In this captivating story firmly rooted in historical events, Julia Alvarez masterfully weaves together two exquisitely intricate narratives.

One of these stories unfolds in the present day, while the other transports us back to the early 1800s.

The details provided regarding the vaccination of people against smallpox are truly astonishing.

It offers a fascinating glimpse into a crucial moment in medical history.

Of course, I have an inherent penchant for any story that involves the Dominican Republic (DR).

The rich cultural and historical backdrop of the DR adds an extra layer of depth and allure to the tale.

This book by Julia Alvarez is yet another testament to her remarkable storytelling abilities.

It engages the reader from start to finish, leaving them with a sense of wonder and a deeper understanding of both the past and the present.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction or the works of Julia Alvarez.

The latest novel about the New World comes from a Dominican Republic woman who is now a professor in Vermont. She made a splash in 1991 with "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents", which was also made into a popular motion picture. Since then, she has written several novels, and I'm determined to read every single one of them.

This particular novel is a novel within a novel. A Vermont author of Dominican birth refuses to accompany her husband to the land of her birth when he is assigned by his non-governmental organization to build a clinic there. Instead, she stays home to work on a fictionalized account of a real expedition in the early 1800s. In this expedition, a Spanish doctor uses orphan boys as carriers of the smallpox vaccine, which is delivered via vesicles on their arms, to Latin America. [Note: Ms. Alvarez used Spanish archives as her source.] The imagined hardships of the modern-day writer in Vermont seem insignificant compared to the problems faced by the rectoress who accompanies the boys as they sail first to Puerto Rico, then to Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines to save entire populations from the smallpox epidemic. Curiously, Ms. Alvarez uses the third person when telling the modern story but the first person for the 19th-century woman who cares for the boys, making the historic woman much more sympathetic. Personally, I didn't like the Vermont woman.

I am rather ambivalent about this book.

On one hand, it interweaves the life of a Dominican writer who is married to a Vermonter working for an international aid organization with the scenes from the story she is crafting. This story is based on an actual historical event - the utilization of Spanish orphan boys to transport smallpox vaccine across the ocean to the Americas in the early 1800s.

The modern-day part of the novel, unfortunately, is a bit of a hot mess. The characters and their relationships seem convoluted and lack a certain coherence. However, on the other hand, the fictionalized historical story is quite interesting. It provides a vivid and engaging account of a little-known aspect of history, bringing to life the challenges and adventures faced by those involved in the vaccine transportation.

Overall, while the book has its flaws, the historical narrative makes it worth a read for those interested in history and a unique fictional take on it.

I've just reread this, and I think the first time was in '06. I was truly fortunate to collaborate with Alvarez on a different book signing in '08. Honestly, she is simply amazing in every aspect!

In "Saving the World", we embark on a journey following the parallel lives of Alma and Isabella. Alma, a contemporary author, is grappling with her next significant book. She is under contract and well past the deadline when her personal life takes a complete turn upside down. Isabella, on the other hand, is a 19th-century spinster who, in the midst of her spinsterhood, finds herself sailing across the world on a ship filled with orphans, carrying the first smallpox vaccine. Alma becomes completely obsessed with Isabella's story. The chapters alternate as the chaos in each of their lives unfolds. Despite the 200-year gap that separates these two women, there are numerous parallels to be discovered. And Alma ultimately finds the strength she so desperately needs through Isabella's experiences.

A fictionalized story about a true event is artfully intertwined with a story set in the present day.

Alma, a dedicated writer, is deeply engrossed in researching the history of Dona Isabel, a relatively little-known woman who, nevertheless, played a crucial and remarkable role in history.

As the director of an orphanage, Dona Isabel makes a bold and selfless decision. She agrees to allow some of her boys to be vaccinated with cowpox. The purpose of this is to enable them to sail around the world and distribute this cowpox as a vaccine against the dreaded smallpox.

Personally, I found myself strongly preferring the actual historical story to that of the present day narrative. It was truly amazing to read about the arduous journey that these boys embarked upon and the significance of the vaccine they were carrying.

