Member Reviews

This book!!! I LOVED it! So many highlights and themes I enjoy - dark academia vibes, the mysterious death of a Cuban artist, the erasure of minorities in the art scene, sexism, racism, tokenism, microaggressions, and white privilege. Gonzalez tackles all these topics and executes them brilliantly.

The mystery and Anita’s story mirror the true story of Ana Mendieta. Google Ana’s life story only after you've read the book to avoid spoilers. Fascinating! In the book, I love how Gonzalez draws parallels between Anita and Raquel's stories. Despite 15 years separating them, both characters push against white spaces, proving that their voices hold value. This is one of the best feminine rage stories that I've read in a long time.

I paired the physical book with the audiobook. The narration by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez is exceptional and will undoubtedly be in my top five favorite audiobooks by the end of 2024! These three narrators performed like a well-conducted orchestra. I usually listen to audiobooks quietly, but I was so engrossed in Anita and Raquel’s story that I found myself laughing out loud MANY times (Gonzalez’s writing is hilarious) and yelling, “What an a$$hole!” or “You're f😡cking kidding me!” to all the white privilege that tried to limit, change, or prevent Anita and Raquel from shining.

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What a story! This twisted tale of art and love and power blew me away. The narration is amazing and really brings Anita's perspective to life. The back and forth in the timelines and narrational shifts at pivotal inflection points builds so much momentum and tension. This story inspired and enraged me in equal parts. The investigation of the ways we subtly change for others and the power we possess when we express our true selves feels so raw as it's show through Raquel and Anita's narratives. The two women are vastly different but also so similar in a way that highlights the universality of the feminine condition.

This also sent me down a rabbit hole reading more about Ana Mendieta, the artist who inspires this story. I had never heard of her and I'm so glad this story introduced me to her art and her life.

Highly recommend this book and the audio in particular.

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*Minor spoilers below*

Ana Mendieta was a Cuban-American performance artist in the 1980s. Her career was gaining traction when, in 1985, she fell from the window of her 34th-floor NY apartment. The only other person in the apartment at the time was her husband. He was charged with her murder, but less than a year later, he was acquitted of the charges.

This is the story that inspired Anita de Monte Laughs Last.

PLOT
Anita de Monte is living in America with her celebrated artist husband, Jack Martin. But their marriage is fraught with tension and resentment -- Anita feels Jack does not respect her work as an artist and instead expects her to be the perfect little wife; nothing but a piece of his well cultivated persona. When Anita's work starts getting more notice and acclaim, Jack begins to grow increasingly jealous. (view spoiler)

Fast forward to the year 1998, Anita de Monte is all but forgotten. Enter Raquel, an art history student working on her thesis at a very prestigious university. Raquel often feels like a bit of an outsider, she is a minority at the school and did not come from the same privileged upbringing as most of her classmates.

While attending an art exhibit for a friend, Raquel meets Nick, a fellow student and rising star in the art world. The two become inseparable (view spoiler)

All the while the ghost of Anita is trapped without power and without hope. An artist puts pieces of their soul into their art; when their art is alive, so are they. But Anita's art has not been alive in over a decade, instead hidden away in storage lockers and basements, put their by her husband. She waits for the day when her art (her 'babies' as she calls them) will be seen and appreciated once again.

PEOPLE
In Anita de Monte Laughs Last we follow three separate POVs: Anita, Raquel and Jack

I loved Anita. She was ANRGY -- and who can blame her? I was angry too. I listened to the audio version of this and I thought the narrator who voiced Anita was spot on. I saw some reviews that thought she was a little *intense* but I ATE. IT. UP. Anita was angry. she wanted revenge. she wanted her life back. The way she was narrated reflected that. <-- all that being said, maybe turn down the volume during Anita's POV if you listen to the audio.

I thought Jack's POV was really interesting, and again the narrator was talented, but sometimes Jacks villainy was borderline caricature-ish. He said all the villain like things and thought all the villain like thoughts. the only thing missing was a swivel chair and a dramatic cackle. Still, I liked the hauntings from his perspective. I don't think they would have felt as spooky told from a different POV.

