Member Reviews

A compelling story that explores power dynamics in love, family and art. I loved Olga Dies Dreaming and found this story just as entertaining and rich in its mix of over the top drama and deeply emotional situations.

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this book is searing and infuriating. witnessing its characters as they struggle through the racism, bigotry, and inequality of the art world is a call to action in and of itself.

it was a strange feeling to read this in its entirety with ana mendieta fresh on my mind. her spouse and murderer, carl andre, on whose crime this book's inciting event is based, just died. ana mendieta was a promising artist whose feminist and striking works were just beginning to draw international attention, as her controversial husband's minimalism faded into the background, when he pushed her out the window to her death.

if you've read the synopsis of this book, that story will sound very familiar — but beyond the eye roll inducing similarities to the title, you might not know ana mendieta's name. it isn't in this book.

i read an arc and maybe that will change, but how strange to let her story be forgotten, a fictionalized rendition taking its place. i wonder if this book forgot its own argument? regardless, i'm left feeling that this story was taken advantage of and warped, a guilty and manipulative feeling as if i'd read a volume of true crime.

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Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for access to this work prior to its publication date.

Anita de Monte was the a unique Latina artist, married to an influential white male artist. It seemed like her life was perfect, until you learn that her husband is deeply insecure and it hampers her career. She is brutally murdered and then her work seems to disappear. Raquel Toro is a graduate student at an Icy League school majoring in art history. A Latina from a working class family, she is constantly trying to navigate etiquette with her white peers and professors, while fostering friends with other POCs at a local campus radio station. When it is time for her to work on a final thesis, she choses to study a white artist that her faculty advisor would approve of, until the project takes unexpected turns that lead Raquel closer to herself.

This is the second work I've read by Xochitl Gonzalez, and I am truly a fan of her work. This is a departure from "Olga Dies Dreaming", as Gonzalez blends the spirit world with racism, sexism and elitism to create a relatable story about belonging, art and the strength of feminine energy and ambition. This is one of the best reads of 2024!

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This one was difficult for me to get into, but overall really liked it. Xochitl Gonzalez has a wonderful way of telling a story through multiple POV's.

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First of all, this was the BEST performed audiobook I have heard in a long time and is already claiming a spot in my top audiobooks of the year. It was so compelling and emotional.

I loved this follow up to Olga Dies Dreaming. Again, Gonzalez has created characters with depth that I wanted to spend more time with. A book that switches perspectives has to be done in such a way that you don't want to rush through one character's perspective to get to the other's. Both Anita and Raquel's chapters completely drew me in.

While I love the way it all came together in the end and there were small threads throughout, I did expect the full connection between the characters and timelines to be revealed much sooner. While Anita was a promising artist in the '80s and Raquel is an art student in the '90s, it felt like two mostly separate stories or books a lot of the time. But I liked both stories. And I appreciated the parallels between Raquel and Anita. The conclusion was satisfying.

Side note: I absolutely loved all of the '90s music references!

4.5 stars, rounded up for the audiobook!

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Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez is amazing on audiobook, the narrators give a performance, life to amazing, big bold characters. I highly recommend listening to this if you are thinking about reading it, the narration is excellent. A top audiobook performance for me.

The story too is a so mesmerizing, a blend of feminine rage (here for that) and the art world and issues with representation of underrepresented voices in art. I loved the examination of Latinx themes in the art world and also within academia and how very real Anita's voice felt and how Gonzalez also gave full life to Raquel. The dual timeline worked well for me (and I am picky about dual timelines and multiple POVs) as the stories were nicely woven together, each timeline and voice felt fully developed ,and the nuanced notes of mystery, identity, romance, and dashes of magical realism made this a truly engaging read.

This would make for an excellent book club pick as there is a lot to talk about and a lot of themes to dive into. I hope a lot of you take on the audiobook.... the performance reminds me that we need real voices, actors, performing books, not just reading them.

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4.75/5 (rounded up)

The narration gave me more sense of the characters. I had went into it I expecting a very different story but I was surprised. I had not anticipated the 3 p.o.v.s or the commentary. Through reading this I learned of the real artist Ana Mendieta.

I do think the book was a little bit longer than it needed to be, but that being said it was an enjoyable read with elements I had not anticipated.

Recommend to:
-Those that enjoy feminine rage.
-Supernatural elements.
-Multiple timelines and P.O.V.s

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I really enjoyed Xochitl Gonzalez’s first book, Olga Dies Dreaming, and I’m so happy to say that there’s no sophomore slump here! I just loved Anita de Monte Laughs Last! It’s full of catnip for me: 90s nostalgia, art, and well-drawn characters that I want to root for.

Anita de Monte is an up and coming artist in a bad marriage with a famous artist husband. She dies tragically and is nearly instantly forgotten – until, 13 years later, Brown University art history student Racquel learns about her story.

This book is told in two timelines, alternating between Anita’s story and Racquel’s story. Both women are bright, talented Latinas fighting against worlds of privilege that exclude and underestimate them. Gonzales drew parallels between the two women without making them seem too similar. They both faced difficult systems and people that were prejudiced against their race, gender, and class, but their experiences were different and the women were very different.