Their courage and determination in the face of unknown challenges and the potential to make a difference in the fight against smallpox is truly inspiring.

This fictionalized account brings to life a piece of history that might otherwise have been forgotten, and it makes one appreciate the sacrifices and efforts of those who came before us in the pursuit of medical progress.

This was my bookclub read.

I was initially so excited by the concept - smallpox vaccine with live carriers, and all the fascinating elements it promised.

However, as I delved deeper into the book, the more bogged down I became.

I simply could not truly get into this story.

I have a great love for Julia Alvarez, but unfortunately, this book could have benefited from some serious editing.

It felt overly convoluted and could have been distilled into a more clear and concise version of a better story.

In fact, I'm not even going to finish it.

Nevertheless, there was one redeeming quality. The best part, in my opinion, was this quote: "We belong to the ones who love us." - J.A.

It was a beautiful and profound statement that managed to stand out amidst the otherwise lackluster narrative.

Perhaps if the rest of the book had been as engaging and thought-provoking as this quote, I would have had a different experience.

But as it stands, I'm left disappointed and ready to move on to a different read.

This is the third book of Alvarez that I have read.

A long, long time ago, I read 'In the Time of the Butterflies', later 'In the Name of Salomé', and now 'A Better World'.

Alvarez writes about strong women who experience a lot in pressured societies. Moreover, the literal life between two cultures often comes to the fore. This is also the case in this book.

Here it is about two women. First, a writer, Alma, who fled the Dominican Republic at a young age and now, at the age of 50, lives in a village in Vermont. Such a village where nothing happens, where everyone enters their neighbors' houses through the back door, etc. In that desolate environment, she is expected to work hard on her new novel, a Caribbean family chronicle, but that is not going so smoothly. As a result, Alma falls into a depression. At the beginning of the book, Alma is on the verge of giving up the whole enterprise.

Her American husband Richard works for an international aid organization and is sent to the Dominican Republic to start an 'Ecocentrum' there, as a sweetener for the inhabitants of the village where an American pharmaceutical company is clinically testing an AIDS vaccine.

At the same time, we read a story that Alma is working on, the account of Doña Isabel, a Spanish headmistress of an orphanage. In 1803, she receives a messenger from the Spanish king, Don Francisco Balmis, who tells her that 'her boys' have been chosen by the king to bring the smallpox vaccine, which was just discovered at that time, to the New World. As living carriers, it goes without saying. Isabel does not leave her boys alone and travels with them. The account of that journey is alternately told with the story of Alma.

Naturally, the parallels between the two women are quickly drawn: both have no children of their own but take care of the children of others (Alma for Richard's sons, Isabel for the orphan boys). Both are attracted by the drive with which the men in their lives (Richard and Don Francisco) engage in improving the circumstances of those less fortunate than themselves.

In both cases, it is a vaccine against a hitherto incurable, deadly disease (smallpox, AIDS). In both cases, the reception of these world improvers is not only accompanied by fanfare and cheering. Resistance from the sub-king in Mexico in the case of Isabel and a hostage-taking in the case of Alma make the main characters in the book doubt themselves and their mission.

Nevertheless, both stories do not run entirely synchronously, and that makes the end less predictable than I feared.

In general, it is a pleasantly written book, although I must admit that I found the storyline of Isabel more interesting than that of Alma. Apparently, I can identify better with a woman who has a lot of children around her than with a 50-year-old woman who suffers from depression... :-) And also the American touch in the story of Alma and her husband I found less successful than the more Caribbean-oriented novels that Alvarez previously delivered. Therefore, good reading material, but if you have to choose from different books of Alvarez, then I would rather be inclined to recommend 'In the Time of the Butterflies' or 'In the Name of Salomé'.

Translated by Ineke van Bronswijk

Original title: Saving the world (2006)

This book nearly received a 1-star rating.

I was so happy to be finally finished with it.

