A regime never accepts dissent, and this is even worse in a world where gender violence is still escalating at a rapid pace. In the face of this, the question is: Are women a cause for concern for a man, a system, or a country? And the answer, I'm afraid, is a resounding yes. Because there will always be someone who will raise their voice and fight with the same tenacity as for a child. Men (although not all) cannot understand this, and they will not understand it if they continue to handle the lives of citizens on their own.

Sixty years after the assassination of the Mirabal sisters, things haven't changed much. In fact, more women are being killed with impunity today than half a century ago. There are many unanswered questions, but the clear possibility in the face of these lamentable events is not to remain silent, not to tolerate even the slightest expression of violence against us, even when education at home condones it.

Due to the great novel that Julia Álvarez gives us, but especially the great reflection that it entails, I highly recommend it.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is a captivating historical fiction novel. It presents a fictionalized account of the Mirabal sisters during the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. The story is told in both the first and third person, providing insights into the lives and perspectives of the sisters.

Published in 1994, it has since been adapted into a feature film in 2001. The four Mirabal sisters, namely Patria Mercedes, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dedé, became symbols of resistance and struggle against the dictatorship. At school, Minerva meets Sinita, who reveals the truth about Trujillo being a killer. This encounter leads the sisters to make a political commitment to overthrow the regime.

However, their actions bring them persecution, imprisonment, and harassment. Their family also suffers retaliation from the Military Intelligence Service (SIM). In a tragic act of vengeance, Trujillo orders the killing of three of the sisters and their driver on Puerto Plata Road. The women and driver are brutally beaten to death, and their vehicle and bodies are dumped off a cliff to make it look like an accident.

This novel not only tells the story of the Mirabal sisters but also provides a vivid portrayal of the political and social context of the Dominican Republic during the dictatorship. It shows the courage and determination of these ordinary women who became extraordinary in their fight for freedom and justice. Through their story, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by many during times of oppression and the importance of standing up against injustice.

It's about time we women had a voice in running our country. This powerful statement holds great significance. Rafael Trujillo's 31-year rule in the Dominican Republic was one of the most violent in the Americas. An estimated 9,000 - 20,000 Haitians were executed under his command, and his heavy-handed rule was known for frequent violations of civil rights and freedoms.

"In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez is a fictionalized account of the Mirabal sisters. They organized against Trujillo, and the assassination of three of the four sisters shocked the world and made them a symbol of feminist resistance. Told from the voices of each sister, with Dedé bookending the novel, it chronicles their lives from childhood to active participation in the resistance, spanning from 1943 to 1960, with Dedé's portion set in the 90s.

The Mirabal sisters are well-known for their actions, and Alvarez has created a loving tribute to them. Daughters of a landowner, they had to make sacrifices for those less fortunate. The novel also shows the role of religion, with Patria's faith playing an important part in her character.

The novel covers a lot of ground in unique ways. It's a story full of violence, but much of it takes place off-stage, and the characters focus on daily life as well as the resistance. It's darkest when the sisters are separated, but it also highlights the importance of community.

As expected from the sad history of these women, this is a novel about an assassination. In reality, the men who murdered the three sisters were held accountable, and it was confirmed that the orders came from Trujillo himself. In 1999, the UN designated November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to honor them.

Overall, "In the Time of Butterflies" is an affecting tale of courage and community that gives a voice to these brave women. Alvarez's work is a great addition to the literature that can bring about change. 4.5/5.

What an incredibly intriguing book this is!

It offers a cleverly told and heartfelt insight into a period of history that remains largely unknown to many people. As I delved into its pages, I truly felt as if I was living under the Trujillo regime. I can only imagine that the experience described would be similar to that of anyone living under any brutal dictator at any given moment in time.

However, there is one disappointment (and this is not a spoiler). At the very end of the book, there is an enormous author's note. In it, the author basically admits that she made the whole thing up and that, in reality, she knows very, very little about the real Mirabel sisters. I had been under the assumption that she would have conducted thorough research on the subject and that the four distinct personalities that come across so beautifully in the story were accurately portrayed. This revelation somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for the book.

