Inés of My Soul by Isabel Allende
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book did not captivate me the way Allende's other books did. Historically, very little is known about Inés Suarez, the lone woman who left Spain for Peru with the conquistadores in the 1500's, eventually becoming one of the conquerors of Chile and wife of the Royal Governor. Allende did a wonderful job of shaping Inés's voice; transforming her from the almost anonymous historical figure she is into a passionate, admirable woman whose words and actions matter in the grand scheme of things. Doña Inés played a major role in establishing Santiago, the first Chilean colony, while also ensuring the safety of its people during countless wars and skirmishes with the Mapuche Indians. A large portion of the book is one massacre after another including historically accurate details of the hideous dehumanizing tortures and terrible executions practiced by both the Mapuche and the Spaniards. It grew tedious.

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