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100_pages_hr's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
It has taken me awh to process how I feel about this book.
I absolutely loved the historical value this book held. The insight into life in both the Dominican Republic at the time and life in NYC. Both places had a lot of challenges, but especially the DR during the reign of the dictator, Trujillo. It was interesting to me to read how she thought life would be in America versus how it turned out to be.
It was really hard to read about her life once she moved to NYC knowing that it was based on a true story. She was so young and she went through so much. I felt so bad for her. I did really like the parts about her learning English though since I am an ENL teacher.
In the beginning of the book I really loved it. Towards the middle and end not so much. It was a hard read. Please check content warnings.
I got a lot of Julia Alvarez vibes at the beginning and now really want to reread two of my favorites by her because I loved those so much more (In the Time of the Butterflies and How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents).
I absolutely loved the historical value this book held. The insight into life in both the Dominican Republic at the time and life in NYC. Both places had a lot of challenges, but especially the DR during the reign of the dictator, Trujillo. It was interesting to me to read how she thought life would be in America versus how it turned out to be.
It was really hard to read about her life once she moved to NYC knowing that it was based on a true story. She was so young and she went through so much. I felt so bad for her. I did really like the parts about her learning English though since I am an ENL teacher.
In the beginning of the book I really loved it. Towards the middle and end not so much. It was a hard read. Please check content warnings.
I got a lot of Julia Alvarez vibes at the beginning and now really want to reread two of my favorites by her because I loved those so much more (In the Time of the Butterflies and How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Blood, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
kyahs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A must read book that provides insight into the life and struggles of a Dominicana Immigrant in American. Full of culture and hard truths.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
Minor: War, Hate crime, Death, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Violence
bites_of_books's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book made me feel a lot more than I was bargaining for...
This is the story of Ana, a 15 year old girl who is forced to marry an older man who will take her from the Dominican Republic to New York City for what her family believes is a better life and opportunities for the whole family.
In this book we see things from Ana's perspective for most of the book and we get to experience her fears, loneliness, confusion, and coming-of-age as she deals with an abusive husband, trying to take care of her family from far away, and trying to connect to people in this new country. The way that Cruz writes the story can be unsettling at times, touching on magical realism as Ana imagines things happening a different way than what lies before her. We also get some historical references relating to the political troubles happening both in the United States and the Dominican Republic.
I can't say I enjoyed reading this book because it really was painful at times. It reminded me of some things I experienced when I faced my own immigration story and culture shock, as well as reminded me of the stories that some family members have told me with respect to their own experiences when coming to the United States. I did appreciate that the story focuses on Ana's experience and highlights many of the struggles, both emotional, physical, and familial, that women face when moving (or when they are taken) to a new country in search of opportunity.
This is the story of Ana, a 15 year old girl who is forced to marry an older man who will take her from the Dominican Republic to New York City for what her family believes is a better life and opportunities for the whole family.
In this book we see things from Ana's perspective for most of the book and we get to experience her fears, loneliness, confusion, and coming-of-age as she deals with an abusive husband, trying to take care of her family from far away, and trying to connect to people in this new country. The way that Cruz writes the story can be unsettling at times, touching on magical realism as Ana imagines things happening a different way than what lies before her. We also get some historical references relating to the political troubles happening both in the United States and the Dominican Republic.
I can't say I enjoyed reading this book because it really was painful at times. It reminded me of some things I experienced when I faced my own immigration story and culture shock, as well as reminded me of the stories that some family members have told me with respect to their own experiences when coming to the United States. I did appreciate that the story focuses on Ana's experience and highlights many of the struggles, both emotional, physical, and familial, that women face when moving (or when they are taken) to a new country in search of opportunity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Animal death, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content
ribbitingreads's review against another edition
4.0
Dominicana by Angie Cruz was a beautifully yet painful story about a fifteen-year-old girl who has a chance to make a new life in New York. Ana Cancion, unlike her family members, never dreamed of going to America. However, when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her away, she is forced to make a life for her and eventually the rest of her family.
