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In the Time of the Butterflies, Paperback Paperback – January 12, 2010

by Julia Alvarez (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,288 ratings
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Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, internationally bestselling author and literary icon Julia Alvarez's In the Time of the Butterflies is "beautiful, heartbreaking and alive ... a lyrical work of historical fiction based on the story of the Mirabal sisters, revolutionary heroes who had opposed and fought against Trujillo." (Concepción de León, New York Times)

Don't miss Alvarez’s new novel, The Cemetery of Untold Stories, available now!

It is November 25, 1960, and three beautiful sisters have been found near their wrecked Jeep at the bottom of a 150-foot cliff on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The official state newspaper reports their deaths as accidental. It does not mention that a fourth sister lives. Nor does it explain that the sisters were among the leading opponents of Gen. Rafael Leónidas Trujillo’s dictatorship. It doesn’t have to. Everybody knows of Las Mariposas—the Butterflies.

In this extraordinary novel, the voices of all four sisters--Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and the survivor, Dedé--speak across the decades to tell their own stories, from secret crushes to gunrunning, and to describe the everyday horrors of life under Trujillo’s rule. Through the art and magic of Julia Alvarez’s imagination, the martyred Butterflies live again in this novel of courage and love, and the human costs of political oppression.

"Alvarez helped blaze the trail for Latina authors to break into the literary mainstream, with novels like In the Time of the Butterflies and How the García Girls Lost Their Accents winning praise from critics and gracing best-seller lists across the Americas."—Francisco Cantú, The New York Times Book Review

"This Julia Alvarez classic is a must-read for anyone of Latinx descent." —Popsugar.com
"A gorgeous and sensitive novel . . . A compelling story of courage, patriotism and familial devotion." —People
"Shimmering . . . Valuable and necessary." —Los Angeles Times
"A magnificent treasure for all cultures and all time.” —St. Petersburg Times
"Alvarez does a remarkable job illustrating the ruinous effect the 30-year dictatorship had on the Dominican Republic and the very real human cost it entailed."—Cosmopolitan.com
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Algonquin Books
  4. Publication date
    January 12, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    5.45 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1565129768
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1565129764
  8. See all details
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  2. The Cemetery of Untold Stories: A Novel
    Afterlife
    In the Time of the Butterflies, Paperback
    How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

    More from Julia Alvarez

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From the Publisher

"I believe in the power of a story to change the world." —Julia Alvarezz

"A gorgeous and sensitive novel." --People

The Cemetery of Untold Stories

"Shimmering . . . Valuable and necessary." —Los Angeles Times

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez Afterlife by Julia Alvarez how the garcia girls lost their accents by Julia Alvarez yo! by Julia alvarez
The Cemetery of Untold Stories Afterlife How the García Girls Lost Their Accents ¡Yo!
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Also by Julia Alvarez A New Instant Classic by Julia Alvarez "A sunburst of a novel about family, immigration, love and moral choices.” —The San Francisco Chronicle Julia Alvarez’s Beloved First Novel “Mesmerizing.”—USA Today

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Wonderful . . . Skillfully weaves fact and fiction, building to a gut-wrenching climax." —Newsweek

"A gorgeous and sensitive novel . . . A compelling story of courage, patriotism and familial devotion." —People

"Shimmering . . . Valuable and necessary." —Los Angeles Times

"Extraordinary." —Harper's Bazaar

"Haunting." —New York Newsday

"A poignant tale of courage and hope . . . As much an inspiration as it is a tragedy." —Ms.

"Imagination and history in sublime combination . . . Read this book for the novel it is. Read this book for the place it takes you. Read this book and take courage." —The Denver Post

About the Author

Julia Alvarez left the Dominican Republic for the United States in 1960 at the age of ten. She is the author of six novels, three books of nonfiction, three collections of poetry, and eleven books for children and young adults. She has taught and mentored writers in schools and communities across America and, until her retirement in 2016, was a writer in residence at Middlebury College. Her work has garnered wide recognition, including a Latina Leader Award in Literature from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature, the Woman of the Year by Latina magazine, and inclusion in the New York Public Library’s program “The Hand of the Poet: Original Manuscripts by 100 Masters, from John Donne to Julia Alvarez.” In the Time of the Butterflies, with over one million copies in print, was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts for its national Big Read program, and in 2013 President Obama awarded Alvarez the National Medal of Arts in recognition of her extraordinary storytelling.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Algonquin Books; Reprint edition (January 12, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1565129768
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1565129764
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.45 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,288 ratings

About the author

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Julia Alvarez

Julia Alvarez

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Julia Alvarez left the Dominican Republic for the United States in 1960 at the age of ten. She is the author of six novels, three books of nonfiction, three collections of poetry, and eleven books for children and young adults. She has taught and mentored writers in schools and communities across America and, until her retirement in 2016, was a writer-in-residence at Middlebury College. Her work has garnered wide recognition, including a Latina Leader Award in Literature from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature, the Woman of the Year by Latina magazine, and inclusion in the New York Public Library’s program “The Hand of the Poet: Original Manuscripts by 100 Masters, from John Donne to Julia Alvarez.” In the Time of the Butterflies, with over one million copies in print, was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts for its national Big Read program, and in 2013 President Obama awarded Alvarez the National Medal of Arts in recognition of her extraordinary storytelling.