I loved so much about this book. It felt like a big swing to me, with two fully fleshed out timelines with different sets of characters, different perspectives, some mystery, some romance, and even a little magical realism thrown in. And Gonzalez pulled it off! I can’t wait to see what she does next.

I listened to this book on audio, and highly recommend it. It has multiple narrators, and all are fantastic.

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An absolutely stunning sophomore novel. We follow Raquel, an art student at an Ivy League school, as she enters into a relationship with an older art student and explores her identity. In an earlier timeline, we also follow Anita de Monte, a Cuban artist.

The author spices the two timelines to emphasize the connections between the women. This work covers so much— from the discussion of how BIPOC artists and students are marginalized by schools/a cannon that upholds white male supremacy. It also explores toxic relationships with deftness and nuance.

What a terrific work to listen to via audio! The narrators all did a great job of delivering each POV.

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As a Cuban American with a Peter Pan program connection, I love hearing others stories that connect me to my dad. Despite being fiction, Xochitl Gonzalez's narrative felt like a personal journey, seamlessly educating me about Ana Mendieta. Truly captivating!


Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the ALC!

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I absolutely loved this story questioning who gets to be remembered in art. The audiobook is phenomenal—especially Anita’s narrative is full of life, chaos, and sarcasm. I enjoyed this book so much and would recommend it to everyone.

For fans of YELLOWFACE, THE TREES, DISORIENTATION, don’t miss this phenomenal story!

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I loved the characters in this story and the parallels between Raquel and Anita. I loved seeing the women find their power. It was hard to see Raquel and Nick's relationship with the constant ways she was being belittled up until a pretty dramatic scene that brought me to tears. I loved the narrator who voiced Anita - she really embodied the passion of her character. I loved the idea that art contains part of the literal essence of the artist and that by connecting with art we help to breath life into the artist. This book calls out the marginalization of especially women of color in the art world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook for review.

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Gonzalez won me over with her layered and multifaceted debut, Olga Dies Dreaming, so naturally I couldn’t pass this one up. I was provided the opportunity to read this in audiobook format, and it was absolutely brilliant. It was narrated by three narrators, Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez, and they all did a wonderful job with breathing life into the characters and their story.

In many ways, this is a more simple story than her debut, but the way in which it is told displays her mastery in a completely different way. The stories of Anita and Raquel are told in dual timelines; that of Anita’s in 1985 and Raquel’s in 1998, yet they echo each other. Both Anita and Raquel are Latina women maneuvering in the predominantly white, upper-class circles of the art world, an arena that is largely new to them. And while Anita made choices that had me wondering what the heck she was thinking, the parallels in Raquel’s timeline told me exactly what was going on in her head as she made the same choices.

However similar their life choices are, there are differences between them. Anita has a loud, brash, and often over-the-top personality, while Raquel tends to behave in a more meek and passive fashion, facing a lot of internal resistance to speaking up that Anita doesn’t seem to have. I especially loved the narrator’s presentation of Anita, and how she wasn’t afraid to sound borderline unhinged at times. I enjoyed the marked difference in their characters,

There’s one other perspective that we get in this story, and that was a bold move on the part of Gonzalez. She offers us a few chapters through the eyes of Jack, the wealthy, white husband of Anita, and delivers a spot-on rendering of his character. His character is echoed in that of Raquel’s white advisor, who subtly guides Raquel’s choices through a combination of praise when she makes the “right” choice, overt disapproval when she makes a choice he doesn’t agree with, microaggressions, and leading statements.

And while the death of Anita de Monte is known from the start of the novel, there are some questions surrounding her death, and why her name has been basically erased from the art world. When Raquel stumbles across this, she can’t help but become intrigued. Ana’s story is fixed, but as we learn more about the distant past, we also get to watch Raquel grow and change, discovering who she is and who she wants to be, among the socioeconomic elites of the art world, where people like her are few and far between. The pacing is solid and steady and the plot was an interesting one, but the real attraction of this book for me was the characters—how full and rich their personalities were, the way that they interacted with each other, and the parallels that were revealed between these two very different women, one a Cuban-American artist who is a rising star in the art world, and the other a New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent studying art history, navigating art, love, racism, and classism. This is a solid follow up to Gonzalez’s debut, and it has cemented her place as an author I really enjoy.

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This was fun! I love the author's first novel and I think this one is just as good. I love the two povs, and the narration was amazing.

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This audiobook was such a treat. Going into it I expecting a very different story than what I got.. but I was really pleasantly surprised. The three perspectives given in the book, Anita, Raquel and sometimes Jack, were all so distinct and powerful in their own characterizations. The story of women in toxic relationships, Latina scholars and artists fighting the systems and people that try to keep them in a box, and the unexpected connections between Anita and Raquel were all so good! And there are twists that I did not see coming and still think are so unique to this story.
I do think the book was a little bit longer than it needed to be, but even so I really enjoyed every minute and found myself on the edge of my seat during both timelines.
Fans of Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou should pick this one up!
Thank you Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for a chance to listen to the ARC.

