Xochitl Gonzalez did it again with Anita de Monte Laughs Last - I loved this clever, thoughtful, and powerful story about two women learning about their place in the world and how to find their power. I typically don’t gravitate to historical fiction but I loved Anita’s story and the way that it was connected with Raquel’s present day flowed really well. I thought the ending was interesting and overall the story was dynamic. Great read for book clubs since there is a lot to discuss! The narration was excellent as well,

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

I gave this a 2 stars. I couldn’t really hold my attention to what was going on, it was boring to me.

"Anita de Monte Laughs Last" by Xochitl Gonzalez is a witty and sharp novel that navigates the complexities of identity and ambition with humor and depth. Gonzalez's writing style is engaging, and her characters are vividly drawn, making for an enjoyable read. However, the pacing occasionally feels uneven, and some plot points may feel rushed. Overall, it's a compelling exploration of cultural expectations and the pursuit of success in contemporary society.

4 Stars for Excellent Audio book done on a dual timeline. It covers the story of Anita de Monte who is a passionate feminist Cuban performance artist. Her husband, Jack thinks of himself as the true artist. Early on, Anita goes out the window of their Greenwich Village Apartment. Anita makes it crystal clear exactly what occurred that night. She is furious his name rises and her work is forgotten.

Later, in the 1990’s, Rachel, of Puerto Rican descent feels so honored to be accepted into Brown University. She easily goes alone with her Professor and Mentor’s plan to write about Jack. She doesn’t question her opinions about having her own feelings about Anita influencing her husband, him using her art, that he was tried for her murder, since he seems to be an authority. She dates a White, Spoiled, Rich Guy whose Mother holds much influence. He begins to mold her in the way that will make her more accessible as he sees it and says he is helping her often.

So, the story is about difference in race, origin, class, influence, and how that plays out in the mostly White Male viewpoints of what real Art is. This means many who are different and present other ideas often are not taken seriously. Their ideas become erased. I enjoyed the story and narration and would give the book 4 Stars.

I am deducting a Star since this story of Anita de Monte is heavily attached to Ana Mendieta whose family has fought to keep her work and name known. Xochitl Gonzalez’ book is about erasing others, yet it seems ironic that she never mentions Ana falling off her balcony and her husband was tried and acquitted of her murder. Her work is often reflected in his many say, but much of her work has not been explored. She does not mention her at all. This does not seem right to me. It Erases Ana again. Xochitl Gonzalez, I hope plans to now discuss Ana’s art and role it played in this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Xochitl Gonzalez, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews of books I read.

I adored Olga Died Dreaming for its complicated main character and fast pace. Anita de Monte Laughs Last had both of those in spades. I definitely recommend the audiobook, as it added so much more emotion to the intertwining stories!

Anite de Monte Laughs Last was an excellent read. I appreciate that it was based on a true story. I loved the setting and the discussion of who gets to "make art" and be recognized for it.

Loooooved this story!! The afterlife/fantasy aspect wasn’t my favorite and could’ve done without it. But this story was just brilliant. So much to unpack. I’m also grateful that I had the physical book to accompany the audio. While all the narrators were fantastic, I felt at times that their delivery styles kind of trivialized the story. And especially the narrator for Anita, she made me really dislike the character. So, sadly, I couldn’t spend much time with the audio. A 5-star book but maybe a 3-star audiobook for me.

This was a hard review for me to write because I bounced back and forth between three and four stars. When I thought three, I was being influenced by the things I read about the author not giving credit to the artist she based the book on. In the end, I decided to base my review on that and simply base my review on the merits of the work. I do not really know enough about the artist or the issue to render a judgment.
On the basis of the story, this was a 3.5 star read for me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were excellent, bringing life to the story. The concept was good: two women were living similar lives, being in love with a controlling man. This was a dual time line; both women were artists. Anita died and although it was clear that her husband killed her, it was never proven. The second woman was a student for whom Anita became a focus over the objections of her advisor. I enjoyed the parallels in the story. I was more mixed about this becoming a ghost story, with Anita after her death. While it was an interesting twist, I felt like there wasn't a sufficient set up for the story becoming paranormal. More importantly, my thought is that the messages in the text were too heavy handed, about women and women artists and how they are not accepted the way male artists are, and about controlling men. We all know this is true; it is the delivery. After a while, I felt like I was being hit over the head with it and would have preferred more nuance.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the opportunity to read this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. I will say this book was just an average three star read. There were times I enjoyed the audiobook and then there were times. I absolutely hated the audiobook. The male narrator was fine, and there was one female narrator that was fine. But the other female narrator who did Anita‘s voice drove me crazy. I disliked her voice so much. I wanted to DNF the book.