The Mirabal sisters were remarkable heroines. During their lifetimes, they bravely opposed Trujillo, a dictator whose 31-year rule was one of the bloodiest in the Americas. Opposing him was extremely dangerous, yet they did so. Eventually, three of the four sisters lost their lives. This is the framework of the novel. However, Alvarez herself admits that it is fiction. Although she spoke with Dedé, the surviving sister, the full story of each girl/woman remains unknown. So, Alvarez weaves a tale with possible personalities. Patria was deeply religious and submissive to her husband. Minerva was a militant with the secret identity of Mariposa, eventually becoming Mariposa #1. Maria Theresa, the youngest, was childish and a dreamer, but found courage when it was scarce. This may not be great literature, but it is a well-told story. I'm not sure exactly what detracts a star, but I'm now more interested in reading Alvarez's other works, especially How the García Girls Lost Their Accents.

¡Vivan las Mariposas! Long live the Butterflies!

They were sisters who lived during the cruel dictatorship of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. They were four very different sisters. Their only crime was having ideals. However, in a dictatorial regime, there was no place for ideals. Three of them were underground, and the one who perhaps was more cowardly, perhaps more religious, perhaps more introverted, was the Mirabal sister who survived. Each of those three sisters who died in Trujillo's traitorous ambush was a butterfly.

Please provide the article that needs to be rewritten and expanded so that I can help you.

The story of the Marabel sisters is truly remarkable. They were brave individuals who rebelled against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Their resistance and activism made them into legends. Sadly, three of the sisters were brutally murdered, while the fourth survived to take on the responsibility of raising the others' children.

Julia Alvarez does an excellent job of creating each sister's personal story in this book. They were fortunate to have been raised by a father who adored them and wholeheartedly supported their education and independence. Despite having distinct personalities, they all united and worked towards the same noble cause.

However, although this was a fascinating topic, I felt that there was an excessive amount of filler in the book. As a result, I found it a bit challenging to stay fully engaged. I ended up being more absorbed in reading online articles about the history of the Dominican Republic and the heroic Mariposas. It was through these additional sources that I was able to gain a more in-depth understanding of their significance and the impact they had on their country.

Overall, while the book had its strengths, it also had some areas that could have been improved. Nevertheless, the story of the Marabel sisters remains an important and inspiring one that should not be forgotten.

I have completed the book, but I find myself not as enthralled as I was when I first began it.

Why is this the case? What could have gone wrong? I have decided to give the book only three stars.

I will not provide another synopsis of the book. If that's what you're seeking, please refer to the book description above.

From this book, I have gained an understanding of what it might have been like to live in the Dominican Republic during the latter half of the 20th Century, mainly under the reign of Dictator Trujillo.

The four Mirabel sisters' fight against him has now reached mythic proportions. However, this book is fiction, and neither myth nor fiction can give us the absolute true facts.

I would have preferred that the epilogue clearly distinguished between what is known and what is imagined.

The author aims to strip away the mythic status of these women so that we readers can more easily relate to them as four individuals with distinct personality traits.

One is portrayed as the rebel rouser, one is religious, one lacks the necessary courage, and the fourth, being the youngest, this is evident throughout the story.

But does the author succeed? Do we readers empathize with them? Do we relate more to one woman than another based on our own specific personality traits?

I, for one, did not empathize with any of them, although I did recognize their differences.

Each chapter title indicates which sister is speaking and the dates when the events in the chapter take place.

Thus, each chapter should reflect the views of one of the four sisters. We are given their thoughts and are meant to see the events through their eyes.

However, something went wrong with this presentation. I frequently had to flip back to check which girl was speaking or when the events were occurring.

The bottom line is that I did not relate well to the girls. In fact, I cringed when having to get through the religious sister's chapters.

