Books like In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
In In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Álvarez retells the true story of four Dominican sisters—Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and the survivor Dedé—through their own voices across decades. The novel opens with the mysterious 1960 deaths of the three sisters, whose bodies are found at the bottom of a 150‑foot cliff, while the state conceals their political significance. The narrative follows the sisters' rise as political activists and their subsequent persecution under General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo’s regime, depicting everyday horrors, underground gunrunning, and prison torture. Álvarez blends the historical record with lyrical, intimate storytelling, honoring the sisters as martyrs, women rebels, and a moral legacy that continues to inspire.
First publish date: 1994
Genre: Historical Fiction/20th Century Historical Fiction
Authors: Julia Alvarez
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