This book made me anger a lot of the time. Sad some of the time, but I found Ana to be an incredible character. The man she married, a man she did not love and twice her age, was not the man her family thought he was. He was insecure. He took his anger out on her. He was pretending to fit in with the “whites”. But more importantly, it conveyed how far many immigrates go to create a good life for themselves here in United States. From taking free English classes to get an office job or breaking their backs in factories.
It showed glimpses of how war, specifically between the United States and Dominican Republic affect the countries. The reactions between the privileged American citizens and the dismay of the Dominicanos. This book made me think more about how we are all fighting the same battle at the end of the day. We all want a place to rest our head at without worry. Without wondering if our younger siblings and cousins end up in an early grave. Or that as women are only hope to a good life comes from marrying a man that is as old as our fathers. A chance for freedom.
This book made me anger a lot of the time. Sad some of the time, but I found Ana to be an incredible character. The man she married, a man she did not love and twice her age, was not the man her family thought he was. He was insecure. He took his anger out on her. He was pretending to fit in with the “whites”. But more importantly, it conveyed how far many immigrates go to create a good life for themselves here in United States. From taking free English classes to get an office job or breaking their backs in factories.
It showed glimpses of how war, specifically between the United States and Dominican Republic affect the countries. The reactions between the privileged American citizens and the dismay of the Dominicanos. This book made me think more about how we are all fighting the same battle at the end of the day. We all want a place to rest our head at without worry. Without wondering if our younger siblings and cousins end up in an early grave. Or that as women are only hope to a good life comes from marrying a man that is as old as our fathers. A chance for freedom.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Death, War, and Hate crime
enbybooklove's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
agameofbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Normally I'm not a big fan of heavily character-driven books, but this one managed to capture my attention and interest very well.
Ana is my hero, and I still rooting for her even after finishing the book.
Ana is my hero, and I still rooting for her even after finishing the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Misogyny
bridgetbry's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Grief, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit and War
annreadsabook's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Dominicana is such a powerful and stirring read—I tore through it over the course of 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down! The novel begins with Ana Canción, a fifteen-year-old girl living in the Dominican Republic when she is married off to a 32-year-old man, with whom she moves to New York City. We watch from afar as the Dominican Republic descends into sociopolitical upheaval, and we feel Ana’s despair at being so far removed from the land and people she loves. This book is a close look at life as a young immigrant, the struggles of learning a new language and navigating a new country, and what it means to be a girl subjugated to the whims and wills of men. Despite her young age, Ana is forced to grow in self-confidence and independence; I mourned that she was forced into early adulthood due to the significant trials and hardships she faced.
Similar to Severance, something that took a lot of getting used to was the lack of quotation marks. For one thing (and this may just be a personal problem), I found it difficult to distinguish when people were speaking from narration or internal thoughts. Stylistically, however, I think it actually lends itself to a more internalized way of engaging with the narrative—you are in Ana’s head almost completely. The lack of quotations, for me, additionally reflected the isolation Ana felt in a foreign country combined with her forced marriage to an abusive man.
Overall, this was such an excellent and challenging read—it’s not very long, but it holds a lot.
Similar to Severance, something that took a lot of getting used to was the lack of quotation marks. For one thing (and this may just be a personal problem), I found it difficult to distinguish when people were speaking from narration or internal thoughts. Stylistically, however, I think it actually lends itself to a more internalized way of engaging with the narrative—you are in Ana’s head almost completely. The lack of quotations, for me, additionally reflected the isolation Ana felt in a foreign country combined with her forced marriage to an abusive man.
Overall, this was such an excellent and challenging read—it’s not very long, but it holds a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism and Death
Minor: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts
sorrymom94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
jillterry22's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Listened on audiobook. Should be required reading on immigration and the tenacity of people to come to a new country and build a life. I felt so strongly for Ana's character and her development throuhgout the story. I want to know how the rest of her life plays out!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, Racism, and Adult/minor relationship