The House of the Spirits

Reading this is like unfurling a long tapestry full of rich detail and vivid color. Allende effortlessly brings the characters to life, endowing them with beautiful, vibrant, flawed personalities. I felt joy at their triumphs and anguish at their hardships. The wild, spiritually-entangled Trueba house feels like a second home, a base from which to venture out into the alluring world Allende has dreamed up.

I felt drawn into this story to a level matched by few others. One of the most beautiful and poignant books I've read in a long time.