With the publication of "House of Spirits" in 1982, Isabel Allende garnered immediate attention and international acclaim. Because of her mix of political and magical themes, Allende was favourable compared to some of the male Latin American writers who dominated this "boom" movement. Her engaging epic quickly became a bestseller, however, not because it was written by a woman in a male-dominated tradition, but because of its own artistic merit. Her output of both fiction and non-fiction that followed continued to establish her place in the literary ranks. This critical companion introduces readers to the writings of Allende, with accessible literary analysis of her six novels. Each is discussed in terms of plot, character development, thematic concerns and style, with historical contexts and alternative critical perspectives also given. A biographical chapter traces Allende's journey from wife, mother and journalist in Chile to internationally acclaimed author. Reading her life story, as exciting as any of the plots from her novels, students should better understand the historical and political forces that informed Allende's writing. The literary heritage chapter provides opportunity for readers to deepen further their appreciation for Allende's contributions to and place in Latin American literary tradition.