Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González | Expected publication March 5, 2024 | 352 pages | Goodreads
REVIEW
I loved the author’s previous book, “Olga Dies Dreaming,” and was eager to get my hands on this book by the same author. This novel takes place in different time periods with two main characters who are not related but are both artists.
I enjoyed the story and was interested to learn that it is inspired by the life of Ana Mendieta, who died tragically in 1985, the same as the main character in the novel. This is not a spoiler since it is revealed in the publisher’s description.
The book was emotionally intense, and the author did a great job portraying the relationship dynamics and art works of the characters.
Overall, I enjoyed the novel and highly recommend it.
PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION
1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten―certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.
But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.
BOOK SOURCE AND FORMAT
ARC, audiobook