And lastly we have Raquel. The problem I had with Raquel was the number of times she made me want to like shake her and scream "GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR BOYFRIENDS ASS". It was so frustrating to watch her be controlled and belittled CONSTANTLY. But her experience is actually a reality for a lot of women, and that is partly why its so damn frustrating. We see her loosing herself in this relationship, prioritizing him over her, trying to mold herself into *his* perfect woman. AND IT MADE ME SO MAD. And (view spoiler)

FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a great revenge story. Its a great haunting story. But it's also a great story about the struggle to fit into a world that does not accept you, and finding pride within yourself and your roots.

I Recommend this book if you like:
Contemporary Art
Hip Hop
Revenge
Hauntings
Female Rage

TW:
death
murder
eating disorders
domestic abuse
coercive control


Siri play “Little Girl Gone” by Chinchilla

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc

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I loved this book. The narrators were fantastic. The narrator for Anita used a great amount of passion.

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Told in alternating perspectives over two timelines, Anita de Monte Laughs Last was compelling from the start. It covers the way women, particularly ethnic women, are pushed to the side in the art world to make space for men.

I think Raquel could have discovered Anita a bit earlier in the book and lent more to the story of her discovery, but overall it’s well done.

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This story follows three perspectives: Anita De Monte: an up and coming Cuban artist in the 1980s; Jack Martin: a famous playboy minimalist artist and sculptor; and Raquel Toro: a grad student in the art history department at Brown University in the late 1990s.

When Raquel starts researching Jack Martin and the same time she starts dating Nick, she thinks she has “made it.” But once she discovers Anita’s mysterious death and her relationship with Jack Martin, she starts to see her relationship in a different light.

This book was extremely entertaining while dealing with some heavy topics. The underlying story of how “history belongs to the victors” shows how voices can be silenced with small (sometimes unintended) actions.

The parallels between Anita and Raquel were purposeful but not overdone. I am proud of the story for going in the direction it did in the end and not allowing cycles of abuse to continue.

I really enjoyed this novel and anyone who appreciates art would love it too!

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If you’re interested in getting into audiobooks, I would recommend this one! The actors do a phenomenal job bringing the story and characters to life - the energy makes it hard to drift away from the story!

I really enjoyed Gonzalez’ first book - Olga Dies Dreaming - but this one didn’t work for me. It felt very drawn out, and while I think the audiobook was great, it didn’t work for my personal listening style. I liked the parallel stories but didn’t care for the third POV. Where I really had a hard time was when one of the POVs shifts (it would be a spoiler to say more than that!).

I am grateful that this book led me to discover the late artist Ana Mendieta, whose story inspired the title character of the book’s story. I was disappointed to read (after the fact) that this book was inspired by a real-life artist, Ana Mendieta, and there is only one mention of her first name in the dedication. I am all for pulling inspiration from real events/people, but I think it's necessary to make it extremely clear you’re doing so. If you’re interested in learning more about Ana, I would recommend you do some Googling and also read the recent piece in the NYT (Cuban Artist Ana Mendieta's Family Fights to Tell Her Story) which features commentary from her niece on the sudden uptick in interest in her aunt’s story

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The readers were amazing. The characters were just awful. I couldn’t find anyone to root for. I wanted to, but it was just relentless. Gonzalez clearly has skill to make me hate characters, so that is something.

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✨ Review ✨ Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez; Narrated by Jessica Pimentel; Jonathan Gregg; Stacy Gonzalez

Thanks to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

WOWOWOWOW! I think I'll be adding this to my all-time favorites list! Gonzalez tackles a lot of really tough topics in this book and executes them beautifully.

The book follow Anita de Monte, an up-and-coming Cuban artist in the 1980s, before her sudden and tragic death. The book also includes her husband Jack's POV (and wow will you hate him) and Raquel, an art history student at Brown in 1998.

