Reviews with content warning for Violence - One Year of Ugly

It took me a long time to decide how to rate this one and I still feel conflicted about my decision. I really enjoyed this quirky story and its hilarious cast of characters. While reading it, I thought the author did an excellent job of conveying the hardships these immigrant families face, and how they can be taken advantage of because they can't go to any authorities for help. However, I was put off by the author's note, which revealed that the author, while Trinidadian, is not Venezuelan like the fictional Palacio family. In retrospect, I should have done more research before picking it up (and in my own defense, they hired a Spanish-speaking narrator for the audiobook, which caused me to let down my guard). Suddenly what I thought were "in jokes" seemed more like punching down, and the internalized misogyny from the main character felt more like a bad stereotype than a critique of the author's own culture. This book left a bad taste in my mouth, but I suppose I should chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on.

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alisoun's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.75

Absolutely loved that this book had a really diverse setting and POV. It was definitely about a big sprawling family and every character was so alive and present in the story. Her Aunt Celia was so vibrant even for being dead! Her manuscript was an entirely different voice which I loved.

I also loved that Yola was a total bitch. Absolutely love that for a main character! We don't see enough of them!!!

Trinidad was also so well written and described (for me never having been there!).

I do think that the end was wrapped up really quickly and easily. I would have liked that to be a bit more drawn out.

It does have some fade to black sex scenes and some sexual scenes. So on page fcking though.

I also feel it wasn't quite the ending I was seeking - I wanted a bit more of a wrap up. It was kind of a happily for now with our main couple but not for the other characters.

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ruthjenkins's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.5

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ecobookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I was really excited to read One Year of Ugly, as it's set in my home country of Trinidad & Tobago and I'd been wanting to read a contemporary book set there. Upon finishing it, though, my feelings are mixed.

There were many things I enjoyed about this story, as we follow the Palacio family and their trials under the whims of the gangster Ugly, specifically from the perspective of 24-year-old Yola. The family dynamics were poignant at times and hilarious at others, with a connection that held them together through everything. They had their struggles but remained determined to make it work. Yola's grief for and connection with her aunt Celia was moving, and Celia's memoirs were a brilliant addition to the story. The romance side-plot was a bit of a head-scratcher sometimes but overall I did enjoy seeing Yola and Roman's burgeoning romance and their escapades, though their immediate attraction did come across as insta-love-y at times. The Trinidadian setting was vivid and well-rendered in a way that made me feel nostalgic for home, especially all the descriptions of culture, food and celebrations. The fast-paced developments and plot twists make for highly entertaining reading, and the climax was absolutely captivating. I also appreciated the conclusion, as it was open-ended in a way that did justice to the story and made for a satisfying resolution to the year.

The Venezuelan refugee situation in Trinidad is fraught and troubled, and I was curious to see how that would be illustrated here. In some ways, I did enjoy it, as it showed the difficulties faced by Venezuelans in Trinidad, the prejudices and limitations, the dreams they still hold despite their difficult experiences, and all the changes from the life they've had to leave behind. But it also seemed to downplay it in some ways, as the Palacios still seem to enjoy a pretty good lifestyle that doesn't really reflect the news and stories I've seen on the refugee situation. Of course it's possible that the author is a lot more familiar with the situation through her translation work, but it doesn't mesh with the type of exploitation and struggles that I've heard a lot more of.

Another aspect worth mentioning is the description of the Palacios young women, which left me really uncomfortable at times. They're oversexualized to a degree that's almost ridiculous, with gratuitous descriptions of their breasts, legs and backsides, and even memorably a brief description of Yola's own genitalia. How was that necessary?!

Despite these concerns, overall I did really enjoy this read and would recommend it. There's a passage near the end, where Yola is reflecting on experiences of loss and memory and how they change over time, that was deeply moving and resonated with me. And though some may take issue with the dark humour laced throughout, I agree with the author that sometimes laughter is the best salve in difficult situations.

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scarletellajones's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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