I had absolutely loved Olga Dies Dreaming and Xochitl Gonzalez's writing so this was a highly anticipated read for me. I am absolutely amazed by how fantastic this was. Gonzalez made me laugh out loud and had me feeling really angry multiple times.
Thehe audiobook, the audiobook is just something else. The narration by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg and Stacy Gonzalez is ABSOLUTELY amazing. This one was so much more than someone reading a book out loud. These people were living all the emotions of the book. I definitely recommend picking this up as an audiobook!
I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio for letting me experience this book on audio!

I listened to the audio version of this book (which included a whole lot of screaming) narrated by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg and Stacy Gonzalez. The narration was rich with the accents of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

I really don't know what to think about this book. It is a dual timeline and multiple characters narrate. It goes from 1985 to Anita and her husband, to 1998 to Raquel who runs across Anita de Monte's name when researching for her thesis. I was hanging in there until about mid-way through when there is the death of Anita de Monte. The end of Anita, right? Apparently not. The form in which she returns to the story was very confusing.

It is a great story exploring the exploitation and invisibility of artists who belong to different cultures, and especially women of different cultures. It's a lesson that should be explored and not forgotten. The lesson Raquel learned about how the world viewed her and how wrong she was to stay with a man who disrespected her so much is vital. There's a lot of things of import pointed out in the story. Go Anita! Go Raquel!

Triggers are physical violence, verbal abuse and racial inequalities.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

WHEWW CHILE! I am still thinking about this book days later, unable to fully describe how I feel about it, but here goes...

Method: audiobook
Rating: 5+ ⭐
Narration: 5⭐
Diversity: YES

If you want a book that makes you FEEL, this book is for you. This book is frustratingly REAL, provocative, and having you go through all the emotions! Reading this book is like watching a car accident (before, during, and after), wanting to look/walk away because it's devastating but you can't because you just have to know what happens.

I think almost every woman has dated a man like Jack/Nick, which is sad. A man who's attracted to powerful, passionate women, but their insecurities take over. This book has dual timelines from the '80s, following Anita de Monte and Jack. Also in the late '90s, Raquel, an art history student at a prestigious university, who's life starts to mirror that of Anita's. There are three points of view, switching between Anita, Jack, and Raquel. Whoever voiced Anita's character NEEDS AN AWARD. She had me oscillate between love, hate, and empathy for Anita. The writing is superb. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. The narration was beautiful.

I absolutely loved the strong female main characters, especially Anita. I listened to an advanced listeners copy of this book and could not speed this one up without feeling anxious- the voice of Anita and the voice of Jack are always high energy and loud. However, It was the perfect team for the couple they represented. I loved these overlapping stories and enjoyed the setting being in the art and academic worlds. I have already recommended this book to several people. This is one of my favorite authors and this book met and exceeded all of my expectations.

Trigger warning: It is good to know that there is very strong language throughout the book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release date: March 5, 2024

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect going into this book, but I loved it. Absolutely loved it. It's one of those "I support women's rights and their wrongs" kinda books. The only reason this lost a star for me was because it took about 20% of the book to really draw me in, but once it did I was there.

🎧 Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez 🎧

Thanks Netgalley, MacMillan Audio and Flatiron Books for this advance audiobook.

I really loved this one! From the first few minutes I was totally hooked, in large part due to the incredible narration by Jessica Pimentel as Anita.

This story plays out in dual timelines in the art world - one in the 80s with Cuban artist Anita de Monte and her struggles to be recognized as an artist in her own right, and the latter one in 1998 with Raquel, a Puerto Rican art history student at a mostly white Ivy league school, who is also struggling to deal with the privileged, white male-centric art world she is immersed in. When Raquel learns about Anita's death and realizes the repercussions it had in her own life, she starts to see a lot of things differently.

The art world, classism, racism, feminism, mixed in with a college coming of age story, all with a dash of a rage-filled ghost, made for a very unputdownable book for me. The writing conveys so much emotion and pulled me in to the story. I was rooting for Raquel and shaking my head at some of her decisions along the way, but then remembering that she was just a person coming into her own self in her early 20s.

I definitely recommend this book - the pub date is March 5!

Really raw and beautiful work by such a talented author. Gonzalez's writing is like no other. The audiobook was great as well.

A much bolder and darker novel from the author's earlier Olga Dies Dreaming. A difficult read but hits with both barrels and very well done. I did not care for the narrator.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a powerful story that's even better in audiobook form! This story details the life of artist Anita de Monte and the various sordid characters in her life who manipulate and exploit her voice and art, paralleled with upcoming Ivy League young artist Raquel. It is a well-told story that examines race, society, and gender norms, while we as readers are taken on a wild roller coaster of love interests, parties, and art gala affairs. I highly recommend!

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 works of the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and highly recommend it.

Enamored with Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut novel, Olga Dies Dreaming, I was thrilled to receive an audio ARC of her second book, Anita de Monte Laughs Last. Filled with believable, realistic, sassy dialogue and smartly designed characters, this novel captured my attention from the get go.

