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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book definitely has things to offer, don’t get me wrong. It is very frank and vivid in its depiction of the experience of immigrating to the US from Latin America. Though it’s not the primary focus of the book, Yunior’s experience with racism in east coast US was educational. The whole part with Raha, Yunior’s brother, running from his leukemia -- that was pretty compelling. But how do you write a book (apparently a collection of short stories, but this was news to me when I finished it, I had interpreted it more as a non-linear story with a couple of completely disconnected chapters thrown in for variety) that is essentially about a serial cheater, and ask the reader to sympathize with him? I’m not sure, since I don’t really feel like Díaz put any effort into doing that. He’s just a cheating shit, who only feels bad about it when he gets caught, and only thinks about women in terms of what their race/nationality is and whether or not they’re giving him sex. The book puts no energy into signaling the setting (in terms of time) or the perspective character, and randomly throws in chapters/stories in the second person, which was irritating and hard to follow.
I don't have that many books outside of autobiographies written by men from a man's point of view. It was a wonderful read that I didn't want to put down. A must read for women.
Just as good as "Brief and Wondrous Life." Only trouble was how much the main character bothered me with his seemingly remorseful treatment of women. But who says all characters must be likable?
i'm not entirely sure how i feel about this book. it dealt with some pretty depressing topics tbh, it reminded me of reading confessional poetry and dirty realism type short fiction over the summer. but it didn't make me too sad, i mean it really just made me feel was kind of muted as i got used to yunior. i understand the hype for this book though, personally i don't think i've read much like it, and i don't usually like critically acclaimed books (lol) bc they feel too literary for me, but this one was pretty easy to read. it's the first thing i've read by junot diaz and so far i really like his writing and want to check out his other stuff. hopefully it isn't all quite so sad.
Beautiful and ugly and funny and devastating. This book also wins the award for best epigraph (a Sandra Cisnero's poem) and best title.
I have to say that although I enjoyed the book, it was disappointed. It certainly drew me in, gave me a glimpse of a different world, made me look through another person's eyes, etc. Unfortunately, all the stories came across as semi-autobiographical, or at least as if they were all about the same person. When I read a collection of short stories, I kind've expect them all to be about different people, unless the cover gives me a hint otherwise. This ended up coming across as a collection of anecdotes about one person's life, very chaotic and disjointed. Perhaps he'll sit down one day and either make a novel of it or write a memoir. I'm sure it would be a well-written book; I'd be willing to give it a shot. This book just left me confused.