"Words repeated, distorted, words recreated by those who might bear them a grudge, words stitched to words until they are the winding sheet the family will be buried in..."
In the first fifty-five pages of this marvellous novel, Julia Alvarez illustrates with words a picture of life in the Dominican Republic under the tyrannical reign of Rafael Trujillo. It is hauntingly well written, each character distinct, each event subtly linked in a complex progression of time. But most of all, 'In the Time of the Butterflies' is poignantly human. From grief to religious piety, from love to rebellion, each emotion can be felt deeply; young Maria Theresa's excitement, Minerva's frustration, Patria's need, all are felt within the reader.
Alvarez conveys such depth and emotion masterfully, her writing style clever and evocative. Often, clues and hints are spread throughout the chapters, leaving a reader hungering for answers. Characters are mentioned in passing, then later - perhaps even from a different point of view - fully fleshed out. The reader makes their own connections from chapter to chapter, and from each separate point of view, the story is woven together.
The story's end is hinted at heavily in the beginning, and any preliminary research will reveal the abbreviated story of the Mirabal sisters. For indeed, Alvarez did not simply make these irrepressible personages up; the four Mirabal sisters eventually became rebels in a secret underground during the dictatorship years of the Dominican Republic. Their story is embellished and expanded by Alvarez, originally of the DR herself. Adding flesh to the bones of history, she creates in our minds vivid portrayals of the Mirabal sisters, (Dede, Minerva, Maria Theresa, and Patria) as well as the struggles they face. In chapter two we meet Minerva, the first of the sisters to feel the spark of rebellion. While at convent school, she learns from a friend the ugly truth about Trujillo, and the fire is lit - in following chapters, the reader learns that she hates the church for supporting Trujillo's dictatorship, that she has questionable friends, and that her family tries and fails to suppress her rebellious attitudes. Dede, the next youngest sister, is the sole survivor out of the four, and it is written in chapter one that she deals with her grief by remembering the happy days, before strife and conflict. The baby of the family, Maria Theresa is only ten when we first begin to read entries from her Little Book, and her innocent thoughts provide a clear picture of life in the Mirabal household. However, it is in chapter four that we meet the oldest sister, Patria Mercedes, a young lady who suffers internally when love conflicts with her faith. Although the first part of the book is largely concerned with developing the characters and setting, Alvarez' glorious writing manner keep the reader enthralled and turning pages.
Though I have only just finished the first part of the book, I would definitely recommend 'In the Time of the Butterflies' to lovers of dramatic historical fiction. It paints a gripping picture of life under a dictatorship, as well as of the trials of family, love and religion. Enjoy!
