Isabel Allende is a Chilean novelist, best known for her works such as The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts. She was born in Lima, Peru in 1942 to Chilean parents and moved to Chile in 1945. Allende is considered one of the most important Latin American authors of the 20th century and has written over 20 books. Her works often focus on the experiences of women, magic realism, and political oppression.