Anita de Monte, a talented, beautiful and articulate artist of Cuban descent marries Jack Martin, an older white artist, with a high standing in the art community. All is well until Anita’s work begins to be noticed and gains momentum. Her career takes off while jack’s stagnates, turning him into a frustrated emotionally and physically abusive husband who is determined to dominate both his wife and the art world. When Anita dies under questionable circumstances, Jack returns to his stellar reputation and thrives as an artist.

Years later in an Ivy League university, Raquel, finds herself studying art history and digging up forgotten and unknown information about Anita. Her relationship with rich, almost aristocratic, Nick, mirrors much of Anita’s story. When Anita’s ghost appears to help Raquel right past wrongs the book spins off to an often amusing but essentially serious direction that tackles some very deep rooted social issues. Is the art world a domain where men dominate ? Should the world be a place where men dominate? Why are physical and emotional abuse tolerated, even expected by women? How can minorities, specifically Latinas, navigate a class system dominated by wealthy upper echelon Caucasians?

Filled with memorable characters and enormous passion, this is a book that is hard to put down, The author has a lot to say about society and fills her protagonists with intense opinions and feelings. As Raquel uncovers buried secrets, she develops into a more confident and capable woman. The ghost of Anita cheers her on and helps her along until the story ends right where it should.

Told in three voices, the threads of each of three narrators are interspersed with their three points of view The audio version is not simply read, but is dramatized, sometimes a little too loudly and a little over the top for my preference. Yet the moods were contagious. This story is historical fiction and is based on the life of Ana Mendieta, who I am now motivated to research. It is a bit of a murder mystery as well. The supernatural slant is not one I usually enjoy but was perfect for this plot. 4 1/2 stars rounded to 5 for a book I strongly recommend. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for selecting me to receive an advance readers copy. Publication date is March 5, 2024.

This is an incredibly smart and thoughtful book that touches on areas of race, gender, and class. It packs a punch, but is softened somewhat by other themes that exist throughout the novel, including love and art. Additionally, ANITE DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST executes one of my very favorite literary tools, which is alternating timelines/POVS. In this case, we read from Anita and Raquel, and each are equally thought-provoking, mysterious, and interesting.

ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST did a great job of balancing humor and tragedy, moments of lighthearted fun with heavy topics that have the potential to take the wind out of you. I don't know how Gonzalez pulls it off.

4 stars!

Will any reader ever look at little mice the same way again? Gifts from our guardians rather than pesky rodents.

Raquel and Anita's stories weave from the 70s to the late 90s. Each woman claiming space and extricating themselves from unhealthy romances.

The author, Raquel, and Anita each reach back into history and bring forward a past that is purposefully neglected and then buried. Anita reaches back into her ancestral land and builds a connection that is elemental. Raquel reaches back and unburies Anita's story. And X. Gonzalez pulls Ana Mendieta out of the archives of history.

Where women of color are pushed to the margins, Gonzalez centers Anita and Raquel's stories. Their value, talent, passion, and energy deserve to be amplified.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last is an excellently rendered novel, ghost story, and scathing commentary on the art world. Xochitl Gonzalez looks at the erasure of the artist and how art can be silenced and forgotten. It is mystical and beautiful.

Vacillating between the dead Anita and all she carries with her from 1985 and beyond, and the living Raquel in 1998. Raquel’s story unfolds in art school. Studying the more famous and still living husband of Anita. In these sections, comparisons to Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou can be made. The art school, the gatekeeping, the standard of upholding white artists. Raquel begins a relationship with a wealthy white artist and she begins her own erasure to fit into the world she’s strived to be accepted in.

The look at Anita’s work and the description of the pieces is beautiful and striking. I love books with art at the center. It’s a skill to make pieces come alive through words alone. To create masterpieces, fictional or otherwise, blossom in the brains of your readers.

Readers may or may not know of Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre. I wouldn’t have known of the real-life comparisons to Anita had I not read Clair Dederer’s Monster and her chapter and Carl and Ana. Viewing the book through this lens adds weight to the novel and its message.

I loved this book and immediately read Gonzalez’s Olga Dies Dreaming. Gonzalez is an author I am late to the party on but I will be reading everything she writes next.

Thank you, Macmillan and Netgalley, for the advanced audiobook.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last should me a must listen for all audiobooks readers. The story follows two women navigating the art world and it's culture of white supremacy. The perspective of Anita felt like getting the flipside of Yellowface and was perfectly snarky, direct, and honest. Raquel brought a reflective and vulnerable voice into the conversation. And when their paths collide - this book takes off.

I am grateful to have been granted access to an audiobook ARC from #NetGalley and Macmillain Audio. There are three narrators on this books, and they bring this complicated story together perfectly. I could not more highly recommend this!

