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REVIEW Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl GonzalezFreshTake

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Anita de Monte Laughs Last: Reese's Book Club Pick (A Novel) Hardcover – March 5, 2024

by Xochitl Gonzalez (Author)

4.2 2,636 ratings

Goodreads Choice Award nominee

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REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death

A Best Book of 2024: Kirkus, TIME, NPR, Goodreads, Electric Lit and more!

“Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a cry for justice. Writing with urgency and rage, Gonzalez speaks up for those who have been othered and deemed unworthy, robbed of their legacy." ―The Washington Post

"Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez asks some big questions, like who in art or history is remembered, who is left behind or erased and WHY. I have goosebumps just talking about this story." ―Reese Witherspoon

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 privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, 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.

Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.

From the Publisher

Anita de Monte Laughs Last Xochitl Gonzalez

Anita de Monte Laughs Last Xochitl Gonzalez Ana Castillo quote

Anita de Monte Laughs Last Xochitl Gonzalez Robert Jones Jr. quote

WARNING: California’s Proposition 65

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The novel is the best, most elusive combination: a thought-provoking and a brilliantly entertaining triumph." ―NPR

“Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a cry for justice. Writing with urgency and rage, Gonzalez speaks up for those who have been othered and deemed unworthy, robbed of their legacy." ―The Washington Post

"Admirers of Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut, Olga Dies Dreaming, will be pleased to encounter in Gonzalez’s follow-up novel, Anita de Monte Laughs Last, not one but two protagonists who echo the titular Olga’s best qualities. Like Olga, they are Latina women of vision and will, who emphatically refuse to be put in a corner." ―New York Times Book Review

"Unflinching and thought-provoking." ―People

"This rollicking page-turner from the bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming includes of-the-moment commentary about who succeeds and why." ―Real Simple

"Incandescent." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The writing is absolutely fabulous, the story is gripping, and the characters are memorable. Outstanding.” ―Library Journal (starred review)

"Gonzalez’s sophomore outing deserves a mouse on her doorstep in gratitude... This is a brutal but ultimately heartwarming and certainly thought-provoking novel of Latinx magic, family, and feminine power." ―Booklist (starred review)

"Part campus novel, part ghost story, Xochitl Gonzalez’s second novel fearlessly takes on racism and misogyny in the rarefied world of fine art and art history... Anita de Monte Laughs Last boldly questions the choices behind what we are taught and demands that the complete story be disclosed." ―BookPage (starred review)

"Gonzalez has that particular penchant for navigating perspectives in a voice that’s at once delightfully humorous and sobering." ―Elle

"An uncompromising message, delivered via a gripping story with two engaging heroines." ―Kirkus (starred review)

"Gonzalez’s newest novel is a dynamic exploration of love, art, and power." ―LitHub

"A new captivating novel that explores othering, erasure, power, and legacy through the lens of two women of color navigating the art scene years apart." ―TODAY.com

"Gonzalez crafts excoriating and whip-smart commentary on the art world’s Eurocentric conceptions of beauty and the racism faced by first-generation students of color. This is incandescent." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Funny, piercing, and full of moxie, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is unsparing in its assessment of what goes on behind the castle walls, the price people pay to be accepted into those hallowed halls, and what it takes to liberate oneself from the dangers that lurk within. Really, what Xochitl Gonzalez has written is an affirmation for anyone who's ever had to 'work twice as hard to get half as much.' Anita de Monte Laughs Last is rollicking, melodic, tender, and true. And oh so very wise." ―Robert Jones, Jr., author of The Prophets, a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction

"Bravo! A remarkable story about reclaiming what has been erased. Reader, enjoy!” ―Ana Castillo, author of So Far From God

About the Author

Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of Anita de Monte Laughs Last, a Reese's Book Club Pick longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the award-winning Olga Dies Dreaming, named a Best of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR. Gonzalez is a staff writer for The Atlantic and was recognized as a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist in Commentary. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books (March 5, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250786215
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250786210
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.55 x 1.15 x 9.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #87,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #155 in Hispanic American Literature & Fiction
- #1,438 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.2 2,636 ratings

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Xochitl Gonzalez

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Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming. Named a Best of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR, Olga Dies Dreaming was the winner of the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize in Fiction and The New York City Book Awards. Gonzalez is a 2021 M.F.A. graduate from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her non-fiction work has been published in Elle Decor, Allure, Vogue, Real Simple, and The Cut. Her commentary writing for The Atlantic was recognized as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and lives in her hometown of Brooklyn with her dog, Hectah Lavoe.

