It provides a accessible, humanized look at living under a brutal dictatorship.
Julia Alvarez's historical novel follows 12-year-old Anita de la Torre as she lives through the terrifying final days of Rafael Trujillo's dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. 📌 Quick Overview Setting: Dominican Republic, 1960–1961. Before We Were Free
Family members risk and lose their lives for liberty. It provides a accessible, humanized look at living
Anita goes from being silenced by fear to writing her truth in a diary. It provides a accessible
Anita discovers the terrifying realities of the world around her.
The transition from childhood innocence to political awakening.