Rating: 
Summary: A Metaphorical and Poetic Journey
Review: In the Time of the Butterflies, is a novel written in fiction about factual historical story. The Mirabel sisters were immediately brought in to the plot with drama straight from the beginning. Although we know at the very beginning the fortune of the sisters, the book offers many secrets. Julia Alvarez wonderfully enchanted her readers with suspense and the eagerness to want to read on at the end of the chapter by being extremely poetic with great stylistic choices and also using outstanding metaphors.
Alvarez is able to take an extremely complex political story and turn it into a one with a poetic nature that is quite harmonious to read with remarkable attributes of the stylistic choices that she has decided to convey. She chose to write this in multiple 1st person with four sisters, the Mirabel sisters. Each sister, for the most part, was easily identified by the different tone and melody that their chapters included to stimulate the disparities between them. For example, Alvarez chose to write the youngest sister, Maria Theresa's chapters in diary form with a much more child-like characteristic to her entries. Maria Theresa childishly states on pages 35-36 "...But these newest ones are patent leather, and I have always wanted patent leather shoes...I had such a hard time deciding between the patent leather and white leather for church today." It is obvious that Maria Theresa is naïve about what is going on politically and that she is concerned about child-like issues; which really add to the novel because it makes the reader care about the character. Alvarez also tends to peak into Spanish lingua every so often and that familiarizes the reader with the setting, which happens to be the Dominican Republic. This adds an extreme kick to the book that is fun because it makes the reader feel a part of the community in which they lived.
The metaphorical usage in this book is tremendous and brings out a beauty in the book that wouldn't otherwise exist. Even though when one first picks up the book, they might not know what the metaphor for butterflies is, they can surely identify that it is some sort of metaphor that is largely used in this book. Once taking a look at the Mariposas, it was easy to figure out that the Mirabel sisters were the butterflies; butterflies who are emerging from their cocoon, frailly being set free as peaceful creatures. Alvarez also uses a garden metaphor on page 179 "...And it was disturbing to see-among the established plantings-the raw brown earth like a wound in the ground." This metaphor represents re-birth for Dede, the only life that she can really grasp at that moment with all the chaos swarming around her life.
With a quick glimpse of extremely positive attributes of this book, there is much more to learn and read about which Alvarez can help lead you through your next 324 page journey. This book is not just filled with enlightening information, but is also a really good and important read to have read. This is one of those books that you will want to read again some day, or just say, hey, I read that book.
Rating:
Summary: Ones you start you can't stop.
Review: 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. Ones I started reading I could not stop. Specially because Alvarez, made a great effort to get the readers involved in the life of the "Mariposas" as the girls were called. This book is based on a true story of three Mirabal Sisters (Miverva,Patria, Maria Teresa) who were murder for joining an underground plot to overthrow the government during the Trujillo regime. It also includes the recollections of the fourth sister name Dede who survived because she did not joined the movement in fear of her husband taking her children away from her. The first one to join the movement was Minerva, who was always the family's political ringleader. She went as far as giving up motherhood to over throw the government. She was incarcerated and suffer many things because she would always say how she felt even if the people did like it. She was the one who did and gave up more, but she was also the one who suffer and lost more.
Maria Teresa the baby sister was the second one to joined, but only did so out of lust because she was in love with someone that was a member of the movement. She was innocent and sensitive. The oldest of the sisters Patria was the last to join, but in the mean time she would help her sisters indirectly. She was very religious,loving, and loyal to her husband. She finally joined when she witnesses the atrocities of the regime. In my point of view she was the only one who trully joined because she wanted to help and make a difference. The last sister Dede only plays a part in this story because she was the only one left alive to tell the story but she never joined the movement. She was always at her husbands domaine doing only what he wanted. She never helped her sisters because of fear that her peacefull life would end and thather husband would take her children away. She never approve of her sisters joining the movement.
Alvarez made a great effort to write the story in great detail from when the four girls were very young up until they died. Writing specific incident as when the girls got their period, fell in love, got married, and had their children. She also wrote how the girls join the movement, what they encounter wile being in the movement, and what they lost because they join the movement. Alvarez did a very good job of portraying the atrocities that go on during a regime, in this case the ones in the Dominican Republic. This book opened my eyes because I learned about a time period in a country that I had no previous knowledge of. What I like the most about this book is the way Alvarez made it seem as if the girls were saying their part of the story not her making it up. She went as far as making Maria Teresa's part as journal entries. This book is full of exitement from beginning to end and ones you start you can't stop.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Story of Courage
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Personalizing history
Review: I strongly recommend 'In the Time of the Butterflies' to anyone, no matter what their race, sex, or political standing. This book can serve as a warning against future political corruption, and is a great read besides. Julia Alvarez's unique style and use of symbolism are shown off incredibly in this mentally and emotionally stimulating novel.
