Scan barcode
windy_witch's review against another edition
4.0
A dark comedy about immigration issues for the Palacio family after they settle into their new lives in Trinidad.
They become embroiled in the criminal underworld of feared gangster Ugly following the poor actions of the dead aunt. They have to live a year under Ugly’s rules and follow everything he tells them to do, sometimes endangering their lives.
They become embroiled in the criminal underworld of feared gangster Ugly following the poor actions of the dead aunt. They have to live a year under Ugly’s rules and follow everything he tells them to do, sometimes endangering their lives.
toksyk27's review against another edition
1.0
Not surprised to find out this book was written by a Karen because the characters rang quite hollow and seemed to be living a fairly privileged lifestyle for illegal immigrants. Heck a 17 year old even managed to make it on the boats using "her Lyca clad curves" which made it completely okay for the protagonist to disparage her whilst the whole family accept her being groomed into a relationship by her father's nephew who is not only twelve years older but also a raging functional alcoholic. That's just one the many ways this book stereotyped Latinos whilst simultaneously making them come across as much superior to the inhabitants of the island they now find themselves in. Many times reading the book I kept wondering if this book was set on a Caribbean island because hardly was there any mention or features of Black or Indian or Mixed Trinidadians though we do get to have a glimpse of White Trinis who are basically a replica of Housewives of Potomac. Honestly so much was wrong with this book and though the ludicrous romance can hook you to almost forget just how fraught such a reality would be the dark humour simply glosses over the inhumane way migrants and refugees who are often forced to flee their beloved countries with limited choices face.
briandagutierrez's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“No matter what form of ugly crosses your path, there’s always a way to laugh through it.”
Wow. Just wow. This was phenomenal.
The story and the writing itself was great. I went into it uncertain I would like it but it turned out to be a great recommendation. I loved that it was a story about immigration into a country that I wouldn’t hear regularly about.
I loved aunt Cecilia being a regular character throughout the story, even though she wasn’t actually present in the year we follow the family. All of the characters kind of fell into little groups of people, and those groups blend it together a bit for me, but Roman and Yola were so distinct.
Wow. Just wow. This was phenomenal.
The story and the writing itself was great. I went into it uncertain I would like it but it turned out to be a great recommendation. I loved that it was a story about immigration into a country that I wouldn’t hear regularly about.
I loved aunt Cecilia being a regular character throughout the story, even though she wasn’t actually present in the year we follow the family. All of the characters kind of fell into little groups of people, and those groups blend it together a bit for me, but Roman and Yola were so distinct.
pianorunner421's review against another edition
2.0
I don’t get it. It’s not funny. It doesn’t have a single compelling character for good or bad. The writing is stilted. I only finished this book because I had picked it up for a challenge selection. And challenge it was - I felt I was wasting precious reading time to slog through it. I book this length with this type of blurb should have been read in two days. The fact that it took me a week and I chose to play games on my phone when I could have been reading is serious indication of how bad it is.
kiwi_00's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Overall I liked the plot of the book but the way that the character described her female relatives' bodies and sex lives was weird. The age gap relationship between Sancho and Vanessa, who are cousins?!!!! Disgusting and no one in the family batted an eye!! Another thing I didn't like was the description of Trinidad, I'm not from there but the way it was described at times was unpleasant.
drannieg's review against another edition
3.75
Fun, easy read with some underlying seriousness amidst the usual shagging and lurrrve.
aheuda's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
bookapotamus's review against another edition
4.0
One Year of Ugly was SUCH a wild ride! The shenanigans that ensue throughout this story are wickedly hilarious, while simultaneously tackling some pretty heavy themes that are extremely relevant today - all while being a delightfully endearing love story.
I loved the tropical setting, the big, boisterous family and it's rich cast of phenomenally developed characters, and it was non-stop action and ridiculous adventures from start to finish.
A fun and entertaining, lough-out-loud read that I didn't expect to love so much - and I didn't want to end!
I loved the tropical setting, the big, boisterous family and it's rich cast of phenomenally developed characters, and it was non-stop action and ridiculous adventures from start to finish.
A fun and entertaining, lough-out-loud read that I didn't expect to love so much - and I didn't want to end!
naiadtales's review against another edition
2.0
Really should have DNF'ed this enuh but yuh see. So many things that threw me off from the jump but mainly the MC. I swear to you she hates other women and she was so far in her 'I'm not like other girls' delusion that all she did was pissed me off idk maybe don't be fucking the man that is holding your family hostage before we start throwing stones hmmm .
Things that did not work for me:
1. The MC : shawty spent so much time judging everybody else's life and it was passed off as her showing tough love and being no nonsense but she was a just a lewser!
2. I thought they were a bunch of short stories idk the chapter titles threw me off but some off the stories could have benefitted from another POV.
3. IDK much or anything really about the immigrant situation in Trinidad but is it that bad?? Because the way they kept talking about the 'illegals' (massive side eye)
Things that did work for me:
1. the snippets of Aunt Celia's book, so interesting and I would have much preferred to read about her than her lameo niece.
Things that did not work for me:
1. The MC : shawty spent so much time judging everybody else's life and it was passed off as her showing tough love and being no nonsense but she was a just a lewser!
2. I thought they were a bunch of short stories idk the chapter titles threw me off but some off the stories could have benefitted from another POV.
3. IDK much or anything really about the immigrant situation in Trinidad but is it that bad?? Because the way they kept talking about the 'illegals' (massive side eye)
Things that did work for me:
1. the snippets of Aunt Celia's book, so interesting and I would have much preferred to read about her than her lameo niece.
latenight_pageturner's review against another edition
3.0
DNF so I'm giving it a 2. Got one or two chapters into this. Didn't really resonate. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but based on summaries from other GR reviewers my apprehensions weren't unwarranted. Despite her being Trini, it seems like the author's characters were not appropriately captured and represented in the book.