Wow,

my first Alvarez novel and it truly moved me.

It is a beautiful story that delves into a history of which I knew relatively little.

The author's vivid descriptions and engaging narrative style made it a captivating read from start to finish.

I found myself completely immersed in the world that Alvarez created, learning about a past that I had not previously explored.

This novel has not only broadened my knowledge but also touched my heart.

I will seriously consider using this for my course for the seventh grade.

It would be a great way to introduce students to a new and interesting topic while also teaching them about different cultures and historical events.

I believe that they would be just as moved and engaged as I was while reading this wonderful novel.

Before we were Free

Before We Were Free was penned by Julia Alvarez. Born on March 27, 1950 in New York City to a Dominican family, Alvarez is an outstanding Dominican-American poet, novelist, and essayist. She has also authored renowned novels such as In the Time of the Butterflies and How the García Girls Lost Their Accent. This historical fiction delves into life in the Dominican Republic from the perspective of a young girl, Anita de la Torre. Anita and her family are under the tyrannical rule of Rafael Trujillo, also known as Mr. Smith. Anita's father and her uncle, Tio Toni, are part of a clandestine group attempting to assassinate Trujillo. Anita endeavors to act normally but is aware that something momentous is about to occur. She becomes so agitated that she erases her diary daily to prevent anyone from discerning her thoughts or reflections. As family members begin to flee the country, secrets unravel, and intimidating men invade the compound. Amidst all this upheaval, Anita starts to emerge as an independent woman.

One aspect I relish about Alvarez's writing is her ability to transport me into the story, enabling me to envision and experience what Anita endures. The author's writing style vividly portrays Anita's transformation into a strong woman or senorita. The quote, "The last thing I want is a man knowing I’ve gotten my period." (Alvarez p.73) exemplifies Anita's growth into a senorita. She has evolved from a young girl to a responsible woman, maturing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Another instance highlighting Anita's coming of age is, "But I don’t cry. Not right away. I listen carefully until the very end. I want to be with Papi and Tio Toni every step of the way." (Alvarez p.151) At just twelve years old, Anita demonstrates her newfound maturity and ladylike demeanor. The book's theme of 'coming of age' is palpable as Anita navigates through all the changes, maturing, discovering, and understanding the true meaning of freedom.

In all candor, I am thoroughly satisfied with this novel. Alvarez has imparted some excellent values and lessons that I will cherish forever. These valuable lessons have made me realize how fortunate I am. I had no inkling of who Rafael Trujillo was or what life was like under his reign. However, after reading this book, I have gained a profound understanding of the hardships endured in the Dominican Republic. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone. If you have a penchant for vivid and dramatic literature, this is the perfect choice. I am truly impressed by Alvarez's masterful creation of this incredible novel, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. I eagerly anticipate reading more of her works in the future.

This was a good middle grade read.

Although the pace was a bit slow at times, I still found the writing engaging and the story captivating.

The protagonist, a young girl, faces the challenge of her world being turned upside down as her parents become entangled in perilous political events.

We see her navigate through the confusion and fear, trying to make sense of the changes happening around her.

The author does a great job of描绘 the girl's emotions and the turmoil she experiences.

Despite the slow parts, the overall story is interesting and keeps the reader hooked.

It's a great book for middle grade readers who enjoy stories about family, courage, and growing up.

I would rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

I really liked this book a great deal.

I had a strong sense of connection with the protagonist.

The author did an excellent job of enabling me to experience the emotions that the protagonist was undergoing.

Prior to reading this book, I was completely unaware of the dictatorship that existed in the Dominican Republic.

Therefore, it was extremely interesting for me to learn about this aspect.

The story not only entertained me but also educated me about a significant historical period.

It made me more empathetic towards the people who lived through such difficult times.

I would highly recommend this book to others who are interested in both a good read and learning about different cultures and historical events.

What good is it to escape captivity only to be imprisoned in your own misery? This profound question lingers in the mind as we explore the story.

It is the responsibility of those who survive the struggle for freedom to give testimony. To tell the story in order to keep alive the memory of the dead. This is not only a moral obligation but also a way to ensure that history is not forgotten.

This is my second book by this author, with the first being "In the Time of the Butterflies". In fact, this book is, in some ways, a continuation or sequel to that work, but told from the perspective of a 12-year-old girl named Anita.

The story is at once heart-wrenching and full of hope. Like the author said, it is yet another fight for freedom against dictatorship. Anita, being young, was confused about the events unfolding around her. Why was their life at risk? Why was the SIM in front of her house? Why did her relatives move to the US, leaving her family alone? These questions plagued her, and often she received no answers.

When the SIM raided her house, arrested her father, and she and her mother had to hide in a friend's house (in the closet) without anyone's knowledge except two people in the house, Anita was terrified. From her point of view, we can feel the despair and fear that such a dictatorship inflicted on the lives of so many people.

Even though the author doesn't explicitly state it, she herself was Anita's age when she witnessed El Jefe's dictatorship and her family escaped to the US before serious harm could come to them. This personal connection adds an extra layer of authenticity and emotion to the story.

An interesting historical fiction novel that is based on the author's childhood and is set in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s during Trujillo's regime. Despite the fact that it occurred over 50 years ago, the story remains highly relatable in the present day. It brought to my mind the current civil unrest happening in Venezuela. The novel offers a unique perspective on a bygone era, allowing readers to step into the shoes of the characters and experience their joys, sorrows, and struggles. It serves as a reminder that history has a way of repeating itself and that we can learn valuable lessons from the past. This "own voices" book is a must-read for anyone interested in history, culture, and the human experience.

