Portrait In Sepia

I am about half-way through Portrait In Sepia by Isabel Allende. I like her writing usually, although it's always better in Spanish. I found the English copy at a local thrift store though, and actually really enjoying it. (Must be a better translator.)
She has some wonderful characters in this book- although I do have to keep referring back to the little family tree chart in the beginning of the book. I always wonder about those things, if they are actually helpful, or more distracting by the fact that they are there...