The Butterfly's Daughter

By: Mary Alice Monroe

Narrated by: Mary Alice Monroe

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

The legend of las mariposas — the beautiful monarch butterflies that every year fly more than two thousand miles on fragile wings to return to their winter home in Mexico — is Luz Avila’s birthright. She learned of their ways and their mystical powers from the grandmother who was the only family she ever knew. Now it is her turn, like the butterflies, to make that long, perilous journey. In order to honor a promise to her beloved abuela, Luz must return her grandmother’s ashes to her ancestral village in the mountains of Mexico. But while this ofrenda, a tradition so old its origins are lost in the mists of time, will mean leaving behind a man who loves Luz deeply, the journey promises to bring deep spiritual meaning to the life of a woman who cannot find her way into the future until she comes to terms with the past. As Luz slowly makes her way south from blustery Milwaukee in a VW Bug so ancient it has no business on the highway, a series of seemingly random encounters touches her life: a desperate mother-to-be, even younger than her, fleeing an abusive lover. An anywhere-the-wind-blows free spirit. A lonely career woman who is determined to live, really live, for the first time. It is in San Antonio, however, that a truly startling revelation awaits Luz: a reunion with a shadowy figure from her childhood. Together, they cross the border into Mexico, but they also must somehow cross the border that separates past from present, bitterness from love, and truth from lies. They will honor the memory of another beloved woman by standing in the Sacred Circle to witness the spectacular, glittering river of orange monarchs descend from the sky to return home. If they can share in this age-old ritual, perhaps they will be able to find their way back to love, and take their place in the enduring cycle of life.

©2011 Mary Alice Monroe (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Marvelous

This was a marvelous wonderful adventurous book that I am so glad that someone introduced me to. I started raising butterflies this past spring and this book brought me so much joy and excitement especially about the new butterflies that will come in the spring of next year. The narrator is wonderful she made it sound so enjoyable and loving please don't miss this book. What a treasure.

Great book about women.

I read the book but it was a joy to listen to it. I loved the relationship and how they were developed.

A story of Life!

I loved this book! this is my first Mary Alice Monroe book. I knew I wanted to start with this one because I love butterflies. That's the story of the Monarch butterfly is especially beautiful and unique in the butterfly world. In this story follows The amazing Life of a Butterfly from Caterpillar to chrysalis and chrysalis to butterfly - transformation, renewal, resurrection, New beginnings - the story follows all of those with the beauty of the color of Mexico And a young woman who discovers she has family. It's a lovely story of women passing generations of Hope and possibility and promise on to other women who will pass it on to their daughters and other women as well

Like listening to a Hallmark Card

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Nothing, because the characters lacked depth and the story was not convincing. The best part of the book was the details about Monarch Butterflies.