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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
Better than anticipated, although a bit slow in parts. Made me eager to learn more history about the Trujillo dictatorship, which I mostly know about through historical fiction. I knew this was "based on a true story" but thought that the Mirabal sisters were an invention--I felt much more invested in the book when I learned they were real! :D
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm so glad that we are reading this for my book club. I finished it last night and can't wait to discuss it tomorrow over dinner and wine. I enjoyed the beautiful writing and the characterization of the Mirabel girls. The story will stick with me for a long time.
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Historical fiction set in the Dominican Republic of the 1960s during the authoritarian rule of Rafael Trujillo. The story is told from the perspective of the four Mirabal sisters, with each one getting their own chapter for a given time period. The audiobook also has a different narrator for each sister, which makes the listening experience more varied and more enjoyable. Despite this reliance on different perspectives, the tale is cohesive and I found I only had to occasionally to remember who was married to whom.
In the time of the butterflies is a boring, un engaging story on a very interesting topic. While reading it I found myself constantly zoning out, reading pages over and over, and wishing it was written at all better. The topic itself was very interesting and led me to believe it had the potential to be a very good read, but to no avail. I give it 2 stars.
hopeful
inspiring
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:
N/A
This book was published in 1994 during the decade of my life when I had no time for reading for enjoyment. I need to go back and read more books written at this time.
The book is set in the Dominican Republic while Trujillo is dictator. I knew very little of the country or it’s history. The story is narrated by four sisters and really encapsulates each of their spirits. The story opens with Dede’s story. She is the only sister who survived- the other three are dead. So the entire story feels like you are on this train that will crash and you can’t get off as you know the other sisters die. So it’s not a happy story but I so appreciate the spirit of revolutionary women.
The book is set in the Dominican Republic while Trujillo is dictator. I knew very little of the country or it’s history. The story is narrated by four sisters and really encapsulates each of their spirits. The story opens with Dede’s story. She is the only sister who survived- the other three are dead. So the entire story feels like you are on this train that will crash and you can’t get off as you know the other sisters die. So it’s not a happy story but I so appreciate the spirit of revolutionary women.
I appreciate the importance of this book, and the stories it tells. I learned a great deal from it, and by the final third of the book was swept into their turmoil and risk.
I struggled more than I'd like to admit with the first half. If I put it down for more than a few days, I had to reestablish which sister was which. I'm not sure that right now I could draw out the family tree with husbands and children. The voices of 1950's Dede and Patria were not distinct enough for me, and I got lost in the details. I often wished for it to be solely Minerva or Mate's story, to be honest. However, the race to the finish was well paced and satisfying, and I may have shed a tear.
I struggled more than I'd like to admit with the first half. If I put it down for more than a few days, I had to reestablish which sister was which. I'm not sure that right now I could draw out the family tree with husbands and children. The voices of 1950's Dede and Patria were not distinct enough for me, and I got lost in the details. I often wished for it to be solely Minerva or Mate's story, to be honest. However, the race to the finish was well paced and satisfying, and I may have shed a tear.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
No