Reviews - En el tiempo de las mariposas

En el tiempo de las mariposas by Julia Alvarez

1.68k reviews for:

This book was picked by patron at the local library to be our first book club pick, I’m so glad it won. This book was so well written I just want to know more and more about the sisters now. I can’t wait to discuss it with the club!

rachaelchapman's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense

cosettereadsbooks's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

lauraq's review against another edition

5.0

emotional informative inspiring fast-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: Yes

boo_king_it's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

This novel is a powerful piece of historical fiction. Following four sisters throughout their lives, you watch their mindsets, attitude, and character change yet these characters stay true to themselves. Through the diverse, yet connected, sisters Alvarez explores what makes someone a revolutionary. Although published in 1994, the questions this novel raises have yet to be answered. What makes someone a revolutionary? Are they just braver than others? Do they see something the rest of us don’t? The common glorification of the revolutionary will have us think that you have to have exceptional qualities, but Alvarez poses what I think is most likely the truth. What motivates people to risk their lives in political action is not always some deep dedication to the cause. That deep dedication has consequences for the people closest to you. Children grow up without parents, mothers bear the loss of their children, and one may feel their life was wasted. This last consequence might be the most controversial. Was it a waste to dedicate your life to revolution if the outcome wasn’t the utopia you imagined? If you were murdered at a young age? If you left behind a grieving village? People are ready to shame those that “turn a blind eye” to tragedy or dictatorship. This novel challenges that rhetoric with the radical notion that people have diverse motivations and inaction in the face of oppression might actually have it’s place in the arc of justice.

Ultimately, I walked away from this novel with a deeper understanding of the history and culture of the Dominican Republic. I cried and laughed and loved along with these characters even though I come from a patently different family, culture, time period. That’s the power of this novel and I’m thankful I happened upon Julia Alvarez.

rayornah's review against another edition

4.0

i really, really loved this book! like the color purple, i was able to tag along on the mirabal sisters’ journey through adulthood and eventually their honorable deaths. the sisters reimagined by julia alvarez was such a treat and honestly, when i first started the novel, i didn’t even know the mirabal sisters were actual historical figures! i really fell in love with minerva’s character and it’s just, her determination and optimism throughout the novel made me so hopeful. i didn’t have much expectations for this book because, like i said, i’ve never read it but once i finished part 1, i couldn’t put it down! now the ending, aaaaa. the ending, or the epilogue rather, made me BAWL. i could not stop crying, and finishing the book honestly made me a new person. i want to read more books like this, or maybe even more books about the mirabal sisters as i’m aware the sole surviving sister, dedé had written one about her life and her sisters’ during trujillo’s regime. highly recommend :”)