Having not read any other books by Julia Alvarez, I cannot compare this one to her previous or following works. However, being an avid reader in general, I can say with some authority that this novel is truly unique. The use of the different perspectives of each of the girls really helps the reader to understand them as individuals. The reader gets a better understanding of them because the tone of each is so different. The somewhat distant, present-time, third person point of view (in which survivng sister Dedé is described) assists in placing the reader more in the past. The straightforward style of next-to-youngest sister Minerva's segments fits her personality, as does the symbolic, rather abstract manner of oldest sister Patria's speech. The use of a series of diary entries for youngest sister Maria Theresa is more direct, and flies straight to the heart in its simple truth.
Julia Alvarez's use of symbolism in this novel is very beautiful. When the girls started the underground, their code names were "Las Mariposas," the butterflies. Following that title, a lot of the symbolism refers to butterflies or is based on it: "She felt something big and beautiful spread its wings inside her," "He reminded her of a...boy, who...tore the wings off butterflies." And, of course, the title of the novel itself connects.
The stories of political prisoners are generally hard to hear and emotionally wrenching. I believe, however, that it's good to hear what happened and what led to it. If someone read this book and saw some similar early signs of corruption in their country, they might be able to stop it before it grows. That's why we all study history, because history does nothing but repeat itself. If we could learn from our mistakes, we would never have to deal with fascist dictators and political prisoners again.
Historically, the book itself is inaccurate, as it is a novel, a work of fiction. Julia Alvarez was hooked by the sisters' tragic story, and let it "spin off in her head," as she describes in her postscript at the end of the text. She does stay true to the story, which is the important part, but she does them a favor by actually giving them personalities. As it is, the Mirabal sisters are well known, in the Dominican Republic and beyond, but they are only known as distant martyrs who are on the same level with the divine. All one can feel for them is pity, or inspiration, and the emotion doesn't go deeper than that. But when you get to know them on a personal level, they become individuals. Real people with a story to tell, but with just as many normal things in life as you and I. This makes them more accessible and personable.
The great stories of history are the stories of the people who made that history. Alvarez has written an insightful book that shines a light on the heroism of several who gave their lives for something beyond themselves.
Rating:
Summary: It inspires the revolutionary spirit.
Review: I haven't read any other books by Ms. Alvarez, so I can't compare books. I enjoyed this book immensely. The story is gripping because it deals with a terrifying and, unfortunately, true time in Dominican history. Many people have heard of Trujillo but I imagine most have not imagined a dictator as horrible as him. The sisters themselves are inspiring, especially since they are not fictional. As a history teacher who struggles with male-dominated textbooks, it's refreshing to see strong women who made a difference. The only weakness in the book is the character portrayals. Ms. Alvarez writes in the postscript that she had to invent them. Unfortunately, her characters are too stereotypical. Minerva is the "wild woman", Patria is the saintly one, Dede is the timid one, and Mate is the flirty one. Too cliche. I would have liked characters who were more realistic.
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: 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 more aware of what when on. It made me feel so proud to be a latina woman and my heritage. It thought me that US mujeres can make a difference. I totally recommend this book to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, inspiring
Review: In the Time of the Butterflies stands as one of the best books ive ever had the pleasure of reading. I indentified with each of the sisters, not only as a latina, but as a women. As I read, I felt as if I really knew these women, as if they were my friends, confiding to me in letters. This book, based on a true story, inspires and the 3 mariposa sisters should never be forgotten. After I finished it, I immediately searched for more information on the sisters, and came upon pictures of the actual Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa. Beautiful women inside and out and truely breathtaking. I encourage everyone to read their heroic story.
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Summary: Takes Awhile to Get Going.
Review: 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. The sisters were part of the original revolution in the Dominican Republic under the 31-year regime of dictator Trujillo. Patria, Minerva, and Mate were all killed by Trujillo's men. However, before their deaths the sisters had become the leaders of the revolution and had become known as "Las Mariposas", "The Butterflies". This novel shows the four women as real people full of foibles just like anyone else. At the same time, it never diminishes how courageous the women really were and the noble spirit that thrived in them. The novel begins rather slow and it takes some time before it begins to pick up speed. However, once I finally got into it, I didn't want to put it down. It's was also a nice change of pace to read about four real-life heroines. At the same time, because the first half of the novel is more about the sisters' personal lives, it will probably turn many a male reader away. Also, there are a few racy bits here and there. Still, overall the story is good and for me, the story is key.
Rating:
Summary: Women have power!
Review: This is a wonderful book. A well-written, engaging story of three sisters working in the underground of the Dominican Republic. Loosely based on a true story, this book highlights how women could have power in a time when not only women but all average citizens had no power. This book will keep you up all night until you finish it!
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME
Review: 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! This book was incredibly interesting and fun to read. I got to know each of the characters individual personalites and i learned about there hopes and dreams about living in a free country and doing everything they can to try to make that possible so there kids could live a better life. They were so strong and had a lot of courage! This is a book anyone can enjoy and appreciate. I definately give this book a 5 and im sure many people agree w/ me!
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