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misslisa11's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Book 47 of 2024: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. When Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
@bookofthemonth March pick! I’ve had this author’s other work on my Kindle for a while and I’ll have to get to that one soon as I found this book really enjoyable. From the blurb I anticipated that the book would read more as a mystery, but it definitely did not. I was slightly disappointed by this but enjoyed the story nonetheless! The story oscillated in time between Anita in the 1980s and Raquel in the late 1990s, and was more of a drama and character study than a mystery. Anita was such a richly complex character with so many colorful and sharp layers, and I loved learning more about her. I also really enjoyed the magical realism elements from her story, and how they truly enabled her to get the last laugh. Raquel was a bit less likable for me; there were so many times I wanted to shake her out of being such a pushover, but I suppose that was all part of her growing up and coming into her own. Both Raquel and Anita struggled to fit into a world that did not accept them, but through Anita’s story they were able to share their voices and find a community of acceptance, and I loved that.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. When Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
@bookofthemonth March pick! I’ve had this author’s other work on my Kindle for a while and I’ll have to get to that one soon as I found this book really enjoyable. From the blurb I anticipated that the book would read more as a mystery, but it definitely did not. I was slightly disappointed by this but enjoyed the story nonetheless! The story oscillated in time between Anita in the 1980s and Raquel in the late 1990s, and was more of a drama and character study than a mystery. Anita was such a richly complex character with so many colorful and sharp layers, and I loved learning more about her. I also really enjoyed the magical realism elements from her story, and how they truly enabled her to get the last laugh. Raquel was a bit less likable for me; there were so many times I wanted to shake her out of being such a pushover, but I suppose that was all part of her growing up and coming into her own. Both Raquel and Anita struggled to fit into a world that did not accept them, but through Anita’s story they were able to share their voices and find a community of acceptance, and I loved that.
marsians's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
lisaab22's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
aniclou's review
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
smleecost's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
uhhadrianna's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
juliajjshields's review
3.5
3.5✨
UPDATE: just found out this was fiction based on the true story of an artist named Ana Mendieta ???? I’m shocked & disappointed there’s no mention of that and her story here. Maybe it’s a legal issue? But it just seems so shady especially considering the story is nearly identical save for the supernatural elements of course…oOF this is odd & brings it from a 3.75 to a 3.5
Original review:
such a fresh and creative story!! I had no idea what to expect & was pleasantly surprised by Anita de Monte Laughs Last. The supernatural element of her continuous haunting was surprising & brought the story to life. I loved Raquel as our fmc & was a fan of the community she came to be surrounded by. I could’ve personally gone without Jack’s perspective. Maybe one or two chapters but unfortunately it was more often which elicited an eye roll from me every time lol
I had some difficulty with the pacing. I felt as if the end where Raquel discovers Anita should’ve come earlier. It made the ending feel a bit rushed and I would’ve loved to have more time with this new aspect of her life…or simply it come earlier and the book be shorter. Either way, I felt there was a bit too much context to then not have much time in what seemed to be an intended climax.
Overall I was entertained and engaged. It took quite some time to get into, but once I did I was sucked in!
UPDATE: just found out this was fiction based on the true story of an artist named Ana Mendieta ???? I’m shocked & disappointed there’s no mention of that and her story here. Maybe it’s a legal issue? But it just seems so shady especially considering the story is nearly identical save for the supernatural elements of course…oOF this is odd & brings it from a 3.75 to a 3.5
Original review:
such a fresh and creative story!! I had no idea what to expect & was pleasantly surprised by Anita de Monte Laughs Last. The supernatural element of her continuous haunting was surprising & brought the story to life. I loved Raquel as our fmc & was a fan of the community she came to be surrounded by. I could’ve personally gone without Jack’s perspective. Maybe one or two chapters but unfortunately it was more often which elicited an eye roll from me every time lol
I had some difficulty with the pacing. I felt as if the end where Raquel discovers Anita should’ve come earlier. It made the ending feel a bit rushed and I would’ve loved to have more time with this new aspect of her life…or simply it come earlier and the book be shorter. Either way, I felt there was a bit too much context to then not have much time in what seemed to be an intended climax.
Overall I was entertained and engaged. It took quite some time to get into, but once I did I was sucked in!
lodaddy's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0