It always seems that when a book flip-flops between 2 different story lines, as in this case, where one is the present-day story of a depressed writer whose husband is off on an ecological mission and the other is the story of a nun in the 1800s who takes off on the only potential adventure of her lifetime to spread the smallpox vaccination, you always want more of one and less of another.

That feeling that when you finish one chapter you're obliged to get through the next detour to get back to "your" story.

There was enough that was redeeming about both stories to get this up to a 2, but I wouldn't strongly recommend it.

The present-day story had its moments, but the writer's depression sometimes felt a bit overdone.

The historical story of the nun was more interesting, but it also had its flaws.

Overall, it was an okay read, but not one that I would rush to pick up again.

I found myself in a rather interesting situation while reading this story. On one hand, I had to push through it, perhaps due to some challenging aspects or a slower pace at times. But on the other hand, I was very much interested in and connected to the characters.

The Balmis expedition story was truly captivating. I was fascinated to learn that such an expedition actually took place in history. It added a layer of authenticity and intrigue to the narrative.

However, I must admit that I didn't quite understand the connection between the two stories. I ended up reading it as two separate pieces. I know that Alma found inspiration in Isabel, but Alma seemed so different from Isabel's character that I simply couldn't draw a clear connection between the two.

Overall, despite these minor confusions, I still enjoyed the story. It had its own charm and appeal. I looked forward to following the characters on a daily basis, even if it was only in short periods of time. The story had a certain allure that kept me engaged and eager to see what would happen next.

Julia Alvarez is truly one of my all-time favorite authors.

She has a remarkable talent for writing both adult and children's books, with a particular emphasis on her Dominican Republic culture.

One of her works is a truly powerful book that unfolds on two different fronts.

On one hand, it delves into the era of smallpox in the 19th century, while on the other, it explores the current AIDS crisis in the Dominican Republic.

The heroines in this story are both brave and determined. Isabel undertakes dangerous travels to the "New World" in an attempt to save people.

Meanwhile, Alma, a Latin American novelist, faces her own set of struggles in the present day.

She is ultimately called upon to demonstrate her own courage under fire.

As I read this book, I found myself completely immersed in Isabel's adventures and then seamlessly transitioning to Alma's modern-day challenges.

It is a captivating and thought-provoking read that showcases Alvarez's skill as a storyteller.

Her ability to bring these different eras and characters to life is truly remarkable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring different cultures and the power of the human spirit.

I found this book to be extremely frustrating and highly unsatisfying.

Although I do understand the comparisons that the author was attempting to make, those comparisons simply were not robust enough to warrant the "ping-ponging" of the reader back and forth between the two stories.

Alma's story, which was the better told of the two tales, might have piqued my interest had it been presented in isolation. (In fact, either story might have held my interest if told separately.) However, all of my investment in the storyline was completely lost when I was suddenly jolted into the second plot. Apparently, the authors' intention was to help the reader establish a connection between the women in the two plots, but that linkage seemed forced and artificial.

Her principal point also appeared to be forced and contrived. (Assuming that I am correct in my belief that the principal point is how the nature of activism [for lack of a better word] has evolved while the nature of humankind - and the nature of epidemics - has remained unchanged.) It's truly a pity, as she could have drawn some powerful and fascinating comparisons between the corporation's handling of the AIDS epidemic and the King's handling of the smallpox epidemic.

This was a story within a story.

First, there was a woman going through a sort of mid-life crisis.

Second, there was the woman she was researching for her novel.

The inner story had more depth.

It was the tale of a woman and several orphans who went from Portugal to the 'new world' on an experimental smallpox vaccination mission.

This was my first read by Julia Alvarez.

I thought it fell a little flat.

Perhaps it was because I was expecting something more exciting or profound.

The characters didn't seem to come alive for me as much as I would have liked.

The plot, while interesting in concept, didn't quite grip me and keep me on the edge of my seat.

However, I can see that there are some good elements in the story.

The idea of a story within a story is always intriguing, and the historical backdrop of the smallpox vaccination mission adds an interesting layer.

Maybe with a second read, I will be able to appreciate it more fully.