A review by jayisreading
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.25

I have mixed opinions about this one. On the one hand, I truly appreciated Gonzalez’s deep exploration the United States’ colonization of Puerto Rico and its impact. It’s crucial to learn about the country’s role as a colonial empire today, and Gonzalez went in. It was also interesting to see the way she laid out the complexities of family relationships (an understatement, to say the least, especially with all that emotional abuse). Ultimately, it was the political component of the book that I found the most engaging and thought-provoking.

On the other hand, I thought there was way too much happening in one book. There were a lot of themes and subplots to keep track of, and these sometimes buried the main plot (and it was hard to figure out what that even was at times). More than anything, though, I took issue with how Gonzalez handled AIDS and HIV, as well as rape and sexual assault. They lacked nuance, likely because there were too many moving parts. She glossed over these matters that require sensitivity if they’re ever a part of the story. Also, I need to give a major warning of rape and sexual assault towards the end of the book. This particular section really frustrated me, because I felt it wasn’t needed at all and read like a plot device.

The situation is complex when it comes to recommending this book, and I hesitantly will, solely because of how well Gonzalez addressed colonialism and the fight for Puerto Rico’s liberation. This book could have been two books to better manage all the topics covered. Perhaps the needed nuances would be there, but it’s admittedly hard to say.
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