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A review by reflectiverambling_nalana
Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The highlighting of forgotten voices is not a new concept to explore. It will be easy for some to dismiss this as pushing a tired narrative at best or at worse while I don't picture those of the persuasion would be interested in this book to begin with being heavy handed in some of the elements it highlights. I confess that I had a bit of a jaded opinion until I started getting into the ryhthm of the narrative and the pieces started to fall into place.
So I'd challenge these readers to consider that they author chose to set this in a specific time frame. While there has been an increasing push to acknowledge forgotten voices we only got to this place where our eyes and hearts are open to a broader concept of how we were taught and now view history by people who existed at that turning point. That's not to say that there weren't many before our current day who didn't let stories be forgotten. But I'd venture to guess that it was in a time like the late 90s that the second perspective travels in that existed at this really significant crossing between timing and attention that started the ball rolling to where we find ourselves now.
ONe aspect about this novel that I appreciate is the parallel not only how someone's work is judged, but how their personality is. We are used to seeing characters like Anita cast as angry, vengeful, spiteful ,and ugly. In this book Anita isn't restrained, that is true, but it's also painfully clear that both people in that relationship are toxic in their own ways. The difference is that female anger is far less 'acceptable'. Anita, nor the author, ever apologizes for this portrayal because why should it be demeaning for Anita but not her husband? It's wrapped up in the same bow as his career- what happens when he comes under suspicion as opposed to what would happen to her. I loved her anger because it wasn't just that--it was passion. It was her being completely honest with herself and the world.
Without wanting to give away the twist to this novel, I absolutely adored how it gave a fantastical element constraints. I loved the concept of memory as fuel, power. It adds an extra layer to the revelations that can be contained simply by acknowledging and lifting up a voice.
I also enjoyed how it brushed on not asking for erasure of things that have long been deemed as classics or masters, but just challenged the reasons why and supported the expansion of those notions.
The notion of family, found and real, was also an incredible point.
Finally, I generally consider it a good thing if reading a book from the perspective of someone who shares a different life experience from me if I'm uncomfortable. I welcome it making me consider my own ideas and ways of thinking. So I struggle with how to express this particular reaction I had. It's not because it rang my guilt bell. It was more of a second hand pain for some of the couples I have known.
I very recently finished another book that dealt with an interracial and class relationship that was disastrous. Now I'm not saying for a moment that those experiences are even outliers. The emphasis on more privileged trying to 'better' others is probably more common than ever, honestly. But it left me wondering if there was any room to portray these things as anything but. Or, on the other side of seeing these things portrayed, for them to be completely idealized with no understandings and full acceptance. It was a little disheartening to see relationships that were portrayed as possibly having serious flaws being recognized and altered to spiraling. Though, to be fair, if the misconceptions stemmed from class or race or only when these two converged is not necessarily apparent.
Given the particular narrative I understood why things went in this direction for this story and the sake of parallels. It just led me to the realization of how much appreciation I have for stories where differences are seen, mistakes are made, and addressed in ways that paint characters in less drastically villainous ways. Not necessarily for everything to be happily ever after or magically okay. People can fail to make a relationship work, fail to realize in all the ways they still need to work on themselves, without being all out destructive to the other. It wouldn't have worked in this story, but I hope we are also creating spaces for that dynamic to be shown if only in homage to people who have navigated these spaces of cross cultural relationships when it was even less prominent or portrayed as just a mater of fetishism.
a really memorable, passionate, read. Though, as an art lover, I suppose I might have also gone in with bias.
So I'd challenge these readers to consider that they author chose to set this in a specific time frame. While there has been an increasing push to acknowledge forgotten voices we only got to this place where our eyes and hearts are open to a broader concept of how we were taught and now view history by people who existed at that turning point. That's not to say that there weren't many before our current day who didn't let stories be forgotten. But I'd venture to guess that it was in a time like the late 90s that the second perspective travels in that existed at this really significant crossing between timing and attention that started the ball rolling to where we find ourselves now.
ONe aspect about this novel that I appreciate is the parallel not only how someone's work is judged, but how their personality is. We are used to seeing characters like Anita cast as angry, vengeful, spiteful ,and ugly. In this book Anita isn't restrained, that is true, but it's also painfully clear that both people in that relationship are toxic in their own ways. The difference is that female anger is far less 'acceptable'. Anita, nor the author, ever apologizes for this portrayal because why should it be demeaning for Anita but not her husband? It's wrapped up in the same bow as his career- what happens when he comes under suspicion as opposed to what would happen to her. I loved her anger because it wasn't just that--it was passion. It was her being completely honest with herself and the world.
Without wanting to give away the twist to this novel, I absolutely adored how it gave a fantastical element constraints. I loved the concept of memory as fuel, power. It adds an extra layer to the revelations that can be contained simply by acknowledging and lifting up a voice.
I also enjoyed how it brushed on not asking for erasure of things that have long been deemed as classics or masters, but just challenged the reasons why and supported the expansion of those notions.
The notion of family, found and real, was also an incredible point.
Finally, I generally consider it a good thing if reading a book from the perspective of someone who shares a different life experience from me if I'm uncomfortable. I welcome it making me consider my own ideas and ways of thinking. So I struggle with how to express this particular reaction I had. It's not because it rang my guilt bell. It was more of a second hand pain for some of the couples I have known.
I very recently finished another book that dealt with an interracial and class relationship that was disastrous. Now I'm not saying for a moment that those experiences are even outliers. The emphasis on more privileged trying to 'better' others is probably more common than ever, honestly. But it left me wondering if there was any room to portray these things as anything but. Or, on the other side of seeing these things portrayed, for them to be completely idealized with no understandings and full acceptance. It was a little disheartening to see relationships that were portrayed as possibly having serious flaws being recognized and altered to spiraling. Though, to be fair, if the misconceptions stemmed from class or race or only when these two converged is not necessarily apparent.
Given the particular narrative I understood why things went in this direction for this story and the sake of parallels. It just led me to the realization of how much appreciation I have for stories where differences are seen, mistakes are made, and addressed in ways that paint characters in less drastically villainous ways. Not necessarily for everything to be happily ever after or magically okay. People can fail to make a relationship work, fail to realize in all the ways they still need to work on themselves, without being all out destructive to the other. It wouldn't have worked in this story, but I hope we are also creating spaces for that dynamic to be shown if only in homage to people who have navigated these spaces of cross cultural relationships when it was even less prominent or portrayed as just a mater of fetishism.
a really memorable, passionate, read. Though, as an art lover, I suppose I might have also gone in with bias.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Eating disorder