Reviews

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez

bonnieleposa's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

bibliobrandie's review

4.0

I loved revisiting this book (which also references other favorite Alvarez characters) and used it for a booktalk for Hispanic Heritage Month. Set in the 1960s during the Trujillo dictatorship, 12 year old Anita and her family feel trapped and have to do everything they can to survive. Themes of home, family, and immigration. There is some violence and death. Read first in July 2013.

crousecm's review against another edition

4.0

This little book packed a big punch. 

mykai33's review

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

A quick historical fiction, though I prefer Alvarez’s ‘In the Time of the Butterflies’ - this book has the same anxiety inducing questions of what’s going to happen to the characters next during Trujillo’s dictatorship in the DR. I appreciate the tie into her other stories and how they’re all connected 

ellieg2604's review

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book was pretty good. I found it a little hard to follow, but I really enjoyed it. It was quite an interesting perspective. 

moose_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

emmagru's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-paced

2.0

aggielexi's review

This is probably a good middle school book, after reading In The Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, this one doesn't pack the same punch. This is probably what should be read first then In The Time of Butterflies. 

milo_elliot11's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

way younger of a target audience than i thought but it was good for what it was

book_concierge's review

4.0

This little volume explores how Anita (12 going on womanhood) feels as her family struggles to survive the revolution to overthrow the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic. Her view is simplistic and focused on the realities of her familial experience - colored with the emotion of first love and the adoration of a child for her father. I've read Alvarez before, and so far I like this book best.

It's not quite as powerful as "The Diary of Anne Frank," but it's a very good book re the Dominican experience under Trujillo. Recommended for young adults.