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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Wow, this was probably the fastest I've ever read any book to this day. The story that resonated with me the most was, of course, "The Cheater's Guide to Love," which, after reading it once before in The New Yorker a year or so ago, still manages to pry open some love-related wounds from long ago.
I also felt a strong tendency to highlight a majority of the lines in this book; Díaz never seems to run short of profound one-liners. Unfortunately, the copy I read was a library book I borrowed to read before he comes to visit my school next week, so I'll be sure to buy my own copy and mark it up sometime soon!
I also felt a strong tendency to highlight a majority of the lines in this book; Díaz never seems to run short of profound one-liners. Unfortunately, the copy I read was a library book I borrowed to read before he comes to visit my school next week, so I'll be sure to buy my own copy and mark it up sometime soon!
I find myself tempted to give it four just because Diaz is just such a damn good writer. Sometimes his words make me swoon: "And this is how you lose her" Or "Both of you are smiling. Both of you blinked." Simple and like a punch to the gut. You find yourself breathless. And I hated it at times because it came in stories that were kind of awful. Misogynistic even. The casual dropping of women as bitches, hos, sluts, just to to be too much. The constant use of the word retard got old after awhile, and I know, I know, he was just staying in character but 90% of the time the character was so disgusting that it was hard to ever feel him. That makes a story awfully hard to get through.
And then Diaz adds the story "Otravida, Otravez" in which he writes from the perspective of a woman, and just falls miserably short. You know we don't need Diaz to write as a Latina. It's been done, and is being done by actual Latinas. Let me them write their voices. The voice he creates is stilted and false. It doesn't work at all.
But of course Diaz comes on strong at the end, and saves me from totally hating this collection. The last end of the book has some powerful stories that are raw and beautiful. Miss Lora is beautiful; my favorite of the book. The longing and sadness of dreams unmeet and then meet through someone else left me gutted. The last story was eh but this ending, these words show Diaz to just be a master at what he does: "That's about it. In the months that follow you bend to the work, because it feels like hope, like grace--and because you know in your lying cheater's heart that sometimes a start is all we ever get."
And then Diaz adds the story "Otravida, Otravez" in which he writes from the perspective of a woman, and just falls miserably short. You know we don't need Diaz to write as a Latina. It's been done, and is being done by actual Latinas. Let me them write their voices. The voice he creates is stilted and false. It doesn't work at all.
But of course Diaz comes on strong at the end, and saves me from totally hating this collection. The last end of the book has some powerful stories that are raw and beautiful. Miss Lora is beautiful; my favorite of the book. The longing and sadness of dreams unmeet and then meet through someone else left me gutted. The last story was eh but this ending, these words show Diaz to just be a master at what he does: "That's about it. In the months that follow you bend to the work, because it feels like hope, like grace--and because you know in your lying cheater's heart that sometimes a start is all we ever get."
So good. So well-written. Really fast-paced, I read the entire thing in one day because I got hooked.
A depressing story about the bad habits that we cannot break. Díaz paints a sad portrait of Yunior, a tragic man with only himself to blame.
This book is beautifully written, both honest and engaging. Yunior is extremely unlikable, yet I felt intense empathy towards him. It is easy to condemn his behavior and to hate him for the way he treats women, but it is difficult not to also pity him. To pity the way he grew up and the macho facade his father and brother seem to force on him.
For me the most vivid and engaging parts of the book are when we explore Yunior's family dynamic. His relationship with his mother, brother, and father in 'The Pura Principle' and 'Invierno' gives the most insight into Yunior's character and how his string of unhealthy relationships was fostered.
Going through some of the other GoodReads reviews I find a lot of interesting criticism of this book. Obviously, many of the criticisms of how female characters are written and of the sexist (and occasionally racist) language used are perfectly valid. However, I also think that Díaz intends the reader to detest the way women are treated in this book. The author seems to be critiquing unhealthy relationships and sexist machismo bullshit, not glorifying it like pop culture so often does.
That of course doesn't excuse the caviler use of the n-word or the often one dimensional female characters.
This book is beautifully written, both honest and engaging. Yunior is extremely unlikable, yet I felt intense empathy towards him. It is easy to condemn his behavior and to hate him for the way he treats women, but it is difficult not to also pity him. To pity the way he grew up and the macho facade his father and brother seem to force on him.
For me the most vivid and engaging parts of the book are when we explore Yunior's family dynamic. His relationship with his mother, brother, and father in 'The Pura Principle' and 'Invierno' gives the most insight into Yunior's character and how his string of unhealthy relationships was fostered.
Going through some of the other GoodReads reviews I find a lot of interesting criticism of this book. Obviously, many of the criticisms of how female characters are written and of the sexist (and occasionally racist) language used are perfectly valid. However, I also think that Díaz intends the reader to detest the way women are treated in this book. The author seems to be critiquing unhealthy relationships and sexist machismo bullshit, not glorifying it like pop culture so often does.
That of course doesn't excuse the caviler use of the n-word or the often one dimensional female characters.
Wonderful collection of short stories. Diaz does a great job keeping a running undercurrent of common themes between all of them. http://thewellreadredhead.blogspot.com/2012/11/book-review-this-is-how-you-lose-her-by.html
I wonder if I picked up this book too soon after reading "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao." This collection of essays almost felt like a continuation of that Yunior's story, but not. That didn't kill the book for me, but it did leave me speculating.
Here, I enjoyed the same voice, the diversity of his characters .. but I found Wao's the more compelling and memorable story.
Here, I enjoyed the same voice, the diversity of his characters .. but I found Wao's the more compelling and memorable story.
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
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:
Yes
The first time I read this book, I liked it so much, that I couldn't finish any other book for two months. It was like I was suffering from a book hangover. So I gave up on all the others and read this one again. And then one more time. Even now, it's like my "comfort book". Whenever I feel a little restless, I'll open up to a random story and settle in.
Vivid depictions of such harsh truths. Human relationships are a mush of beautiful, painful, awkward and exhilarating.