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Top reviews from the United States

Megan Taverna
5.0 out of 5 stars Much better then the Garcia Girls!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2018
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I have read Ms. Alvarez' other book, How The Garcia Girls lost their accents, and it definitely was not my cup of tea. I had to read it in the fall for school and was not a huge fan of the story. This book,however, is another story. I loved how all of the characters were so different and relatable, with many layers unfolding as the novel continued on, as as the drama built up until the climax. I originally had to read this book for summer reading, and was disappointed; but I am so lucky that I read this book. I have annotated my first copy, then bought a second. I just think the Mirabel sisters are amazing, especially for someone as myself who had no idea about the DR and it's history. This was my first book of the summer, and the first chapter definitely sets in. This is the kind of book where you take in every single word and it paints a beautiful picture in your mind, which is what Julia has done here. I highly recommend this book, and also the discussion guide included also gives great points to think and talk about. Long live the Mariposas!!
27 people found this helpful
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K. Vestal
5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and Unforgettable
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2009
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This novel, although partially fictionalized, tells the true story of a dark era of the Dominican Republic's history. General Rafael Trujillo was dictator of the Dominican Republic 1930-1961, and under his tyranny many thousands were murdered. Those who opposed him or neglected to submit to his authority publicly or privately, even for being found without his portrait hanging in their house, would mysteriously be found dead. At the darkest of all moments, in 1937, multiple thousands of Haitian immigrants were massacred to keep their dark skin from mixing with white.

Alvarez' novel tells the incredible story of the three Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa, who were a part of the underground movement to overthrow Trujillo and were known underground as Las Mariposas (The Butterflies). On November 25, 1960 they fell into an ambush and were killed, just six months prior to Trujillo's own assassination. They became the nation's symbol for all the many thousands who met the same fate.

There was a fourth sister, Dedé, who was not assassinated and has helped to tell the Mirabal story. Author Julia Alvarez is not far removed from the story either. Her father was involved in an underground plot that was cracked by Trujillo's secret police, and her family escaped to NYC from Trujillo's tyranny in August 1960. Four months later the Mirabal sisters were killed.

A poignant and unforgettable 5-star read!
5 people found this helpful
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James R. Gilligan
4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2023
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As Alvarez tells the story of the three Mirabal sisters who were assassinated by Trujillo’s regime in the Dominican Republic (and the one Mirabal sister who survived to tell their story), she demonstrates the power of fiction and its ability to construct a kind of truth that may be beyond the reach of “pure” history. Of course, no historical account of any event or era is truly objective—for many reasons (inherent narrative bias, unrecoverable facts, the passage of time) history is simply a sincere attempt (one hopes) to depict, to the best of our knowledge and ability, what actually happened. In an author’s note appended to the end of this 25th anniversary edition of the novel, Alvarez admits that the Mirabel sisters in this text—albeit based on the real Mirabal sisters who resisted Trujillo and were murdered for their activism—are creations of her imagination, characters she crafted in order to depict the oppressive conditions of life under Trujillo’s dictatorship.

Sometimes difficult to read, sometimes amusing, and always forceful, Alvarez’s novel blends history and fiction to tell an undeniable truth.
One person found this helpful
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DT
5.0 out of 5 stars Great summer time read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2023
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gifted author, good story I read right through
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suzie_Q
5.0 out of 5 stars Book
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
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Book read for class.
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Magda
3.0 out of 5 stars Translation was not 100%
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2024
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The translation was not all that great. But overall a great book. Julia Alvarez is an amazing author.
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J
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Great Condition
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2023
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The book came in perfect condition. The book itself is a great read. It will definitely tug at your heart strings.
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Vee
4.0 out of 5 stars Buying more from Julia Alvarez
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2022
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Inspired by the true story of the three Maribal sisters in the Dominican Republic during Trujillos dictatorship.The three sisters were killed because they were part of an underground plot to over throw the government., but it was made to look like a car accident.
What they don’t mention is that a fourth sister was spared because she refused to make that trip with the other three sisters. They were known as Las Mariposas- the Butterflies 🦋
While this story is based on true events, the author uses her fictional storytelling to give readers the 4 different points of view from all of the sisters at different points of time , leading up to the “accident”.

Patria- the oldest , very into her religion and raising her kids
Dedé- the soul surviving sister , the level headed an reliable one.
Minerva- the activist and one of the founder of the underground movement. Brave and outspoken.
Maria Teresa- the baby of the 4 that so badly wants to be a freedom fighter.

I personally resonated with Minerva, there were times in the book where her mouth gets her in trouble and her blunt honesty is something I admired. This book also really interested me because like the four Mirabal sisters, I too am very close with my 3 sisters. You get to see what lengths they go to just to protect each other and fight for what is right during a time of political oppression.
I didn’t know much about the Dominican Republic other than it’s nice beaches and tropical weather so this was a really good opportunity for me to learn about their history.

