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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
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
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
In the Time of the Butterflies is a fascinating account of the life of four Mirabal sisters - Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa & Dede - during the time of Rafael Trujillo's 31 year dictatorship of the Dominican Republic. It brings to life 3 wonderful humans (thoughts on why it doesn't do a good job on the 4th one follow) - revolutionaries - women- who gave everything for their convictions despite insurmountable odds. Everyone needs to know about the Mirabal sisters, and I don't think there is a better way to get to know them!
It is important to note that this is not a biography - it is a fictionalized account of real people & their lives, but the author takes liberties in imagining their lives as real people, what motivated them, what kept them going etc. She also to an extent omits or combines events that really happened (e.g., according to Wikipedia, Minerva was jailed 3 times, but in the book she is arrested only once). I am not sure to what extent research informed these decisions, but I hope Julia Alvarez did a good amount of it; because the book is a delight, and I want it to be true!
We progress through 20+ years in the lives of the sisters, and follow them from their teenage years to the assassination of the 3 sisters. Each sister's voice is distinct, and barring Dede's, they are also a great delight to read. I deeply enjoyed being a part of their lives. The author does an especially good job of bringing out how each sister got the conviction to resist Trujillo's regime - Minerva due to her patriotism & principles, Maria Teresa out of her love for Minerva & Leandro, Patria due to a deep religious conviction - each sister takes a unique path to get to the same point. Their personalities are also very distinctly lovable - Minerva's resolve, Patria's heartfulness, Maria Teresa's innocence.. the author's penmanship brings them to life beautifully.
I thought Dede's chapters were a bit strained in writing - the balance of her being in the present vs. reminiscing the past tilts a little too much in favor of the present in the main chapters. The author tries to be a bit poetic (with mentions of being able to talk to the dead sisters, and them being at rest at last etc.), but it doesn't come across well. Whatever was intended by the author through these angles was definitely lost on me. The epilogue especially wasn't very well written - this was the chapter in which I craved as much of the present as of the past; and I thought the author let me down again by not providing enough of the present! I would have loved to hear more of the country's journey (did the nation the Mirabal sisters' dreamt about get created?) and wanted to know more about the people who survived.
The part that also doesn't come through clearly about Dede - and I wish it did - Dede did play a major role in Dominican Republic's struggle for democracy, but it was the kind of unsung role that ballads aren't written about. By giving her life to keeping the story of her sisters alive, she reminded her nation of what her sisters dreamt about, and never let her country forget that. It seems Dominican Republic fumbled its way into one dictatorship after another, and remained a pseudo-democracy for a long time; but Dede never let the nation forget what the dream of democracy is. Didn't this deserve explicit acknowledgement, especially since her efforts played a key role in elevating her sisters into popular psyche as national heroes? I have knocked a star from the rating thanks to these issues with the Dede chapters.
Some additional random thoughts:
1) Trujillo comes through as self-serving & corrupt. We are also told that he rapes women including minors habitually. Yet his interactions with Minerva are rather gentlemanly - he in fact makes multiple attempts to gain her consent (including through nefarious means i.e. imprisoning her father). I am not sure if this is reflective of reality or a choice made by the author.
2) On a related note, there are several chapters that provide an account of Minerva & Maria Teresa's life in prison. We also learn of other inmates' lives through them. Their lives are no doubt miserable, but the tortures they undergo do not include physical tortures from the guards (yes,). Again raised a lot of questions on believability - was this an authorial choice or reflective of general status of prisoners under Trujillo?
3) Role of international pressure in domestic politics shines through very nicely - especially in the prison chapters (and also possibly provides an answer, at least partial, to #2 above.)
4) There are plenty of veiled references to the US ("the gringos") - the historical invasion, decades of silence, encouragement of armed insurgence & the ultimate choice made by US on how to kill & who should succeed Trujillo when he fell out of favor. Suffice to say, US does not come out shining.
It is important to note that this is not a biography - it is a fictionalized account of real people & their lives, but the author takes liberties in imagining their lives as real people, what motivated them, what kept them going etc. She also to an extent omits or combines events that really happened (e.g., according to Wikipedia, Minerva was jailed 3 times, but in the book she is arrested only once). I am not sure to what extent research informed these decisions, but I hope Julia Alvarez did a good amount of it; because the book is a delight, and I want it to be true!
We progress through 20+ years in the lives of the sisters, and follow them from their teenage years to the assassination of the 3 sisters. Each sister's voice is distinct, and barring Dede's, they are also a great delight to read. I deeply enjoyed being a part of their lives. The author does an especially good job of bringing out how each sister got the conviction to resist Trujillo's regime - Minerva due to her patriotism & principles, Maria Teresa out of her love for Minerva & Leandro, Patria due to a deep religious conviction - each sister takes a unique path to get to the same point. Their personalities are also very distinctly lovable - Minerva's resolve, Patria's heartfulness, Maria Teresa's innocence.. the author's penmanship brings them to life beautifully.
I thought Dede's chapters were a bit strained in writing - the balance of her being in the present vs. reminiscing the past tilts a little too much in favor of the present in the main chapters. The author tries to be a bit poetic (with mentions of being able to talk to the dead sisters, and them being at rest at last etc.), but it doesn't come across well. Whatever was intended by the author through these angles was definitely lost on me. The epilogue especially wasn't very well written - this was the chapter in which I craved as much of the present as of the past; and I thought the author let me down again by not providing enough of the present! I would have loved to hear more of the country's journey (did the nation the Mirabal sisters' dreamt about get created?) and wanted to know more about the people who survived.
The part that also doesn't come through clearly about Dede - and I wish it did - Dede did play a major role in Dominican Republic's struggle for democracy, but it was the kind of unsung role that ballads aren't written about. By giving her life to keeping the story of her sisters alive, she reminded her nation of what her sisters dreamt about, and never let her country forget that. It seems Dominican Republic fumbled its way into one dictatorship after another, and remained a pseudo-democracy for a long time; but Dede never let the nation forget what the dream of democracy is. Didn't this deserve explicit acknowledgement, especially since her efforts played a key role in elevating her sisters into popular psyche as national heroes? I have knocked a star from the rating thanks to these issues with the Dede chapters.
Some additional random thoughts:
1) Trujillo comes through as self-serving & corrupt. We are also told that he rapes women including minors habitually. Yet his interactions with Minerva are rather gentlemanly - he in fact makes multiple attempts to gain her consent (including through nefarious means i.e. imprisoning her father). I am not sure if this is reflective of reality or a choice made by the author.
2) On a related note, there are several chapters that provide an account of Minerva & Maria Teresa's life in prison. We also learn of other inmates' lives through them. Their lives are no doubt miserable, but the tortures they undergo do not include physical tortures from the guards (yes,
Spoiler
Maria Teresa had an episode of physical torture, but it was for the explicit purpose of influencing her husband, and she was still never raped or touched inappropriately3) Role of international pressure in domestic politics shines through very nicely - especially in the prison chapters (and also possibly provides an answer, at least partial, to #2 above.)
4) There are plenty of veiled references to the US ("the gringos") - the historical invasion, decades of silence, encouragement of armed insurgence & the ultimate choice made by US on how to kill & who should succeed Trujillo when he fell out of favor. Suffice to say, US does not come out shining.
Very moving story of four very different sisters in a time of great civil unrest, moving from their childhood to much after their passing. Depicting how the day to day world changes from being under a dictatorship and the ups/downs during the struggle for freedom. Also speaks to the diversity of experiences each of us can have while finding love, settling into a marriage and the impacts prison can have on a person. The feminist energy was a very impactful theme throughout the book.