Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Dominicana by Angie Cruz

59 reviews

lauraevelyn's review against another edition

emotional 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

fesd5's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An insightful and gripping piece of literature about the immigrant experience, the politics in New York and the Dominican Republic, the feeling of losing everything you know and being trapped in a loveless marriage for the greater good of your family. I found it extremely informative and it taught me something about my own mother who moved to England and had to learn and adjust to a language she only had an school girl's grip on and a culture she knew almost nothing about. As it is a slow book, I didn't find it "unputdownable", but I did enjoy the read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Rape

meg0207's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse

briannad4's review against another edition

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Infidelity

Moderate: War, Violence, and Death

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Death, Grief, Incest, Gun violence, War, Alcohol, Child death, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Car accident, Colonisation, Excrement, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Vomit, Ableism, Abortion, Antisemitism, and Drug use

Smoking. Strangulation/suffocation. Colorism, antiblackness.

thebookworm_queen's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

i was entranced with this book. Through the audio I was truly transported to New York, to the Dominican Republic, into Ana’s shoes. It was so beautifully written, I applaud the author for her transitions and being able to pack so much into a single novel. She is now and instant buy author and I can’t wait for her next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Rape

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Blood

isobelk_18's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

tylarlar's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Domestic abuse

kassielovestoread's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

This was a difficult book to read. The injustices that are done too Ana are unconscionable and I know that her story isn't unique (as stated in the author's Acknowledgements), but this is a story that I'll never forget. As a Dominican woman myself, I feel insurmountable grief at the similarities in Ana's story and my mothers. There's a tightness in my chest that won't dissipate; I imagine it'll take some time to shake it off. 

Every emotion our main character experienced, I did as well. I was deeply and meaningfully impacted by Ana's story. I feel like I say this all the time but I truly mean it now: I rooted so hard for Ana. While the ending isn't the ideal happily ever after I would've wanted to read, I know that Ana's story ends much happier now that she has found her voice and has her family to care for. (Sidebar: an epilogue in which a meteor hails from the heavens and lands squarely and resolutely for Juan. Resulting in no other casualties or fatalities besides him.)

Angie Cruz's writing style is unlike any that I've read before. The author doesn't use quotation marks in the dialogue, but you understand anyway that conversations are taking place between the characters. It was interesting. The chapters are also super short- I think the longest one was maybe 5 pages? The overall length of this novel is just over 300 pages so the book didn't take me more than a couple days to finish. I will definitely read more of Cruz's works in the future! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Domestic abuse

notjillsanders's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A heavy but rewarding read. Surprisingly quick, and if you can get past the lack of quotation marks (seriously Angie Cruz, why), it offers a fantastic, sad, beautiful, honest look into the lives of Dominicanas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Pregnancy

Minor: Death, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual content