In the Time of the Butterflies

Julia Alvarez

In the Time of the Butterflies

Recommendation inspired by:
Las Mariposas: How three sisters defied a dictator - Lisa Krause

Why we love this book:

Travel back in time to get a glimpse of the Dominican Republic's history with Julia Alvarez's novel In The Time of Butterflies. This historical fiction is narrated by the valiant Mirabal sisters, Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa, who defied the tyranny of the Trujillo regime. Known as las mariposas, or the butterflies, the Mirabal sisters became symbols of the resistance movement that overthrew Rafael Trujillo. Alvarez humanizes these mythic sisters by showing their vulnerability, uncertainty, as well as their determination. Though the novel takes place in the Dominican Republic, this story of courage, loss, and revolution is universal in its call for justice. 

Recommended by:
Sazia Afrin, TED-Ed Team

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