Anita and Raquel's stories are set side-by-side, showing how little has actually changed from the late-1970s through 1980s to the late-1990s for Latina artists in the U.S. Spotlighting the irony and injustice of artists, curators, and scholars who insist that work stand on its own merit, disengaged from the context of who produced it, but then celebrating a primarily white male canon. Eschewing identity politics, these gatekeepers choose to celebrate identity only when it works for them.

Anita de Monte Laughs Last TEARS APART this concept showing the value of identity and diversifying the canon, making space for diverse up-and-coming artists and scholars along the way. Gonzalez interweaves what Raquel and Anita learn, showing the ways that they push back at the ways the art world tries to limit them (but in very different ways). While Anita's story is perhaps more memorable, I really appreciated the ways that Anita and Raquel's stories were interwoven, taking meaning from the other.

I also loved that this was based in the true story of Ana Mendieta, but I recommend holding off on researching her until you read this book to avoid spoilers! Kudos to Gonzalez for bringing this story to the spotlight with this incredible book.

I also loved the wealth of late-90s music and culture unleashed through Raquel and her friends. Listening to songs as I went like Aaliyah's Are You That Somebody amplified this story for me.

I was enjoying the print copy of this SO MUCH that I was reluctant to pick up the audio, but when I did about 1/3 in -- WOW, what incredible narration! The narrators for Anita most of all but also Raquel add so much extra emotion and feeling to their characters that you'll wish you had started with audio all along. NOTE: starting with audio could be tricky because there are three POVs and Anita and Jack's chapters jump around in time.

Overall, I adored this book and could write pages about it, but I'll leave it here so you can enjoy experiencing it on your own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction, literary fiction
Setting: Providence, Rhode Island and all around
Pub Date: March 5, 2024

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In the 1980s, Anita de Monte is a spirited Cuban-American artist whose life is taken too early by an abusive and controlling husband. Her art has all but disappeared until the late 1990s, when Raquel, an art student at Brown struggling with her thesis, discovers de Monte’s bold and brilliant work.

Told in dual timelines, Xochitl Gonzalez expertly weaves the stories of these two women and their struggle with identities as outsiders in the predominantly white, male-centered art world of the 80s and ‘90s. There are strong elements of magical realism throughout, and the result is a captivating, smart, and funny book that kept me on my toes.

I listened to this novel on audio and will warn you that the narrator can get a little loud —it works with the content but can be off-putting depending on your mood, so I recommend reading if you have any sensory difficulties.

As with her first novel, Olga Dies Dreaming, I learned a ton reading this book and am better for it. Isn’t that what reading is all about? I highly recommend both.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

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The pace of this book is similar to that of Gonzalez's Olga Dies Dreaming. Both books draw you in and are fast paced. Anita de Monte Laughs Last has a two stories to tell: one of a nearly forgotten artist, and another of redemption and growth. I thoroughly enjoyed Anita de Monte Laughs Last.

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I truly loved this book. I love what it was saying about the art world, the exhibition world and the conversation on gender. Too many times are people made small due to an unhealthy relationship.
The two parallel timelines were fantastic. The audiobook narrators did an amazing job. They truly brought the novel to another level.
I will be thinking of Anita de Monte for a while.

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Thank you to the publisher and netgallery for the ARC of Anita de Monte Laughs Last! Xochitl Gonzalez is a wordsmith! Her books are so entertaining. I had no idea this story was based off true events. I want to learn more. This book took a minute for me but once I got into it I was laughing out loud and screaming at the phone. This book was about strong woman which I’m all about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ almost 5 but again took me a bit to get into the story.

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Anita de Monte Laughs Last was my first read from author Xochitl Gonzalez and it won’t be the last, her story telling is absolutely remarkable. This novel takes you through parallel storylines between two women thirteen years apart and discusses powerful themes about feminism, race and class in the art world. There is also a touch of magic realism.

The full cast of narrators was fantastic, especially Jessica Pimental as Anita, she brought out such huge emotions and was very entertaining to listen to.

I would recommend anyone interested in reading Anita de Monte Laughs Last give the audiobook a listen, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, author Xochitl Gonzalez, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listening Copy.

