In the Time of the Butterflies Julia Alvarez, who herself left her home of the Dominican Republic for the US in the 1960s, intertwines the stories of four sisters who live under the unruly conditions of political oppression from General Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. In the Time of the Butterflies captures the essence that is family while at the same time highlighting the daily horrors of dictatorship. Image Source: amazon.com