The best revenge is massive success, and Anita De Monte is out for blood! I am so glad I listened to the audiobook of this novel because the narration is so good! It's told through different viewpoints, but the reader for Anita really takes the cake. This was a fiery passionate story of what happened to an early career artist from Cuba, Anita De Monte, who marries an established famous artist (Jack Martin), but she tragically dies setting the art world abuzz with rumors in the year 1985. Flash forward to 1998 to a first-generation Ivy League Latina student Raquel studying art who decides to write her thesis on Jack Martin, only she begins unraveling some dark mysteries surrounding him. All the while, Raquel begins dating a white boy from a wealthy family with ties to Jack Martin. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat listening to this entire book, both angry for Anita and Raquel, and the injustices being POC they endured in many parts of the book. One of the big themes involved erasure, and it is something everyone should be mindful of as students looking back on history. Memories can be skewed and while we look at college professors and other teachers as great tenets of society, they, too can be guilty of influencing opinions and minds based on their personal beliefs and interpretations. While this seems like a contemporary fiction, I would still classify it as a horror-Anita's viewpoint in all iterations of herself command attention, and the beautiful part of the book drives home this idea of people living on in their art. There's plenty of drama, and a few comedic points, but overall the flow of the book was on point. I loved the book, and will absolutely read more of this author. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC!

I loved Olga Dies Dreaming by author Xochitl González, so l knew I had to read her sophomore novel Anita De Monte Laughs Last. And it was so good, I loved how smart this book was in asking very valid questions about art and artist. The book is set in two timelines and points of view that overlap in the end. The contemporary part has a campus novel feel to it since it is mostly set on Brown's campus, and the world of art academia is examined. The other timeline and point of view starts in 1985 when artist Anita de Monte falls to her death during a nasty tight with her husband, the prominent artist Jack Martin, whose tragile ego is threatened by Anita's encroaching success. The incident is quickly shelved as an accident and Jack gets to live his life like nothing happened, or does he ? Anita is determined to make him pay. In 1998 art history student Raquel is writing her senior thesis on Martin and his genius when she stumbles on the buried story of Anita's suspicious death and her forgotten art.
Raquel admires the work and feels drawn to the creator, another outsider in the art world, a Latina like her.
Raquel does not want to be the token diversity student or taken for the diversity admission, while also feeling excluded from the world the white and rich Art History Girls in habit seemingly without effort. As a first generation Puerto Rican college student, she can't-and doesn't want to-be mistaken for one. But her boyfriend is rich and white and an aspiring artist.
Suddenly his needy actions seem eerily similar to Jack Martin's behavior in the 80s. Smart and sophisticated, this book asks just the right questions and keeps you thinking with it's commentary on the art world. A powerful book and an amazing pick for #reesesbookclub for this month !
I listened to the audio and loved the narration by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg and Stacy Gonzalez, if you like listening to audio I recommend it for this one.

This was such an interesting way to tell a multi timeline story. I loved the parallels between the two women, but also that they were each representative of their own time and character. I am going to check out more by this author.

If there was ever a book that needed to be read through the audio format, it is this one!! The narrator was phenomenal!!! I felt all of Anita’s angst and fury and I LIVE for it!!

Read this book!

Title: Anita de Monte Laughs Last
Author: Xóchitl González
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: March 5, 2024

I received a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Messy • Electric • Haunting

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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 progeny of film producers, C-Suite executives, and international art-dealers, most of whom float through life knowing that their futures are secured, Raquel feels herself an outsider. Students of color, like Raquel, 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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After being captivated by Xóchitl González's writing in her debut, Olga Dies Dreaming, I immediately added Anita de Monte Laughs Last to my list of anticipated releases for 2024. I was graciously offered an ALC, which I tandem read with the book once it was released.

The audiobook, narrated by a full cast of Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez is absolutely fantastic. I would even venture to say the narration takes this book to the next level. The narrators really bring their characters to life and I could hear the emotion of the narrative in their voices. Because the story is told from multiple perspectives and in a nonlinear fashion it was definitely easier for me to tandem read than listen alone.

The pacing starts out on the slow side, yet it builds steadily to a satisfying ending. I will admit to being slightly caught off guard by the ghost element, but somehow it fit perfectly into the narrative. There is ample commentary on race and womanhood and when the two stories start to converge the story gets stronger.

I don't know that I enjoyed this one as much as her debut, yet it was definitely worth my time. It's easy to imagine Anita de Monte Laughs Last transitioning to the big screen down the road. This book isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it establishes Xóchitl González as a force in the literary world.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• art history
• strong female characters

⚠️ CW: toxic relationship, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, racism, sexism, misogyny, classism, death, murder, cursing, drug use, drug abuse, alcohol, infidelity, mental illness, eating disorder, anorexia, body shaming, fatphobia,

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Everything worth doing hurts at least a little bit."