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the nuanced story with intrigue and humor. The writing style is described as excellent and ambitious. Readers describe the art content as hauntingly beautiful, innovative, and creative. The pacing is described as magical and powerful. The characters are compelling and complex, with strong female protagonists.

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Story quality Readability Writing quality Art content Pacing Humor Character development

20 customers mention "Story quality"17 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's story. They find it well-crafted with an intriguing plot and humor. The story takes an unexpected turn halfway through, revealing important themes like race and gender. While the book tackles serious topics, it doesn't feel heavy or overly dramatic. The concept is interesting, but the story takes a haunting, beautiful, and supernatural turn.

"...my lack of familiarity with the art world, I found myself engrossed in the narrative, unable to anticipate what turn it would take...." Read more

"...While the book tackles serious topics, the story never feels heavy (in fact, there are even a number of very funny parts)—the balance is perfect,..." Read more

"...relevance in art, higher awareness of Hispanic culture and history, intrigue, murder...stayed only because of Raquel's side of the story...." Read more

"...Surprised by important themes, brown women as cool trophies, white male bias in academia and art...." Read more

19 customers mention "Readability"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and engaging. They describe it as a satisfying, fun read with smart humor that intrigues.

"...would know what was coming next, it was still so enjoyable to ride along with the story and see how it played out in graphic detail...." Read more

"...The prose in this book is a delight to read. Gonzalez’s words carry a smart and shrewd humor that intrigues the reader...." Read more

"I love this book. I loved it's diversity and humor. It's fast reading and a great read" Read more

"I enjoyed this book and had good characters, some twists and turns, some whimsy and made me think about some issues in art that I hadn’t thought of..." Read more

14 customers mention "Writing quality"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality. They find it excellent, ambitious, and poetic in nature. Many praise the author's storytelling style.

"...from her husband and others in the art community, Anita is willful, unapologetic, and a force of nature...." Read more

"...I do like the style of writing and I think we have a talented writer here, just minus the witchcraft." Read more

"...in this book spanning different times and erase It's ambitious from a writing standpoint...." Read more

"...Wow. Like this author storytelling style. Read “Olga dies dreaming” too. Cant wait to read her 3rd book." Read more

10 customers mention "Art content"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's art content engaging and creative. They appreciate its innovative approach to the arts, which includes mystery, humor, and romance. The book is described as powerful and thought-provoking, tackling many important topics at once. The world-building and characters are also well-crafted.

"This book has all of what makes art enjoyable…surprise, mystery, balance, emotion, juxtaposition, tension...." Read more

"...This book is ambitious and tries to tackle a lot of crucial topics at once...." Read more

"...—the balance is perfect, the world-building is spot on and the characters are unforgettable...." Read more

"Beautiful, chaotic, tortured, & powerful are all words that come to mind when I think of this book...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's pacing engaging. While it tackles serious topics, the story never feels heavy. They find the concept interesting and the mysticism enhances reality. The book articulates well the experience of being different in the US, especially in the art world. Overall, readers feel rejuvenated and empowered after reading it.

"...and striving to carve out her space in this country, this book deeply resonated with me...." Read more

"...While the book tackles serious topics, the story never feels heavy (in fact, there are even a number of very funny parts)—the balance is perfect,..." Read more

"...I feel so rejuvenated and empowered after reading this. I feel like I can conquer anything. This book is gonna stick with me, I can feel it" Read more

"This book articulates so well the experience of being other in the US. In particular in the art world...." Read more

6 customers mention "Humor"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it well-written with some silliness and predictable twists.

