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bethtmorris's review
3.0
Good but I think I read this a little too soon after Diaz's other short story book. The writing is still strong but it felt trite after reading the other book only a few months ago. I still don't understand why Dominican men cheat so much!!
audaciaray's review
3.0
Beautiful, fast and loose writing.
For me, Drown was most fascinating as a meditation on masculinity (with heady doses of class, race, and immigration too). The men in the stories are pretty much all unsympathetic characters, except sometimes the boys. But only sometimes. But Diaz does this complicated thing, in which he lured me into disliking the characters, but also feeling sad on their behalf without exactly pitying them.
For me, Drown was most fascinating as a meditation on masculinity (with heady doses of class, race, and immigration too). The men in the stories are pretty much all unsympathetic characters, except sometimes the boys. But only sometimes. But Diaz does this complicated thing, in which he lured me into disliking the characters, but also feeling sad on their behalf without exactly pitying them.
nicobee's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
bridge_overbooked's review
2.0
This was the 2nd book that I read from Díaz and both of them were just not my cup of tea. While I think that the writing style is supposed to make the reader feel more connected with the characters, I find it off-putting and not helpful. These stories were too disjointed for me; I appreciated some of them, but had trouble following how they were connected and which characters belonged to what.
"Drown" is a collection of short stories that explores the immigrant experience and the complexities of identity, family, and relationships. Set in the Dominican Republic and the United States, the stories center around Yunior, a recurring character, as he grapples with cultural clashes, love, and the challenges of assimilation. Díaz's writing is characterized by its raw and vivid portrayal of the immigrant narrative, capturing the struggles and triumphs of those caught between two worlds.
"Drown" is a collection of short stories that explores the immigrant experience and the complexities of identity, family, and relationships. Set in the Dominican Republic and the United States, the stories center around Yunior, a recurring character, as he grapples with cultural clashes, love, and the challenges of assimilation. Díaz's writing is characterized by its raw and vivid portrayal of the immigrant narrative, capturing the struggles and triumphs of those caught between two worlds.
trishadenise's review against another edition
2.0
i'm not sure that i really enjoyed this book, but i can appreciate the mood and genre. a very genuine, yet slightly disturbing read. "Ysrael" and the follow-up "Arguantando" (to endure) were my favorite stories from the collection.
kchiappone's review
3.0
I previously read The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This is similar in voice. I enjoyed both, and I would be interested in reading Diaz's recent work, This is How You Lose Her, but I'm beginning to think from these two that he's sort of a one trick pony. The stories here are colorful and well written, but I'm not sure that, collectively, he's doing anything new with his writing or with his stories.