Il tempo delle farfalle

‘ It’s about time we women had a voice in running our country. ’ Rafael Trujillo ’s 31 years of power in the Dominican Republic is considered one of the most violent reigns in the Americas. An estimated 9,000-20,000 Haitians were executed under his command and his heavy handed rule was known for frequen Leggi tutto

“I believe in the power of stories to change the world.” Julia Alvarez says this in the opening of her note at the end of this compelling, all encompassing novel. It’s based on the true story of three sisters who lost their lives because they bravely stood up for their ideals of a better life for th Leggi tutto

Favorite novel so far this year (2018). The last twentyfive pages are all outbursts of sobs & of the truly ugly kind, by an inconsolable reader. Oh this one is GREAT! Smudgy words of a wounded family tree, the very human lasting lamentation... There are 2 novels* in existence (that I'm wholly aware o Leggi tutto

I totally respect and appreciate how this novel emphasizes feminist resistance to an oppressive dictatorship. I thought Julia Alvarez did a nice job of interspersing the effects of patriarchy on these four sisters both on interpersonal and systemic levels. At the same time, I struggled to connect wi Leggi tutto