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En el tiempo de las mariposas (Spanish Edition)

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Based on actual events, "In the Time of the Butterflies," is a tragic look at the four Mirabal sisters and their struggle to bring an end to the tyrannical regime of the Dominican Republic's most notorious dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Known for his ruthlessness and his ability to make his political enemies disappear without a trace, Trujillo's regime was one of the most brutal in Latin American history.

After taking over the country with the assistance of the military, Trujillo began a campaign of making himself somewhat of a demigod, even renaming the nation's capital from Santo Domingo to Ciudad Trujillo ("Trujillo City"). During this time, four sisters unified the Dominican resistance in trying to bring freedom and justice to that nation. While their husbands suffered in the nation's worst prison, the Mirabal sisters face uncertain perils and repression from Trujillo's henchmen.

While the author doesn't really discuss the main reason for Trujillo's infatuation with one of the sisters, their story is one of the most memorable cases of human rights abuses on record. Trujillo, son of biracial parents, never was accepted into traditional Dominican society due to his skin color. In a country where race plays a very important role in your social standing, this was a slap to the face, and after meeting one of the Mirabal sisters before his ascent to power, and getting rejected by her, it seems like the main motives for their murders was primarily for vengeance.

Told from the point of view of the only sister to survive the accident that claimed the lives of the other three, Dede's view is somewhat blurry to an extent. Seeing that some of the novel has fictional dialogue, it is understandable why the novel moves in a slow, yet respectful approach.

Julia Alvarez, who also wrote "Yo!" and "How the Garcia Sisters Lost Their Accents" is probably the best writer to come out of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean in recent years. A resident of Vermont, Ms. Alvarez is an intelligent, well-researched woman who has given the world works that explore the trials and tribulations faced by many Dominicans on and off the island.

The Mirabal sister's legacy has been remembered worldwide. The date three of the sisters died now has become the United Nation's "International Day Against Violence Towards Women." Also in an ironic twist, one of Dede's sons became Vice-President of the Dominican Republic in 1995 when he and presidential candidate Leonel Fernandez defeated incumbent Joaquin Balaguer in that year's elections. Joaquin Balaguer was Trujillo's protege and right-hand man, and it was at Balaguer's insistance that Trujillo be buried at Paris' Pere LaChaise cemetery (final resting place of "Doors" singer Jim Morrison and author Oscar Wilde) in order to prevent his grave's desecration.

Presently, Mexican superstar Salma Hayek has purchased the rights to this novel, and is currently filming the story of the Mirabal sisters into a motion picture that will air on the Showtime cable network in 2001. Hopefully, Ms. Hayek's film will capture the importance of Ms. Alvarez's novel without leaving out any details. Overall, "In the Time of the Butterflies" is a tragic, yet moving tribute to four heroes and their struggle for liberty in a country where justice, equality, and democracy are all threatened.

Soy dominicana, y conozco la historia de las heroinas Mirabal de las paginas de mis libros de Historia.. Sin embargo, el libro describe con una profunda delicadeza el caracter de estas tres "Mariposas" que aunque distintas, se mantuvieron siempre firmes a su ideal de ver a nuestra tierra libre de la horrenda tirania... Desde las narraciones de la pequena Maria Teresa, la devocion de la buena Patria, la voluntad y fortaleza de Minerva, la pena y la dedicacion de Dede, la sobreviviente.. La estupenda narracion de la vida de las ninas, las hermanas, las esposas, las amigas, las madres, las martires... El libro es maravilloso... La historia es triste, pero real.. es un capitulo de nuestra historia dominicana que no podemos olvidar, y una muestra de volundad e idealismo que debe sembrarse en todo el que conoce sobre las mariposas..!

Based on actual events, "In the Time of the Butterflies," is a tragic look at the four Mirabal sisters and their struggle to bring an end to the tyrannical regime of the Dominican Republic's most notorious dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Known for his ruthlessness and his ability to make his political enemies disappear without a trace, Trujillo's regime was one of the most brutal in Latin American history.

After taking over the country with the assistance of the military, Trujillo began a campaign of making himself somewhat of a demigod, even renaming the nation's capital from Santo Domingo to Ciudad Trujillo ("Trujillo City"). During this time, four sisters unified the Dominican resistance in trying to bring freedom and justice to that nation. While their husbands suffered in the nation's worst prison, the Mirabal sisters face uncertain perils and repression from Trujillo's henchmen.

While the author doesn't really discuss the main reason for Trujillo's infatuation with one of the sisters, their story is one of the most memorable cases of human rights abuses on record. Trujillo, son of biracial parents, never was accepted into traditional Dominican society due to his skin color. In a country where race plays a very important role in your social standing, this was a slap to the face, and after meeting one of the Mirabal sisters before his ascent to power, and getting rejected by her, it seems like the main motives for their murders was primarily for vengeance.

Told from the point of view of the only sister to survive the accident that claimed the lives of the other three, Dede's view is somewhat blurry to an extent. Seeing that some of the novel has fictional dialogue, it is understandable why the novel moves in a slow, yet respectful approach.

Julia Alvarez, who also wrote "Yo!" and "How the Garcia Sisters Lost Their Accents" is probably the best writer to come out of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean in recent years. A resident of Vermont, Ms. Alvarez is an intelligent, well-researched woman who has given the world works that explore the trials and tribulations faced by many Dominicans on and off the island.