Nor do I know if the author has accurately portrayed their personalities. This should have been clarified in the epilogue with detailed explanations as to why she chose to represent each sister as she did.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy how the author expressed herself, especially at the beginning of the book. I also enjoyed the suspense of the denouement.

I think it's admirable that the author wants us to relate to the sisters on a personal level, perhaps hoping that we too might be inspired to take a stand against injustice, as they did.

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This is good simply because the lines make me smile. Consider these: "The country people around the farm say that until the nail is hit, it don't believe in the hammer." Or: the air was so fragrant that it "smelled like a rose garden wished it could smell."

I desire a writer to delight me with their imaginative ability to express themselves. I'm on page 76, and every couple of pages I come across sentences that I love.

Moreover, I didn't know much about the dictator Trujillo of the Dominican Republic before, but now I'm learning. In other words, this is precisely the kind of historical fiction that I enjoy.

Julia Alvarez has penned an historical fiction that is set during Trujillo’s 31-year reign as dictator in the Dominican Republic.

Her objective is to recreate the lives of the Mirabal sisters, also known as the titled butterflies. She showcases their evolution from relatively well-off school girls to independent thinkers, then to wives and mothers, and finally to rebels against a murderous government.

Building upon the records and myths that have developed around them, Alvarez has crafted an intimate account of the lives of the four daughters of a prosperous farming family. Each child has her own distinct personality and voice.

Throughout the course of this novel, we hear from each of them - Dede, Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa (Mate) - as they share different parts of their lives.

I discovered this to be an extremely engrossing novel. It is one that I had intended to read for a long time and I am truly glad that I did. There is a palpable sense of realism that permeates this story. To me, Alvarez appears to have captured the very essence of these young women, their lives, and the tragic circumstances of their country.

This novel not only provides a captivating narrative but also offers a profound insight into a significant period of history and the remarkable individuals who lived through it.

Four smart and lovely sisters are growing up during Trujillo's regime.

Their parents strive to hold onto security and envision a life for their daughters far away from any peril, a haven in Ojo del Agua. However, reality is always as sharp as a knife and tears apart the lives of the best.

Patria, Dede, Minerva, and Mate are not destined to live unnoticed. They are fierce and bold, ready to fight against injustice. Thus, they will dedicate themselves to the revolution.

Minerva is the most passionate, and her sisters quickly follow her lead.

Julia Álvarez tells their story through different voices, with the sweetest being young Mate's diary.

The story becomes darker as they progress. Despite their sad ending that leaves you with a permanent heartache, the butterflies are not weak. Their memory will not vanish.

They will remain inspiring, strong-willed, beautiful butterflies with iron wings.

3.5 stars

3.5 stars



(My original review seemed to have vanished into thin air, perhaps a fortunate turn of events as it was more of a political tirade than a proper review and had little or nothing to do with the book. However, my motivation for reading this novel was partly sparked by coming across this article: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_582... )



The central theme of Julia Alvarez' In the Time of the Butterflies, which is the story of the four Mirabal sisters and their part in the attempt to overthrow the brutal, 31-year-long dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, is truly captivating. Ms. Alvarez endeavors to remain faithful to their memory through this fictionalized account of their lives, while also crafting a literary masterpiece. At times, I found her writing to be simply beautiful (especially in the epilogue). Nevertheless, I would have preferred more explanation and detail rather than just style and poetry. On more than a few occasions, I found myself perplexed while reading, confused about the sequence of events (as the point of view shifts - sometimes with first person narration even though we know from the opening pages that that sister is one of the three who is assassinated by the end of the novel...so how is she telling her own story?, other times with third person omniscient narration, and still other times in epistolary format as Alvarez switches the focus from sister to sister) and struggling to understand who was who among the numerous characters introduced.



Despite my reservations, I am glad that I read this novel and happy to have finally become familiar with Ms. Alvarez' work. It has provided me with a deeper understanding of a significant period in history and the courage and sacrifice of these remarkable women.