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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Loved the unapologetic use of Spanish, aspirational to keep it without explanation.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
uh kind of feels like misogyny is the plot?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief
Diaz's writing is so immersive, I really felt engulfed in this story line.
There are points throughout the story where I wasn't sure if I was fully on board, but in the end it was a really moving and complex story. There are so many different bits that are tied together at the end and I loved how Diaz lets the reader explore those areas. Meaning: He isn't too obvious and I appreciated that!
*3.5
Got better as it went along. The beginning was tough to get through but the last chapter was great.
Got better as it went along. The beginning was tough to get through but the last chapter was great.
I just couldn't make myself finish this book, maybe one day I'll pick it back up again. I typically love every word Junot Diaz writes, but not this one. Definitely not up to the level of Drown or Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, totally bummed.
I love this author, I find his style and words equally beautiful and disgusting. If you like to like your protagonists this book might not be for you.
The writing in this book is good, and because of it, I couldn’t put it down. However, the main character is so unlikable that I found myself cringing on every page. He and the men around him treat women with absolutely no respect. And, considering the recent allegations against the author, I wonder if it is more fact than fiction. Most of the characters are completely flat (except the brother, who I enjoyed following), and I struggled to finish when there was constant use of offensive language and male gaze- type descriptions. I know this book offers a rarely told perspective, but it was really too much. Again, I was just too struck by the similarities between the author and the main character to treat it as a fictional story. I don’t think I will be reading another Junot Diaz book.
“The half-life of love is forever”
Heartbreak and lost love. Deeply troubling and sad. Wish the women characters had more depth but maybe that’s the point.
Heartbreak and lost love. Deeply troubling and sad. Wish the women characters had more depth but maybe that’s the point.
Diaz is a gifted storyteller and his words glide, but there was no connect to his character and the brief glimpses into his life.