This exceptional novel takes us on a journey through two intertwined strands. We meet Anita de Monte, a passionate Cuban artist married to Jack Martin, a renowned brutalist sculptor. As Anita's career blossoms, Jack's criticism turns violent, culminating in a tragic event that leaves us questioning whether it was suicide or murder.

In the second strand, we encounter Raquel, an art history student desperate to fit in at her Ivy League college. Her prayers seem answered when Nick Fitzsimmons, from an established family, takes notice of her. But as history repeats itself, Raquel finds herself erasing her identity to conform to Nick's world. Will her thesis on Jack Martin change her newfound self?

This gripping novel, inspired by the story of Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre, captivated me from start to finish. I found myself talking to the characters and becoming both engaged and enraged by their struggles. Xóchitl Gonzàlez's writing is visceral, brutal, and emotive, forcing us to confront domestic abuse and coercive control head-on.

I highly recommend this brilliant work, which not only entertained but also inspired me to delve deeper into the art of Ana Mendieta. Many thanks to the author for providing a book that truly captured my attention.

Ummmmm I don’t even know where to start!!!!!! This book was really great. I’ve been trying to write this review for days. Shoutout to @birdykins for loving this one on audiobook so much which made me want to read it sooner because I had both the physical and the audiobook 😍 Anita de Monte Laughs Last is inspired by real life artist Ana Mendieta who “allegedly” was thrown from a window to her tragic and untimely death by her husband, fellow artist, Carl André. The author doesn’t claim this as a biography or even a fictionalized biography, but the parallels between Ana and Anita’s lives cannot be missed the more you dig into the facts of the true crime. I truly thought about this story/this book/the real life case and hyper fixated on it all week, reading all the articles, listening to all the podcasts, viewing all the art by Mendieta that I could find. This is a fantastic and fascinating story that I’m so glad the author brought to life. I don’t think all agree that she should have used this artist’s works and life so closely but I think it’s amazing that it brought attention to a lesser known Cuban American artist. I’m not over it and I might not ever be. Anita felt so real as an “unlikeable” character that I actually loved. She was strong-willed, powerful, brave, independent, so special, and so talented. I loved the other main female character, art history student Raquel whose life also had so many parallels to Anita’s who discovers her art and wonders why her art and story hasn’t been taught in her classrooms. The magical realism in this one really blew me away. The full cast narration in the audiobook was so well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I just absolutely loved this book and immediately went to check out Gonzalez first book from my new library. Read this. Listen to this. Learn about Ana Mendieta (imagine the art she would have made).

The narrative performances for this book were top notch. I really enjoyed the overall narrative and that it delves deep into the whitewashing of history in all areas.

OK, first of all, I urge everyone to listen to this on audio!! I am not at all an audiobook person and it's rare that I LOVE a book on audio (I think I just generally absorb and appreciate more when reading written pages?). But with Anita de Monte Laughs Last, I cannot imagine enjoying it more via physical book- the audiobook is amazing and so perfect and you could not ask for a better cast! There were parts when I literally felt like I was watching a movie instead of listening to a book.

And that's without even saying anything about the plot of the book, which is also really great. The novel bounces back and forth between two timelines- the first is the 1980s when Anita de Monte, a Latina who is a rising in the art world, is in a tumultuous marriage and is found dead. Then we jump ahead to the late 90s where Raquel is a Latina art history student, who often feels like an outsider, at Brown University.

I don't want to tell you how the storylines are related or what happens because I think it's best to let it unfold as you read. Also, the book's title kind of gives away the ending, but at the same time, spoils nothing about the book.

I read and enjoyed Olga Dies Dreaming, but I loved Anita de Monte even more. The audiobook cast is so perfect and I can't imagine a more perfect Anita. Do yourself a huge favor and listen to this one!

In 1985, artist Anita de Monte is found dead and there are many questions if her husband, another artist, is at the center of her death. Years later, Anita de Monte is basically forgotten. However in 1998, art history student Raquel learns about Anita and is surprised to see how similar their stories and their personal lives are. This prompts Raquel to dig deeper to learn more about Anita.

I loved the alternating timelines and multiple points of view and felt that really worked for this story as we uncovered more about each of the characters. It was fascinating to discover the parallels between Anita and Raquel and I thought those parallels made for a fascinating commentary on society and elitism. This book definitely gets you thinking!

The audiobook had a full cast and was phenomenal. Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, and Stacy Gonzalez did a great job each bringing their characters to life and their narration really made the story fly by.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy.