In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez’s acclaimed novel celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, brings to life the story of the Mirabal sisters—Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and Dedé—known as Las Mariposas, symbols of courage in the face of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Set against the events of November 25, 1960, when three of the sisters were found dead at the bottom of a cliff in what the regime claimed was an “accident,” the novel gives voice to all four women, weaving together memories of youth, secret loves, political struggles, and the brutal reality of oppression. With lyrical prose and emotional depth, Alvarez transforms tragedy into a powerful story of bravery, love, and hope, reviving the legacy of heroines who changed history.