Book Review: Before We Were Free
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What Parents Should Know
Children reading this may need help with the historical
context, which is not explained clearly, and may be disturbed
by the sudden intrusion of details about torture.
Common Sense Media Review
Told strictly from Anita's point of view, parts of it in the
form of diary entries, this is not so much the story of the
resistance as it is of the effects of her relatives'
involvement on Anita and her mother. Most of the time Anita
does not really know what is going on, only that the adults are
tense, or that she has to hide. The decision to stick to
Anita's point of view saps the first half of the narrative of
much of its energy and suspense.
Only when her father and uncle are taken away and she and her mother are forced to hide in a walk-in closet for weeks does the story pick up a bit. In this later section of the story Anita, and therefore the reader, has more understanding of what is going on around her, and the author does not shy away from the consequences of her characters' actions. But young readers who manage to keep on through the first half may need some coaching in the historical background to get much out of this.
From the Book:
Papi likes to joke that if there were ever an Olympic
event for worrying, the Dominican Republic would win with his
sister on the team. But lately, Papi looks pretty worried
himself. When I ask questions, he replies with "Children should
be seen, not heard" instead of his usual "Curiosity is a sign
of intelligence."
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