In 1960, at the tender age of 10, author Julia Alvarez fled the Dominican Republic in the company of her parents. Her parents had been involved in a plot to overthrow the long-standing dictator, Rafael Trujillo. While "Before We Were Free" is not a strictly autobiographical account of these events, it is clearly influenced by them.

Like Alvarez, the novel's narrator is a young girl coming of age during the final years of the dictatorship. Over the course of the novel, she realizes that the man whose portrait hangs on the walls at school and at home is not a beneficent national father. Instead, her own father is conspiring to have him killed.

Alvarez is an author I have been eager to read for years. I picked up this particular novel with the intention of potentially adding it to my syllabus for a class on young adult literature. Certainly, the book excels at revealing the injustices of the Trujillo regime through the eyes of a pre-adolescent narrator. Although I was familiar with the general history of the period, I learned a great deal about what it felt like to live in an oppressive regime that was being shunned by the rest of the world.

I was especially intrigued by the scenes set in the US American school that the narrator attends alongside the children of diplomats from other countries. Though the teacher pities her Dominican students for their country's political situation, she demeans them in other ways. She draws condescending contrasts between the honorable United States and the corrupt Dominican Republic and assigns the darker skinned Dominican students the roles of Native Americans in the class's Thanksgiving play, among other things. Perhaps one of the benefits of the embargo was that this school was forced to close.

Ultimately, I think the book functions better as a history lesson than a novel. Honestly, I am a little surprised by the accolades it has received. As a reader, I found the narrator's voice rather "evolved" for a twelve-year-old, with reflections and an expressive style that seem unrealistic for her age. Worse still, so many of the scenes between the characters themselves feel abridged, as if the author had been required by contract to keep the book at less than 200 pages. This is particularly evident in the scenes involving Tony, the narrator's rebellious uncle. At the beginning of the book, the author suggests that Tony has been "disappeared" by the dictator he had been discrediting. Then, when he finally returns home, his backstory and family reunion are summarized in a couple of efficient paragraphs without even a word of dialogue. As a didactic novel for use in the middle school classroom, the book accomplishes its purposes admirably. However, as a novel to recommend to adults not reading it for a class? Meh.

This book has truly been an eye-opener for me.

It has instilled in me the profound lesson that when all is said and done, family is the most precious asset one can have. We are willing to go to great lengths, do anything in our power to safeguard and protect them.

Moreover, it has served as a powerful reminder of what freedom truly means. In our daily lives, we often take the small things for granted, not realizing their true value.

This book has made me stop and reflect on the importance of these seemingly insignificant aspects of our lives. It has made me appreciate the freedom we have, whether it's the freedom to speak our minds, pursue our dreams, or simply enjoy the company of our loved ones.

Overall, this book has had a profound impact on my perspective and has taught me valuable lessons that I will carry with me for a lifetime.

It was truly excellent.

I read it some time ago, so unfortunately I don't recall every single detail vividly.

However, from what I do remember, it was absolutely fantastic!

The story had a captivating plot that kept me engaged from start to finish.

The characters were well-developed and relatable, making it easy for me to invest in their journey.

The writing style was流畅 and engaging, allowing me to easily immerse myself in the world created by the author.

Overall, it was a great read that I would highly recommend to others.

I'm sure that if you were to pick it up, you would also be thoroughly entertained.

Even though my memory of the specific details may have faded, the overall impression it left on me was one of pure enjoyment.

I look forward to reading more works by this author in the future.

Historical fiction that is set in the Dominican Republic between 1960 and 1961, during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, offers a captivating look into that tumultuous era. According to the author's introductory note, her parents were born in the Dominican Republic and fled the country in 1960 when she was ten years old. She made the decision to write historical fiction about those who remained in Cuba.

The main character, Anita de la Torre, is a twelve-year-old girl who is initially oblivious to the ongoing political oppression in her country. Her father and uncle are involved in the revolutionary movement aiming to overthrow the regime. As the story commences, her uncle has vanished. Anita's mother provides the necessary background information by answering Anita's innocent questions about what is happening.

Anita writes daily in her diary, which serves as the structure of the narrative. She also writes about her crushes and the normal preteen to teenage concerns. The secret police are in search of dissidents, and her remaining family must go into hiding. Her diary entries reflect her growing awareness of the perils her family is facing.

The book is targeted at middle grade readers. It is particularly well-suited for its intended audience, but adults may find it rather elementary. I suppose it depends on the reader's level of knowledge regarding the history of the Dominican Republic. Another well-written historical fiction for an adult reader about the Trujillo dictatorship can be found in The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa, which I highly recommend.

I truly relished this book. I perused it as a component of our class novel, and it was exquisitely written. The book made references to significant historical figures like the Butterfly sisters and El Jefe. The protagonist underwent physical and social maturation throughout the narrative as she came to the realization that the world she inhabited wasn't all that wonderful. Julia Alvarez crafted the story in a manner that captivated me and compelled me to turn each and every page of the book until the About Me section on the book flap emerged. One aspect that held my attention so firmly was likely the character details. I had the sensation that I didn't overlook a single aspect of the protagonist's life. I wholeheartedly recommend this to those who have a penchant for deeply developed characters and engaging story plot lines.

This is a truly remarkable book. Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

Reread (September 2019):
When I reread this book in September 2019, I was once again struck by its power and brilliance. It was just as hard-hitting and amazing the second time around. It is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in history, dictatorship, or the human experience.

April 2018:
In April 2018, I first picked up this book and I really enjoyed it! The story is set in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s and offers a unique perspective on Trujillo’s dictatorship through the eyes of a 12-year-old. I was both charmed and somewhat saddened by the innocent and naive nature of the beginning of the narrative. As the story progresses, however, the protagonist becomes increasingly aware of the darkness and seriousness of the situation. The writing in this book is extremely well-done, with vivid descriptions and a compelling plot. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.