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I loved this book! And I loved it in so many different ways. It is smart, funny, heartbreaking and touching all at the same time, which is very difficult to do. From the very beginning you are hooked and connected to the Anita and the telling of her story. The reader also is told her story with the perspective and point of view of the three main characters. This book tells of power, love and art and when Anita dies an unexpected death the story takes a twist: a haunting and beautiful twist. This is my first book by the author, and who exceeded my expectations with this book. Although it demands that you examine the subject of domestic abuse and of male dominance and privilege, it is written expertly in a way that is not heavy, providing humor and lightness and above all the connection and engagement of the characters. I will auto read anything written by this author and highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

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I loved OLGA DIES DREAMING so I was delighted to get an advance listener copy of her sophomore novel. This one is quite a distinct story from OLGA alternating between two primary storylines - that of an 80s Cuban artist named Anita de Monte and that of a late 90s art history student. I was decidedly more invested in the former than the latter, but really enjoyed it (and maybe slightly impatient for) when the two eventually came together. There were some elements that struck me as implausible (can an international scandal really be completely erased from the public consciousness within a decade?), but I enjoyed it regardless. And the audio is excellent.

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Two women’s stories told years apart and yet intertwined. The core of the novel revolves artist Anita de Monte up until her tragic and suspicious death in 1985. Fast-forward more than a decade later, art student Raquel is following a similar life path as an artist and student, while also having a similar relationship as Anita had before her death. The story is told from both of their perspectives, routinely going back and forth through time.
This had a really slow start which I struggled to find interest in, but as soon as the plot pivoted around halfway through, it got so much more exciting! The narrators Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez really made the story dynamic, from feisty Anita’s commentary to Raquel’s inner thoughts and even Jack’s descent into madness.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I really enjoyed the multiple POV storytelling in this novel! Raquel is an art history major at Brown University in the late 1990s. She starts her thesis on a well-known artist but soon discovers his wife, Anita de Monte, is even more intriguing - and her story mirrors Raquel’s in many ways.
A dive into the power differences brought by gender, class, and privilege, experiencing the world through Raquel and Anita’a perspective was emotional and impactful.
As someone who attended a northeast university around the same time Raquel was there, I particularly enjoyed the timely references made to music and trends. I also really enjoyed the various narrators on the audiobook.
Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This dual timeline story of vengeance is on point! In 1985 Anita de Monte is rising quickly to fame in the art world when she is found dead in NYC. For a few years after her passing, her name is still buzzing in the art world. And then it isn't. Fast forward to current day when we meet Raquel, an art history student who is working on her final thesis about no other than Anita de Monte's husband. Through her research she is able to uncover the lost art and story of Anita, who she can relate to on many different levels, and bring it back into the light for the world to see. I loved this story. The art world, the fight for exposure even when the world is stacked against you, and the sweet, sweet taste of revenge. So good!

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This was an interesting and engaging novel about two Latina women in the art world. The story is told through alternating POVs and timelines. We learn that one of the characters, Anita, is telling her story after her tragic death. We hear about her timeline in the 1970s and 80s as she struggles to become a renowned artist in Manhattan. Another POV is Anita's husband, a famous artist, who many suspects may have had a hand in her death. Finally, we hear from Raquel, an art history student in the late 90s at Brown University, who is also Latina and discovers many similarities between herself and Anita.

I appreciated how the novel touched upon many important themes, particularly relevant to Women's History Month, including the intersection between misogyny, classism, and racism toward Latinx individuals, especially women. I also liked that the book highlights how the creative work of women, as so often is common throughout history, is dismissed and forgotten in favor of powerful men.

The audiobook was great because it was narrated by a full cast and each character really came to life this way. That being said, I really did not enjoy the male perspective (Anita's husband), nor how much time the book focused on the love interests of the FMCs.

Lastly, I did not realize until after I finished the book and looked at some other reviews that this story was inspired by a real-life female Latina artist who plunged to her death from a Manhattan apartment. I wish this was at least mentioned at the end of the book in an author's notes section. Here is a NYT article about this topic for those interested (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/02/style/ana-mendieta-family-estate.html)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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