This titillating novel weaves together two distinct perspectives and timelines. As always, I did struggle to get used to the multiple POVs. While the beginning may seem slow, it sets the stage for a thought-provoking examination of themes such as magical realism, female empowerment, and the significance of artistic expression.
“Exchanges that had cut and left me bleeding, with my best stuff—confidence, clarity—pooling down, away from me, onto the floor. But not that night. No. Because that day I had decided to reclaim my might; to cease to be shrunk. And in my decision, I’d grown a new version of myself. My new skin thick like coconut shells, impervious to his attempts to crack my joy.”
Anita, the passionate main character, evoked a mix of emotions, alternating between moments of frustration and relatability. The cast of characters is diverse, featuring Jack, Anita’s husband, as the typical antagonist.
“No, when I looked in his eyes, what I saw was the most dangerous thing of all in a man: insecurity. Because they will crawl over and push down anyone around them in their desperate thrashing to find themselves comfortably affirmed at the top.”
The conclusion was satisfying, but it did feel a bit rushed to me.
The story encourages reflection on issues of identity, acceptance and toxic connections, all within the framework of a supernatural twist.
“Human will is a particularly powerful magic. Alchemy happens when a person truly decides something; when a mind is changed.”
The parallel timelines—one tracing Anita’s journey of self-discovery and the other following Raquel’s artistic education at Brown University—offer insights into themes of inheritance, privilege, and societal structures of oppression.
“Eventually, she would lie there and remember there was more to her life than Nick. That missing was normal, that missing was part of the process. That missing, as her mother had reminded her, did not mean mistake.”
“Anita de Monte Laughs Last” urged me to confront the complexities of memory, the power of storytelling, and appreciating how our narratives shape the world around us. This novel offers a distinctive and enriching voyage of discovery, and I throughly enjoyed it.
“They were congratulating me on the show, commenting on how Third World art was really having a “moment.” “Yes,” I’d replied, “but don’t you think a permanent place would be better than a passing measure of time?”
Thank you, Exclusive Books, for this gifted copy.
Published (in South Africa) by: Jonathan Ball Publishers
About this book: Anita de Monte Laughs Last – Exclusive Books Online
Buy this book: Anita de Monte Laughs Last – Exclusive Books Online
About the author: Xochitl Gonzalez
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[…] “Anita de Monte Laughs Last” urged me to confront the complexities of memory, the power of storytelling, and appreciating how our narratives shape the world around us. This novel offers a distinctive and enriching voyage of discovery, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. More here: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González […]