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four sisters and NONE of them are even a little bit gay? but one dates a first cousin? 🤔🤔🤔🤔

it was interesting to structure this novel in reverse chronological order; the later years seem to be alvarez' favorite section, though i found the middle chapters most vivid and interesting, and found the childhood ones quite uncompelling, especially in the lack of differentiation between the girls' voices - as well as, of course, a couple instances of quite shocking anti-Black and colorist descriptions of servants that were wholly unnecessary. It was cool to read this because I suddenly remembered that I'd read "in the time of the butterflies" back in middle school and now, perhaps 10 years later, have found my way back to this author. Ultimately, i think this book should have been much longer. I would have been interested for a deeper and more nuanced exploration of the sisters' relationships; a much more thorough investigation of class, especially how the mother dealt with the dramatic change in their circumstances when emigrating; and for a book that centers on family, connection, identity, and heritage, i felt it odd that the girls basically don't interact with any other non-white people outside of their own family throughout their whole time in america. it would have been interesting to contrast their own very specific classed experience, for instance, with another perspective, perhaps that of someone who was never taught to 'lose their accent'. anyway, overall, i appreciate having had the opportunity to read this.

thank you laura for the rec!