My critique of "How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Larry

Gold
Mar 22, 2002
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Hello everyone.I recently read this book and wanted to relay my opinions as I have come to note that Mrs. Alvarez is widely heralded by the DR1 community.The book describes how Julia and her 3 sisters and parents were forced to flee DR to NYC in 1960 and how the abrupt move to a completely foreign place affected the rest of their lives.Julia brilliantly and beautifully relays most of her story through the eyes of a child.Anyone with a background or interest in psychology will enjoy this book as it is LOADED with clever symbolism.It is definately geared toward a female audience because we are made to feel how a woman was affected by the move from DR but as a male reader,if you can get past that, you will be in for a wonderful read.The last chapter again is full of terrific symbolism and ends with a flurry of emotion as Julia seems to be retrieving scatted bits of memories from various areas in her mind almost like a harddrive thats files are badly in need of a defrag.I got the impression that she was totally spent from tapping into her childhood mind and on the verge of breaking down.I read the last page and wished the book hadnt ended.Thanks to KeithR and Linamia for recomending the book to me.Maybe some of you who have read it can add a few comments.Thanks.
Larry
 

Jane J.

ditz
Jan 3, 2002
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I read the last page and wished the book hadnt ended.
I love it when a book does that...

*Hangs head* I haven't read any Julia Alvarez yet, only because I have no dough for new books, and my library doesn't have anything by her. I was hoping to read the Spanish version of En El Tiempo de las Mariposas, but now that I've seen the movie I've decided to start with something else.

Please, anyone who posts, be careful with the *spoilers* - consider us who haven't yet read it!
 

Quisqueya Girl

New member
Oct 21, 2002
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Jane,

You should go ahead and read in the Time of Butterflies (in any language). I recently read a review that said the movie didn't do the book justice.

It was the first book I read by Julia Alvarez and I couldn't put it down. It is extraordinarily well written and socially important on so many levels. Don't hesitate to start with this one.

-QG
 

debs

New member
Jun 10, 2002
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The first book by Ms. Alvarez that I read was "Yo". I didn't realize it as the time, but it's the follow up to "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents". I just finished reading "In the Name of Salome" which is, I believe, the last novel for adults that she has written. Every book of hers that I've read is captivating. You really can't put it down. She's a truly gifted writer something that is rare to find in a "modern" fiction writer. She also several collections of poetry which are quite good.

I'm planning to watch "In the Time of Butterflies" next time it's on TMN, but I'm sure I'll be disappointed after reading the book.

If you haven't checked out any of her books, I highly recommend that you do!
 

Jane J.

ditz
Jan 3, 2002
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I recently read a review that said the movie didn't do the book justice.
That seems to be the general concensus - and you're right - I'll read it anyway. I'm just a bit scared b/c the movie made me cry SO hard and I'm pretty much full of Trujillo hate already....
 

Cira

New member
Sep 24, 2002
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Julia Alvarez is agreat writer. I have been reading her books and they are all magnificent. Between Yo, How the Garcia girls lost their accent are just the story of her life, but what a life. I had the opprtunity of reading the Garcia's first and then Yo. I had a great experience reading it that way and finding out that it was somehow related to me and my two sisters, we felt the way she felt in many occasions, esppecially that of transsition
 

jojocho

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Jul 10, 2002
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I've read almost every book written by Julia Alvarez (no poetry for me) and I've loved each one! She has a collection of essays in a book called "Something to declare", which I enjoyed but realize that someone interested in doing some writing would enjoy it more. I also read her first childrens novel "How Tia Lola came to stay" and enjoyed it too. I highly recommend it to anyone from any country trying to raise kids in a different culture than their own.