Meandering Em's

This book was selected as the Big Read for Montclair, NJ. It is a fictionalized history of the Mirabal sisters who fought against the regime of dictator Trujillo of the Dominican Republic. Three of the sisters were waylaid on a highway and brutally killed by Trujillo's henchmen.

Dede was not present when the murder took place and so survives. She was left to raise her sisters' children and carrying on the fight against the corrupt Dominican government.

The author allows each sister to tell her story in the book. Patria, the oldest, was a religious homebody wrapped up in her family. Minerva was the openly rebellious one who always challenged Trujillo and his government. Dede also stayed home and did not openly support her sisters because she feared her husband. The youngest sister, Mate, found out what Minerva was doing and joined the group. I never felt she had the passion for the cause as much as Minerva did. Mate told her story through entries in a diary, which I thought was very effective.

I enjoyed learning about the sisters and finding out some of the history of the Dominican Republic. I believe the large Dominican population in New York City grew as many left the island to escape from the terror of Trujillo's reign.