The only reason I didn’t give it a 5/5 was because the 4 points of view were hard to keep up with and a bit confusing if you don’t pay attention. Also, I found it weird that the sisters married their primos (cousins).
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Leonardo M.
5.0 out of 5 stars bien
Reviewed in Mexico on March 29, 2020
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lo utilizo en la escuela
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gerardpeter
5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Kind of Revolutionary
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2017
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In the 1940s and 1950s the Dominican Republic was ruled by a brutal dictator called Trujillo. Unable to remove him by the ballot, opponents turned to the bullet. Three sisters, code name the Butterflies, were part of the revolutionary movement. Their memory is celebrated today in their homeland, but they are less well-known outside it. This novel will bring them and their time alive for many more people.

Julia Alvarez herself was born in the Dominican Republic, but her parents fled to America in 1960. To supplement her own memories and family stories, she returned to the country and met with people who knew the sisters. This is a novel of course. As she writes in an afterword, she wanted neither to retail simply the known facts of their lives, nor to burnish the many myths and legends. She combines fiction or imagination with truth.

For many the Latin American revolutionary is a dashing macho hero in the manner of Che Guevara or Fidel Castro. The butterflies tells of a different kind of rebel. They were girls and women, sisters and daughters, lovers and mothers - and revolutionaries.

The narrative weaves between the political and the personal. Minerva, Patria, Mate and Dede, the fourth sibling, share the narrative. Use is made of a diary, but I don’t know if this is genuine. The youngest is 8 years old when the story begins so Julia Alvarez takes us through childhood friends, school, adolescence, love, marriage and mother hood. Sex was an important part of their lives and some may find what is said or implied “earthy”.

Alvarez offers a view of a whole society – the poor peasants or campesinos, the state bureaucrats and the rich ruling clique, and the middle class from which the sisters came. She shows the position of women – at home and in society. Some have said the sisters are portrayed here as feminists, but I am not sure about that – each reader can judge for herself or himself.

We know early on what happens as the novel begins in 1994. However, the tension and drama are sustained through the skill of the author. I have been encouraged to read more by Julia Alvarez and to find out more about Latin American politics and history.
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cocoa3c
5.0 out of 5 stars Anyone who is Interested in the hisorty of the Dominican Republic should give this a read
Reviewed in Canada on February 24, 2014
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Though this is a novel, it is based on a true historical event and the facts. Amazingly, most people don't know much about the island of the Dominican, though many people visit there. It is an island rich in history: good and bad. I was shocked to learn about the suffering the Dominican people went through during this time period. Check it out.
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Holly Short
5.0 out of 5 stars Wird Sie packen und nie mehr loslassen
Reviewed in Germany on February 4, 2004
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Sie waren "Las Mariposas", "Die Schmetterlinge", Schlüsselfiguren der kommunistischen Untergrundbewegung in der Dominikanischen Republik zu der Zeit des grausamen Diktatoren Trujillo. Sie waren die Schwestern Mirabal - Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa und Dedé. Noch heute werden sie im karibischen Raum als Heldinnen verehrt.
Diesen vier Revolutionärinnen hat Julia Alvarez dieses atemberaubende Buch gewidmet. Historische Fakten mit herrlicher Erzählkunst vermischend, schildert sie die Kindheit und Jugend der vier Mädchen, ihre ersten Kontakten mit dem kommunistischen Untergrund, und schließlich den Kampf Minervas, Patrias und Maria Teresas gegen eine grausame Diktatur, für Freiheit, der ihnen im November 1960 das Leben kosten sollte.
Im Nachwort schreibt Julia Alvarez, dass es nicht ihre Absicht gewesen ist, einen historischen Roman oder eine Biographie zu schreiben - was sie wollte, ist mit einem Roman, der auf einer wahren Geschichte basiert, die Herzen der Leserinnen und Leser zu berühren und ihnen eben diese Geschichte von vier tapferen Frauen nahe zu bringen. Das hat sie auch geschafft. Sie hat den Mirabal-Schwestern Leben eingehaucht, vier unterschiedliche Charaktere geschaffen, die ein gemeinsamer Traum vereint. Julia Alvarez lässt die vier Schwestern abwechselnd erzählen, zum Beispiel in Form von Tagebucheinträgen und der schmerzhaften Erinnerungen der überlebenden Schwester Dedé.
Und es wird Sie packen und nie mehr loslassen. Julia Alvarez verhilft den Mirabals zur Unsterblichkeit, indem sie sie auferstehen und in den Köpfen der Leser umhergeistern lässt. Ihre Geschichte ist ebenso inspirierend wie deprimierend - absolut große Klasse. Dieses Buch garantiert schlaflose Nächte, weil es direkt zum Herzen spricht, vor allem wenn Unruhe und so mancher unerfüllter Traum darin wohnen. Es wird Ihnen keine Ruhe lassen.
Was für ein Meisterwerk und was für eine unglaublich begabte Autorin!
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Laura
5.0 out of 5 stars I recommend
Reviewed in Canada on April 26, 2020
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Good book, delivery was on time and just as shown on the ​picture.
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