"...Gonzalez’s words carry a smart and shrewd humor that intrigues the reader...." Read more

"...(in fact, there are even a number of very funny parts)..." Read more

"I love this book. I loved it's diversity and humor. It's fast reading and a great read" Read more

"Fun book to read with some silliness and some predictable twists and turns...." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the compelling and complex characters. They appreciate the two timelines and strong female protagonists.

"...balance is perfect, the world-building is spot on and the characters are unforgettable. And you will never look at bats the same way again!" Read more

"I enjoyed this book and had good characters, some twists and turns, some whimsy and made me think about some issues in art that I hadn’t thought of..." Read more

"...In particular in the art world. The characters are compelling and complex (not all the narrators are likable). I really really enjoyed this book." Read more

"Loved to two timelines and strong female protagonists. Writing was unique and had a musical quality to it. Loved everything about the book!" Read more

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Laura Toerner
Delicious and magical
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2025
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This book has all of what makes art enjoyable…surprise, mystery, balance, emotion, juxtaposition, tension. The characters and their journeys were super compelling. Even though there was enough foreshadowing that the reader would know what was coming next, it was still so enjoyable to ride along with the story and see how it played out in graphic detail. There was a point around the 2/3-3/4 mark that could have been edited down a bit…I wanted Raquel to make her big moves more quickly. But overall I read it in a day and couldn’t put it down.

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Illakiya
Well written, funny and insightful!
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024
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The book, loosely crafted around the life and mysterious death of cuban artist Ana Mandietta, follows the perspectives of two women: Anita de Monte, a talented artist on the rise who marries Jack Martin, a highly acclaimed figure in the art world known for his minimalist work. Despite facing skepticism from her husband and others in the art community, Anita is willful, unapologetic, and a force of nature. Much of her art is influenced by her childhood and her connection to her homeland. On the other hand, there’s Raquel Toro, a young woman from Brooklyn in her final year at Brown University, embarking on a summer internship at the RISD museum. As an art history student in this prestigious institution, she grapples with her identity amidst a predominantly white crowd. Raquel falls for a rich white senior, further struggling to fit into a mold of his liking, dictated by western ideas of beauty and culture.

The prose in this book is a delight to read. Gonzalez’s words carry a smart and shrewd humor that intrigues the reader. Despite my lack of familiarity with the art world, I found myself engrossed in the narrative, unable to anticipate what turn it would take. The author’s passion for art history and her personal experiences as a student at Brown are skillfully interwoven with Raquel’s perspective, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. What pleasantly surprised me was Gonzalez’s decision to continue Anita’s POV beyond her death, cleverly portraying her raw anger and seething frustration at the injustice she was being subjected to.

This book is ambitious and tries to tackle a lot of crucial topics at once. Its primary focus, however, lies in shedding light on the pervasive influence of white dominance within the art world, much like in many other industries. The book explores the idea that racism operates in an almost domino fashion. Particularly within the art industry, the work of white male artists often receives significant acclaim, despite the presence of numerous equally talented artists from diverse backgrounds who struggle to attain similar recognition. Years later, white men, now occupying the roles of academic professors and museum curators, continue to dominate the discourse surrounding these artists, perpetuating obstacles for people of color.

The books also addresses the complex dynamics of dysfunctional relationships. How men seek dominance over their partners and women, even as they are aware of the toxicity, keep going back for the feeling of belongingness and of being needed, inadvertently bolstering the male ego. In exploring the relationships between the two women and their respective partners, the author highlights the abuse that sometimes arises from men’s insecurities and their tendency to be drawn to women they perceive as inferior.

Despite its ambitious scope, the book falls short in its execution. While it presents two strong points of view, it struggles to effectively intertwine them. The narrative veers off course in the middle, overly focusing on the relationship dynamics of the main characters, which detracts from a more satisfying convergence of Raquel and Anita’s stories. Another aspect I didn’t enjoy were the excessive supernatural elements in the book. While the author adeptly captures the emotions of a dead artist, some aspects felt unnecessary—particularly, Anita taking the form of a bat.