The Mirabal sister's legacy has been remembered worldwide. The date three of the sisters died now has become the United Nation's "International Day Against Violence Towards Women." Also in an ironic twist, one of Dede's sons became Vice-President of the Dominican Republic in 1995 when he and presidential candidate Leonel Fernandez defeated incumbent Joaquin Balaguer in that year's elections. Joaquin Balaguer was Trujillo's protege and right-hand man, and it was at Balaguer's insistance that Trujillo be buried at Paris' Pere LaChaise cemetery (final resting place of "Doors" singer Jim Morrison and author Oscar Wilde) in order to prevent his grave's desecration.

Presently, Mexican superstar Salma Hayek has purchased the rights to this novel, and is currently filming the story of the Mirabal sisters into a motion picture that will air on the Showtime cable network in 2001. Hopefully, Ms. Hayek's film will capture the importance of Ms. Alvarez's novel without leaving out any details. Overall, "In the Time of the Butterflies" is a tragic, yet moving tribute to four heroes and their struggle for liberty in a country where justice, equality, and democracy are all threatened.

CONSIDERO ESTE LIBRO COMO UNO DE LOS MEJORES DE JULIA ALVAREZ. ESTE LIBRO DESMITIFICA LAS HERMANAS MIRABAL Y LAS LLEVA A UN CONTEXTO MAS HUMANO, MENOS IDEALISTA Y MAS REALISTA, MAS PROXIMO A NOSOTROS QUE NO ESTUVIMOS AHI Y NECESITAMOS MARCOS DE REFERENCIAS. NO QUEREMOS TENER HEROES Y HEROINAS QUE PAREZCAN INIMITABLES, SINO PERSONAS DE CARNE Y HUESO QUE LUCHEN HASTA EL FINAL POR LO QUE CREEN. EXCELENTE LECTURA

Cuanto me alegra que haya una autora que cuenta parte de la historia dominicana. Me encanta como Julia escribe. Este libro esta muy bien hecho pero ojo: Julia Alvarez escribe en ingles no en español. Aun asi, me parece que la traduccion de esta historia esta estupenda.

Pocos, ya sean dominicanos o no desconocen, la historia de las hermanas Mirabal. Yo creci oyendo de su valentia y heroismo para que los dominicanos tuvieramos un pais democrata. Sin embargo, tengo que reconocer que este libro me puso mas en contacto con el lado humana de estas tres valientes heroinas. A pesar de que este libro es de ficcion, le da a sus lectores la oportunidad de tener una cercania con sus personajes y asi poder entender un poco mas de la epoca en acontecieron los sucesos. El libro es sencillamente excepcional!!!!

The story of the Mirabal sisters is sad but true. Julia Alvarez captures the essence of all the different sides of a Dominican woman. It opened up to me the Dominican history I had only briefly heard about. The women are strong and loyal to their family--something instilled in all Dominican women.I was left with a certain sadness that the story had to come to an end. I would recommend it to my friends!

Soy dominicana, y apenas tengo 17 años..., desde siempre he sabido sobre las Mirabal, pero nunca me habia decidido a investigar mas, hasta q lei este libro.
Me encanto, relata los hechos vividos y sufridos en mi pais, y claro, todo lo que sucedio con las "Mariposas".
Lo unico que puedo decir es que me alegra muchisimo que personas de otros paises, e incluso de aqui de USA, sepan y se interesen en la vida de estas GRANDES HEROINAS dominicanas.
Es muy emocionante, y a la vez triste, recordar todos estos hechos; yo tuve la oportunidad de visitar el Casa Museo de las Mirabal, en Ojo de Agua, Salcedo es una experiencia muy "emocionante" senti como si volviera al pasado, es algo que una persona q conoce y sabe de las Mirabal, no se deberia perder.
Estoy muy orgullosa de ser dominicana, y de haber tenido heroinas , las MARIPOSAS.
Tambien me siento orgullosa porque el nombre de mi abuelita sea Ana Mercedes Then Mirabal :)

Reviewer: luismendez@codetel.net.do from DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CONSIDERO ESTE LIBRO COMO UNO DE LOS MEJORES DE JULIA ALVAREZ. ESTE LIBRO DESMITIFICA LAS HERMANAS MIRABAL Y LAS LLEVA A UN CONTEXTO MAS HUMANO, MENOS IDEALISTA Y MAS REALISTA, MAS PROXIMO A NOSOTROS QUE NO ESTUVIMOS AHI Y NECESITAMOS MARCOS DE REFERENCIAS. NO QUEREMOS TENER HEROES Y HEROINAS QUE PAREZCAN INIMITABLES, SINO PERSONAS DE CARNE Y HUESO QUE LUCHEN HASTA EL FINAL POR LO QUE CREEN. EXCELENTE LECTURA

luis mendez

Es una historia interesante y entretenida, sobretodo para aquellos latinoamericanos que nos interese la historia. Aunque es una novela, tiene mucho de fondo històrico. Los personajes son agradables, bien logrados. Me dejó el interés de conocer màs sobre la historia de Trujillo. No llega a la excelencia de La Fiesta del Chivo de Vargas Llosa, es una buena Historia