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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-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:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War
Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Fatphobia, Xenophobia
ITTOTB tells the story of the 4 Mirabal sisters, and the 3 of them's attempts to overthrow the authoritarian Trujillo regime.
I would've really liked to give this book a good review. The blurb sounds pretty good, but that's where it ends.
The author manages to stretch a plot that could've been told in 30 pages to over 300. Every page is filled to the max with unnecessary details and mini-plots that never resolve.
As a bonus, I literally cannot distinguish between the 3 Mirabal sisters that were involved with the revolution-- They have so little personality to them.
Finally, Maria literally writes her journal entries like she's 2.
Disclaimer: I read this for an English class, but I tried to not let that affect my enjoyment of the book.
I would've really liked to give this book a good review. The blurb sounds pretty good, but that's where it ends.
The author manages to stretch a plot that could've been told in 30 pages to over 300. Every page is filled to the max with unnecessary details and mini-plots that never resolve.
As a bonus, I literally cannot distinguish between the 3 Mirabal sisters that were involved with the revolution-- They have so little personality to them.
Finally, Maria literally writes her journal entries like she's 2.
Disclaimer: I read this for an English class, but I tried to not let that affect my enjoyment of the book.
dark
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-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:
Complicated
I am so fascinated by this book, and not just because I am a Spanish teacher, and not just because I taught my upper levels about the dictatorship of Trujillo this year. The story is so wonderfully told through the four sisters, and at times, I find the plot completely suspenseful. If you are reading this book, or plan to read this book, I highly recommend doing a little research about the Trujillo regime and the "Butterflies" - this book is definitely historical fiction. It is also a very quick read, and you might even learn a little español. I look forward to sharing this book with my students next year, and reading more by Alvarez. Oh, and seeing the movie! ;)
The four Mirabal sisters grow up in a happy family home in the Dominican Republic when Trujillo comes to power. As they grow from young girls into young adults and mothers themselves, they become more aware of the injustices, dangers, violence and terror of life under his regime where the wrong words or place at the wrong time can find your whole family at risk. Minerva, Patria, Dede and Mate (Maria Teresa) don't want to become revolutionaries but find themselves with no other option and end up doing whatever they can to resist and bring hope to their people, ending up with them and their husbands jailed and eventually killed (except for Dede) before seeing any change that they worked for eventuate. A well told story with lots of lively characters, which helped me understand this time and place in history that I wasn't familiar with.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated