Very Encouraging Story

Beatiful and moving story.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alverez is a book that depicts the difficulties of the community of Dominican Republic. The revolution that Minerva begins soon changes, altering from being a Minerva thing to a DR revolt. This book shows the reader what the true meaning of sacrifice is as well as what freedom is. Through this book, one can truly face what the flying free means, as well as the symbolism of the butterflies as well as go through the story of the heroins who made a lasting impression globally.

I really enjoyed In the Time of the Butterflies. I had no idea about this dark period in the history of the Dominican Republic and this story really brought it to life. The character development was fantastic and the layout of the story is exactly what was necessary to help the reader understand the complexity of the situation these women were in. The fictional aspecy keeps the history alive. This was an excellent read!

In "In the Time of the Butterflies", Julia Alvarez introduces American readers to the story of the Mirabal sisters, Dominican underground political activists, who were brutally assassinated on orders of the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. Alvarez presents a fictionalized account of their lives during the Trujillo regime and their fight for democracy in the Dominican Republic. The story is told by and about the four sisters. Patria’s story is told in the first person, Mate’s story is in diary form and Dedé and Minerva’s stories are in the third person. This structure makes the book much more interesting and helps the reader better understand the different personalities of the sisters and reasons why they fought against Trujillo’s regime. Julia Alvarez manages to capture the spirit of each of the sisters beautifully. She has created a poignant, inspiring and unforgettable read. The book is not only about the underground and struggle for democracy but also about family, love and humanity. It is very readable and can be recommended to anyone who wants to learn more about the culture and history of Latin America. However, as Alvarez points out herself, the readers needs to keep in mind that the book is historical fiction and not a biography.

Four sisters, the butterflies, lived in the Domincan Republic at the time when Trujillo was dictator. Their ordinary lives were changed as they became older and joined the rebels. This is part of history that I was ignorant of. Alvarez writes well and makes the characters live.