Xochitl Gonzalez does it again! I absolutely adored this story and the self discovery of younger MC and her value. Upon completion I imagined Anita de Monte laughing like the narrator at the end of Thriller with her head cocked back. Enjoyed as an audiobook and I loved the narrator.

Audiobook Review

Narration: This book had 2 narrators, one for each of our female heroines, and both fit their counterparts like gloves. Anita's voice was passionate, boisterous, commanding just like I'd imagine Anita to sound like. And Raquel's voice was more even tempered, suitable to a college student who's independent but still a bit uncertain. Both narrators captured the essence of their characters with their voices alone which was incredibly impressive.

Back in the 80s, Anita De Monte is an up & coming artist, very much on the rise. But her famous artist husband Jack is a jealous man & makes it a point to keep Anita in his shadow. Anita's art reflects nature and her Cuban roots, the complete opposite of her husband's clean cut shapes and smooth lines. She's tired of being quieted, tired of excusing his affairs, so she starts to "act out" at gallery parties, in ways she knows will anger her husband. Their relationship gets progressively worse until it all comes to a head...

Interwoven between chapters is the present day story of Raquel, an art major working on her college thesis about Jack. Raquel is very much aware of her minority status both in terms of her culture & femininity. But when she meets an older art student who's part of the elite circles she falls fast. Soon she finds herself wearing the dresses he chooses for her, styling her hair the way that he likes, feeling the need to earn his love, prove her worth. When Raquel finds out about the fatal incident between Jack & Anita her world is shook. Because how could nobody speak about it?? How could she not have known all this time? Can Raquel pivot her thesis & gain the confidence to pivot her relationship as well?

The way the author juxtaposed & paralleled the two stories was smartly done, very well thought out. Though there were many facets of their stories that mirrored each other, Raquel was more level headed than Anita which enabled her a better outcome. While the other worldly elements were a little strange they worked for the story and brought things full circle, Anita helping to steer Raquel away from making the same mistakes. I think the audio narration definitely enhanced the read for me. While it wasn't my usual cup of tea I could appreciate what the author was doing here and was impressed with the way she accomplished it.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last is the perfect book for anyone in the art world, especially women who may feel they don’t belong.

I was not obsessed with this book, but I did immensely enjoy it. I found myself wondering what may happen next when I wasn’t reading. I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect and all the different POVs. The audio narration was spectacular. Jack’s POV was so well done that, at times, I found myself actually believing what he was saying. Anita and her art felt real; I found myself wanting to Google the art pieces mentioned.

Good for fans of Yellowface, feminine rage, and dual timelines.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I unfortunately couldn’t get into this book. I liked the premise but just didn’t connect with the dual, time-hop point of view. I did enjoy the strong female characters.

I may be in the minority, but I hate surprises. I'm the girl who shakes the presents under the Christmas tree. The thought of a surprise party gives me literal hives. I read the blurb and listen to podcast summaries and read the reviews. That's not to say I don't like twists. That's different - at least in the weird wiring of my own brain.

In terms of books and publishing and marketing, I like to know whether the book I'm reading has elements of magical realism or fantasy or the paranormal. Sometimes I'm in the mood for that; sometimes I'm not. It's sets my expectations. This book has those elements. None of the reviews I read nor the blurb nor the genre listings mention this. I think it would have helped me set expectations for the book.

That being said, I did really enjoy this book! It is told in a dual timeline - Anita de Monte in the mid to late 80s and Raquel in the late 90s. We also get a few chapters from Anita's toxic husband Jack Martin which added an interesting element to the story.

I enjoyed the parallel between the two women's lives and the theme of how easy it is to fall into toxic relationships and how hard it is to get out. I did find Raquel to be a bit too naive and almost purposefully obtuse. I'd love to see her a have a bit more agency earlier in the book. Anita's anger and frustration really comes through on the audiobook version. I loved the passion the narrator brought to her character.

The supernatural aspect is explained in a brief mention of Santeria without much explanation or justification. In that case I found it a bit of a plot device instead of totally "believable." It didn't bother me as much, though, because of the spiritual aspect, Anita's fiery spirit, and the tradition of magical realism in Latinx writing.

I also expected Raquel to "discover" Anita and her work much earlier in the book because of the blurb (one of the downsides to reading the blub first - maybe I should try not reading blurbs and then I'd have no expectations? - Aaannndd, now I have hives - but I digress). She doesn't really discover her until well past the half way point.

As the title suggests, there is a hopeful ending for Anita although the antagonists get off way too easy in my opinion, which is part of the point of the book actually. Anita is a complex and flawed and not entirely innocent character, but I found myself rooting for her immensely throughout the story.

Four stars because of the surprise and a bit over the top magical elements and the fact that I had to suspend a lot of disbelief that a naive grad student who literally just heard of both artists was the one to discover the connection between them (not a spoiler since the blurb says as much).

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to review an ARC of the audiobook for this book. I definitely recommend the audio. The narrators were fantastic.