Reviews with content warning for Death - In the Time of the Butterflies

Reviews tagging 'Death'

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

15 reviews

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? No

4.0

I appreciated the glimpse into a time and place (the Dominican Republic in the years of the Trujillo dictatorship) that I was completely unfamiliar with.

There were some aspects that I struggled with (mainly the strong religious focus and the inevitable association of womanhood with marriage and motherhood) but since that has to do with my own sensibilites, it might bother other readers less.

The chapters with alternating POVs and the insertion of sections with diary entries make for a flowing reading experience. Still, I found some parts and perspectives more interesting and engaging than others.
I really liked the final section from Dedé's POV, I found it the most moving and also the most effective in terms of prose.

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kenna14's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I read this so fast, and I almost wish I read this slower so I could sit with it all more. The way Julia Alvarez focused on the sisters made this powerful and moving, even though this wasn't an entirely factual retelling. The personal insights to each sister helps to understand why each sister did what they did. I love how she portrayed the sisterly and familial bond as the most important relationships in the book. Even if they had differences, they all obviously loved and respected each other. I feel like loving families like this aren't portrayed in media enough. I really liked how she made Mate's perspective journal entries and I think she wrote about grief really well. This book is so unlike other stories and was written so well. I love her writing style.

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badmom's review

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

A lushly written fictionalization about the Mirabal sisters, legendary figures in Dominican Republican history. The chapters alternate from one sister’s point of view & third person narration over the course of a few decades; we are given intimate insights to the thoughts & choices of each sister - from religion to politics to love & loyalty. The mix of historical fact and imagined lives makes for a richly interesting, satisfying, magical read.

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