A review by kenna14
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

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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