto il testo è pervaso di una tenue show more ironia Diego de la Vega ha le orecchie a sventola e la mascherina serve a nasconderle, è innamorato di una donna onesta ma sciocca, ed è principalmente un vanitoso, pur mosso da un forte senso di giustizia; mentre un capolavoro è la figura di Isabel, ragazza brutta ma intelligente e poco femminile per i canoni dell'epoca, intetessata a materie di studio maschile come la scherma e la navigazione, che ama segretamente Diego de la Vega e avrà il suo trionfo, tutt'altro che classico, alla fine della storia. Una lettura leggera eppure con un senso, un romanzo che fa un po' sognare e un po' sorridere, denso di avventure e di mascalzoni da combattere, che parla d'amore e un po' di sesso ma in modo discreto, e che prende in giro il modo consueto di vedere gli eroi e gli avvenimenti. show less

I don't like all of Isabel Allende's books, but this was a nice surprise! I like how she came up with a childhood for Zorro which explains most of the characteristics of the Zorro that I know from tv. One of the things I noticed was that my reading wasn’t influenced at all by the fact that I knew how the story would end, because it is written well and remains exciting and interesting.

I have loved Zorro since I was four years old (so, eh, for 60 years). I have enjoyed his many incarnations, from the original 1919 Johnston McCulley story, through many many film, TV, and comics incarnations, and straight up to this unlikely literary, somewhat magical realist, and (dare I say?) feminist novel.

The writing is impeccable. Allende IS a grand master, and her Spanish prose is beautifully rendered into English by translator Margaret Sayers Peden. I did not mind at all the long paragraphs and focus on narrative rather than action scenes (which many readers seem to have disliked). Although, I must admit at times this style made for a slower reading experience.

The story comes up with many surprises, including Diego's show more half-Native American family tree, his early shamanistic experiences, on to his adventures crossing to Spain, and the political intrigue there involving Gypsies, a secret society, and his involvement with an unfortunate noble family.

The narrative persona is especially intriguing. And, without giving away any spoilers, I can say that it wraps up the whole novel beautifully, even while the character of Zorro himself remains ultimately mysterious (as he always should!)

A quirky but worthy addition to the Zorro canon. show less

Oh boy, what fun. My only previous encounter was a weekly TV show by Walt Disney. I am embarrassed to admit I enjoyed it, but looking back it was kid's stuff. But this is the real thing, a well written, adult-themed novel. Allende writes a gritty, humorous, and some times mystical story. While back-round in the story is well written and well researched, the characters are fictional. A fun, but serious and dangerous, romp from California to Spain and back again. Be prepared for action, danger, and a little romance. Most of all be prepared for Zorro, the Fox, so cunning and free.
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A well-written, fun read with lots of historical information about oppressed people, in this case Native Americans in California and Romani in Spain. We learn how Diego learned all the skills and acquired the deceptive dilettante appearance that make him Zorro---horseback riding from Romani, magic tricks from a ship's cook, sword-fighting from a fencing master who also belongs to a secret organization dedicated to justice, swinging from ropes as a ship's passenger---as he grows up in Spanish California and then travels to Spain while Napoleon is in power.

A quote:
We shall soon be saying good-bye, dear readers, since the story ends when the hero returns to where he began, transformed by his adventures and by obstacles overcome. This is show more the norm in epic narratives from the Odyssey to fairy tales, and I shall not be the one to attempt innovation. show less