Book Review: Isabel Allende's Zorro
Published August 29, 2005
Rich in detail and ambitious in scope, Allende's Zorro introduces us to the "real" person behind the legend. We follow the development of the two boys Diego and Bernardo, as they seek to define for themselves the sources of honor and courage, learning from Diego's fierce mother and Indian grandmother. We discover the love of mischief that underlies Zorro's later crusade against the oppressive governors of Alta California. Then we follow the two young men to Spain, where they learn new modes of "magic" and a new respect for justice in the house of the wealthy Tomás de Romeu.
Like any biography, some of its power comes from the presumed knowledge of the writer—and Allende speaks as a character in Diego's life, Isabel de Romeu, in the latter half of this tale. The character of Isabel is a perfect foil to the adolescent Diego: intelligent, capable, and endowed with the same sense of mischief and desire to protect the weak. (In fact, I got the impression that Allende was drawn to write this fictional biography so that she could enter the story of a childhood hero. Such is the power of her writing that the suspicion soon fades, and we accept Isabel de Romeu as if she had long been part of the Zorro mythos.)
Perhaps because the action is sumptuously detailed and partakes of those Thursday evening thrillers that glued us to the TV (pirates and grizzly bears supplement the usual fencing and whip-cracking), I found it reminiscent of the "original" Zorro tales I loved as a child. It was easy to drop back into that cliff-hanger terror. Will Zorro be discovered? Will the Alcalde's men catch him?
Will Allende write a sequel?
Zorro is top-notch, both as action fiction, and as an homage to the original. Once again, Allende has delivered—now, where's the popcorn?
DrPat is the blog signature used by an old coot who hoards books, dances Argentine Tango, cooks a mean venison chili, and is happy to be along for the sag while my spouse does a marathon bicycle ride. All that is in my spare time — and my work life is classified...
- Book Review: Isabel Allende's Zorro
- Published: August 29, 2005
- Type: Review
- Section: Books
- Filed Under: Books: History, Review, Video: Action
- Writer: DrPat
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DrP, coupla comments:
Nice review. I'll get this book.
My 5 yr old *grandson and I LOVE Zorro! (*Of course, I've schooled him in ALL the great outlaw heroes, Robin Hood, Capt. Blood, Zorro: but his favorite is Zorro)
You're aware of the original novel, Mark of Zorro, et al. by Johnston McCulley? Fun stuff.
You're also aware of the FABULOUS Zorro book by the great artist Alex Toth? It's based on the Disney version. Again, well worth the price.
ALAS: The Guy Williams ZORRO (Disney) is OUT OF PRINT on DVDs. (Actually, Disney never released it. Don't know why.) I would love to get a letter-writing campaign together to petition Disney to put those classics out on DVD. (There are a few web sites of fellow zorro fanatics who would probably contribute to the cause.)
As an adult, Shark, I don't know that I would have quite the same enjoyment in watching the Disney TV version. I'd be reluctant to test it, lest the memories be tainted.
I was amazed, though, at how strongly the images from that long-ago program came back to me as I read this book.
"As an adult..."
[LOUD EAR-SHATTERING BUZZER ERUPTS]
um, now Doc, tell me what's wrong with the above 'opening.'
Now go to your room and think it over.
======
Okay, you can come out now.
Doc, re: images from the Disney version;
You should definitely check out the Alex Toth book -- assuming you've learned your lesson and decided to stop insisting on 'being an adult'.
S
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Isabel Allende is one of my favorite contemporary writers. Ever since The House of the Spirits blew me away I have been reading her and watching the movies made from her books. I haven't yet gotten to this one and will pick it up in the States next month.
She combines Chile, all of the Spanish, Catholic, occult world with a healthy dose of American thriller-ness. The kind of writing that Winona Ryder brought off in the film. Now Zorro . I can't wait. My only disagreement was with Antonio Banderas and the most recent Zorro which I though fell on its face and his face. He just is not Erroll Flynn.
So I'm up for a good version and then the movie of it.