A review by serendipitysbooks
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.75

Anita de Monte Laughs Last was a fabulous read, an absorbing tale with an unforgettable character, a story that was really easy to sink into and which was exactly what I was craving when I picked it up. It is told from the perspectives of three different narrators - Anita de Monte, a Cuban artist whose life is tragically cut short, her American husband Jack Martin, a highly regarded artist, and Raquel an art history student who originally plans to write her thesis on Martin but becomes more interested in de Monte, her art and her death. This book has lots of smart things to say about race, class and gender, and about their intersection particularly in the world of art. The erasure of women, particularly women of colour, was a strong theme. Anita was such a fabulous character, full of fire, passion and energy, someone who lived for her art, believed in herself and her talent totally, but sadly seemed to have bad judgement when it came to men, one man in particular. Her rage was so justified and so wonderfully depicted. I’m not normally a fan of magical realism, the supernatural or of ghosts but this book is an exception. These elements were used to perfection; the ghost of Anita haunting Jack and knowing the best and most subtle ways to mess with his mind and totally piss him off was both hilarious and empowering. Jack himself was just awful - pretentious, with not nearly as much talent as he believed, threatened by Anita’s talent and rising success, controlling and abusive but, infuriatingly, able to use his privilege to avoid the consequences of his actions. Raquel’s storyline initially showed some alarming parallels with Anita’s and I worried she was in danger of losing herself to her white boyfriend, another sad example of masculinity. Thankfully she eventually wised up and I loved the way she fought for recognition of Anita’s work and challenged her professor on the way he and the rest of the art world ignored Anita and Jack’s connection to her death. It was to his credit that he acknowledged the validity of Raquel’s criticism.
This novel was a winner for me due to Anita, such a strong and memorable character, its entertaining storytelling and satisfying narrative arc, plus the thought proving, relevant themes. I just wish an author’s note had been included acknowledging Ana Mendieta, whose life, work and death served as an inspiration for Anita’s story.

Content Warnings