Gonzalez emphasizes the significance of young women finding and asserting their voices, despite the adversities they are presented with. As a brown woman navigating life on a work visa and striving to carve out her space in this country, this book deeply resonated with me. For that, and for introducing me to an industry I knew next to nothing about, I’m rounding my initial rating of 3.5 to a 4.

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Yelena G.
80s, 90s, art, academia, magic and maybe murder?
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
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She’s done it again. Whether you’re already a fan of Gonzalez’s work (Olga Dies Dreaming, her commentary pieces for The Atlantic, etc) or you’re new here, this book will ensure you’re a fan for life. Anita de Monte is a young, beautiful Cuban American artists living in 1980s NYC and her career is set to take off—just as that of her modern art titan husband’s seems to be cooling. When she dies an untimely death (not a spoiler, I promise!), the book takes a haunting, beautiful, supernatural-ish turn. Anita’s story intertwines with that Raquel, a first-generation Nuyorican student at an elite New England college in the 1990s. The two stories begin to intersect as Raquel starts work on her art history senior thesis. Gonzalez perfectly captures her native New York and the art world of the 80s, as we well as campus life and the racial and class divisions that shaped it during that time. While the book tackles serious topics, the story never feels heavy (in fact, there are even a number of very funny parts)—the balance is perfect, the world-building is spot on and the characters are unforgettable. And you will never look at bats the same way again!

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10 people found this helpful

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Blue Shoes
Another book about a witch? Seriously?
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2024
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Came for the 90's nostalgia, academia, women's historical relevance in art, higher awareness of Hispanic culture and history, intrigue, murder...stayed only because of Raquel's side of the story. Otherwise, I would have left due to Anita's witchcraft. How am I supposed to take serious and appreciate and cheer on the main character, Anita, when she engages in witchcraft? In my mind, this is cheating as far as her artwork success goes. In my soul, it is repulsive to dabble with witchcraft. Could have been a much much better story if the main character was more likable in personality and actually had an inspiring story around her artwork, which is supposed to be the well that is drawn from in this book. At least, that is why I picked it up.

I have to say, I am disappointed in Reese's book club pick this month. Really? I tolerated the gothic horror, Starling House, in the fall, with it's spooky Halloween vibes. This, though, is too much. The picks need to be balanced out better. Otherwise, it will start feeling like a very dark book club.

I do like the style of writing and I think we have a talented writer here, just minus the witchcraft.

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13 people found this helpful

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StephanieMcA
fun and relevant
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2024
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Suggested as a “summer read” and I went for it because Brown and RISD were my stomping grounds years ago. Surprised by important themes, brown women as cool trophies, white male bias in academia and art. Highlights the challenges of coming into a more privileged environment. Enjoyed it, especially the last laugh.

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3 people found this helpful

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Jenlozoe
fast reading and entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
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I love this book. I loved it's diversity and humor. It's fast reading and a great read

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One person found this helpful

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TameMyMane
CAPTIVATING
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2025
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Beautiful, chaotic, tortured, & powerful are all words that come to mind when I think of this book. If you’re a woman with passion who’s ever allowed people to make you feel powerless, this one’s for you. I feel so rejuvenated and empowered after reading this. I feel like I can conquer anything. This book is gonna stick with me, I can feel it

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L. S. Dunlap
recommend
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
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I enjoyed this book and had good characters, some twists and turns, some whimsy and made me think about some issues in art that I hadn’t thought of before.

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3 people found this helpful

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Rhys jeff
Arrived crinkled
Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2024
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Cover was damaged can't return as I need to read it for book club

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Most beautiful book I read in ages!
Reviewed in Italy on September 7, 2024
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This is an amazing, highly intelligent and highly insightful book.
The best book i put my hands on since Lessons in Chemistry!
A must read, highly recomended!!

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3.0 out of 5 stars Arrived crinkled

5.0 out of 5 stars Most beautiful book I read in ages!

Arrived crinkled

Most beautiful book I read in ages!