In the Time of the Butterflies [Paperback]

 

 

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In the Time of the Butterflies, a fictional work, is based loosely on the true story of the Mirabal sisters of the Dominican Republic. Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa(Mate) were involved in the underground movement to overthrow the government and rid their country of the cruel dictator Trujillo. In this movement their code name was "las mariposas" which means "the butterflies" in English. The book begins with their personal lives and then shows how they all became involved with the movement. This story shows their courage to stand up for freedom even though they paid the price with their lives in 1960 when Trujillo had them killed. However, this book is not just the story of Minerva, Patria, and Mate; but also the story of the fourth and oldest sister Dedé who never became involved but instead survived to tell of the bravery of her sisters and care for their children.
Although exciting to me, this book may be boring to the male reader in the beginning. This book not only tells of how the Mirabal or Butterfly sisters became national heroines of the Dominican Republic but also of their lives as normal women. Hair ribbons, clothes, and secret crushes dominate the beginning of the story, where as prison torture and gunrunning appear in the rest. Overall, though, this is a great read.

By means of the sharpened scalpel of fiction, Julia Alvarez carves and shapes the central characters in this difficult and delicate novel as subversive agents who see themselves obligated by fate to participate in the ultimate demise of an oppressive regime. Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and Dedé, each one in her distinct fashion, break through the tyrannical grip that holds sway over an entire island population for thirty-one nightmarish years. Alvarez is at her absolute best here, far surpassing the previously successful HOW THE GARCÍA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS. Even the more recent SALOMÉ, in my view, doesn't come across as powerfully (especially for those readers unfamiliar with Dominican cultural history). IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES is a masterful work that illustrates the perniciousness of political oppression in every aspect of a society, written in a language of turbulent calmness. As a Dominican myself who experienced first hand the unspeakable horrors of the Trujillo Dictatorship, I admit honestly that Alvarez has presented brilliantly the case of repression and heroism more formidably than any other writer. She has officially immortalized las hermanas Mirabal as national heroines.

In the Time of the Butterflies is an intriguing, historically based story, which appears to be an underemphasized subject in the United States. Not much is written on the dictator Trujillo, or the people who rebelled against him for that matter. The fictional first person accounts of the Mirabal sister's opposition to Trujillo's reign are a remarkable way to weave a poetic story of an actual historic event. Julia Alavarez's Dominican background was helpful, as well as her time spent interviewing the last surviving Mirabal sister, Dede. Although this novel is recommended for its incredible story of defiance, I caution readers to be careful and observant while reading because of certain transitions that might lead to confusion. Also, Alvarez's personal style of writing is wonderful in many ways, yet she fails with some stylistic choices.
The novel is separated by individual perspectives of each Mirabal sister. The characters have distinguishable traits, but their actual voices are way too similar in style to be believable. Instead, it feels more like Alvarez is the mind behind it all, using her same sense of poeticism and imagery for all four sisters. She tends to add small anecdotes that would be common tendencies for each sister, yet they seem too forced at times. For example, Minerva is always speaking of having to hold herself back because of her bold nature, or Patria always speaks to God. Then there is Maria Teresa and her love of clothes and shoes, and Dede who lacks bravery. The character's personalities are distinct, but their own ways of describing themselves are not present. Alvarez wants to give a good amount of characterization which is great, but she would have been better off writing in one perspective since she cannot pull off these separate voices.
In its entirety the novel is clear and comprehensible, that is until the passages written in Dede's point of view. Her passages are the only ones with transitions between the past and present, and at times it is not executed well enough. It can become a bit confusing what place in time is being presented, so just be aware of the lines that separate present to past flashbacks. As long as one keeps alert to these time changes, the confusion can be avoided.
There may be some flaws to the way In the Time of the Butterflies was written, but Alvarez's talents cannot be overlooked. Along the way she constantly drops hints, and foreshadows to the inevitability of the Mirabal sister's deaths. She does this in an outstanding way, leaving the reader incredibly curious to discover what's to come. From the very first chapter Alvarez tantalizes you to read on, "By the time it is over it will be the past, and she doesn't want to be the only one left to tell their story."(p.10) A need to find out why Dede is the only surviving sister begins in the first chapter, and the novel becomes a page turner, that never fails to excite. Alvarez also uses some striking metaphoric qualities. There is of course the obvious metaphor of the sisters being butterflies, or 'La Mariposas', in Spanish. She depicts them as free-spirited, yet delicate and easily damaged. "... an overgrown fat boy, ashamed of himself for kicking the cat and pulling the wings off butterflies."(p. 217). This quote refers to Officer Pena, a man under Trujillo's regime, who is one of the many who tries to destroy La Mariposas. If anything the novel should be read for Alvarez's approach in telling such an important story.
The Mirabal sisters were political martyrs working together as a family. Julia Alavarez shows these sisters though with human qualities. She may have some weak points in her novel, but moreover it is a powerful, marvelous effort to combine fact and fiction. Not only does the story itself touch the hearts of those who read it, but Alvarez's elegant words complete it.

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5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book...
This has to be one of my favorite books, if not my overall favorite. I am a huge Alvarez fan, and have read most of her works. Read more

Published on Jun 7 2004 by Karla Samantha Ayala

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational
I absolutly loved this book!!! My mom is from the Dominican Republic and she always told me the stories of Trujillo and the Hermanas Mirabal but actually reading this book made me... Read more

Published on Mar 13 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, inspiring
In the Time of the Butterflies stands as one of the best books ive ever had the pleasure of reading. Read more

Published on Mar 7 2004 by K. Rodriguez

4.0 out of 5 stars Takes Awhile to Get Going.
IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES is a fictional account of the lives of the four Mirabal sisters: Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa (Mate), and Dede. Read more

Published on Mar 4 2004 by tvtv3

5.0 out of 5 stars Women have power!
This is a wonderful book. A well-written, engaging story of three sisters working in the underground of the Dominican Republic. Read more

Published on Jan 7 2004 by natashafatale

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME
I have to admit when i first pick up this book and started reading the first chapter i though that it was gonna be a very boring book, MAN WAS I WRONG! Read more

Published on Jan 3 2004 by Tairmae

5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic and haunting
In the Time of the Butterflies is political history rendered read through fiction format and through the gifted poetic, lyrical writing of what we can now claim as a national... Read more

Published on Jan 2 2004 by Peggy Vincent

5.0 out of 5 stars A Powerful Work
From page one, I was swept up in the world of four sisters, fighting a dictator in the Dominican Republic. Alvarez's writing is very rich and wonderful.

Published on Dec 31 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars It was for a very important cause
Julia Alvares did a wonderful job with the development of her characters. She explored the point of view of most of the characters and gave us all a chance to judge for... Read more

Published on Dec 15 2003 by Anna Lepe

5.0 out of 5 stars Ones you start you can't stop.
Julia Alvarez's book, In the Time of the Butterflies,is a must read. I usually don't like reading specially if it has to do with school, but this time it was an exception. Read more

Published on Dec 14 2003 by mary4u

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