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This is the story of two women during two different time periods trying to make it as women of color in the New York art world. Anita de Monte died tragically in the 1980s and is nearly forgotten, until the late 90s when a third-year art history student, Raquel, discovers Anita's story and the eerie similarities it shares with her own. This book looks at being outcasts within the world of the privileged elite and who gets to decide the art and artists remembered over time. I really struggled to get into this audiobook and the characters. I think this may have been easier to do if I had read the book versus listened to it. The audiobook was too dramatic a reading for me, with Anita's character fluctuating so much in volume so often that I would have to continually adjust the audio volume while listening. It was just not my cup of tea and I felt like it distracted from the author's words. Overall, I think many readers will enjoy the discussion of power and the world of New York elitism, but it was not my favorite.

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A Haunting Tale of Art, Power, and Forgotten Legacies
4.5 rounded up.

"Anita de Monte Laughs Last" is a captivating novel that weaves together two timelines and the stories of two unforgettable women. Xochitl Gonzalez masterfully creates a narrative that is both suspenseful and introspective, prompting readers to reflect on the enduring power of art, the complexities of love and ambition, and the often-unequal playing field of the elite art world.

Strengths:

Dual narrative: The book's structure, alternating between Anita's perspective in 1985 and Raquel's in 1998, adds depth and intrigue to the story. It allows the reader to experience Anita's struggles firsthand and witness the echoes of her past resonating in Raquel's life.
Compelling characters: Both Anita and Raquel are well-developed characters with distinct voices and motivations. Anita's artistic passion and fierce spirit shine through, while Raquel's journey of self-discovery and grappling with her identity is relatable and thought-provoking.
Social commentary: Gonzalez subtly weaves social commentary into the narrative, addressing themes of gender inequality, power dynamics, and the struggles of minority artists navigating a predominantly white art world.
Intriguing mystery: The circumstances surrounding Anita's death remain shrouded in secrecy, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the truth.

"Anita de Monte Laughs Last" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. It's a must-read for anyone interested in art, social justice, and the complex narratives of women navigating their place in the world.

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A fast-paced dual timeline art mystery that sees a present day grad student digging into the life of controversial artist, Anita de Monte and finding many parallels between their two lives.

I enjoyed this book for the most part but felt like it didn't know what genre it was supposed to be - mystery, ghost story, literary fiction, historical fiction. It is definitely a blend of all of those which normally is fine for me but I got really confused as to what the story was trying to do.

For me the real standout of this one was the audiobook narration by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg and fav, Stacy Gonzalez. While this likely isn't going to be a standout read for me this year, I would still recommend it to fans of authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia or Isabel Allende.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

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I was really excited about this book after reading the premise for it, and would mostly consider it a success, albeit with a few problematic elements that can be a bit tough to get past.

The protagonists were wonderfully drawn and worthy of the reader’s attention (I especially loved Raquel), and I love González’s sly, sharp writing.

The magical realism component of the story was a bit of a bummer, as it felt totally out of place and silly. I’ll also agree with other reviewers who said they found the identity politics to be a bit stale. It felt like a bit of a bait and switch to begin digging into the story thinking “yes! This is the stuff we need to be talking more about in the art world!” only to have it frequently devolve into the hyperbolic and the absurd. Though I certainly enjoyed the unapologetic skewering of a thinly-veiled Carl Andre. It’s as true in life as in the book that what happened to his wife is always swept under the rug when he’s discussed in Art History classes. This was never once mentioned to me until graduate school, and even then only anecdotally.

But mostly I think a book centered on art and Art History needed to have a lot more art in it. As interesting and at times upsetting as the art world politics are as they’re presented here, the characters’ personal lives and issues are far tropier and less interesting, and they take up a lot of real estate in the book. And the story is also overlong in the sense that it gives you way too much time to get tired of that.

Still, I love González’s style and sense of humor, and underneath all of the good and bad about the book, she does succeed in making the point she set out to make, and it’s an important one. And as you might guess from the title, the book has an excellent justice served feel in the end.

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I did not know this was based on a true story. When I saw the picture of Ana Mendieta in R.O. Kwon's post, I thought of Anita de Monte. I didn't read the caption or the comments, but picture in the post was exactly how I imagined the scene from this book: Anita, covered in Cuban mud, feeling her true self. Then I read the comments turns out I wasn't the only one thinking of her. That's when I learned Anita de Monte was Ana Mendieta, and she was killed

Anita was some posh artist's first girlfriend, then wife. She was only there to give this artist a bit of air of mystery with her Cuban roots. She wasn't considered an artist. Her work was only poor replica of this dude's work. So they said... She was gaslighted. Her larger than life personality and her art were nothing. Years later, another woman with similar credentials got similar treatment. Rachel was some spoiled white brat's trophy girlfriend. She was right next to him to look nice and look at him lovingly. Rachel was so interested in Anita's husband and his work not realizing who he really was and how she was no different than long forgotten Anita.

I loved the scene where Rachel finally stood up for herself, Anita, and legacy Latin women would leave behind. I liked the parallelism of both women's lives. It was sad to see something never change though

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