Welcome to Litsy!

I was a bit disappointed with this novel, I expected a heartwarming tale of nerdy Oscar trying to find his place in life but it was mainly about sex, with some long tangential sections (and footnotes) thrown in. It reminded me of House of Spirits but its central characters are all crass, horny misogynists. Insight into the history of the Dominican Republic seems an important story to tell but it felt disjointed from the narrative. 5/10

“And what about the cook, Marco Antonio, a one-legged, no-ear grotesque straight out of Gormenghast” (107). Nothing like reading a book that has lingered forever on your tbr only to have it shame you for ANOTHER book that has been on your tbr way too long! 🤦‍♀️ Okay, okay, I‘ll read Gormenghast next! 😂

“Everybody else going through the terror and joy of their first crushes, their first dates, their first kisses while Oscar sat in the back of the class, behind his DM‘s screen, and watched his adolescence stream by. Sucks to be left out of adolescence, sort of like getting locked in the closet on Venus when the sun appears for the first time in a hundred years” (23). A nod to Bradbury!! ❤️❤️

“High school was . . . for a fat sci-fi-reading nerd like Oscar, a source of endless anguish. For Oscar, high school was the equivalent of a medieval spectacle, like being put in the stocks and forced to endure the peltings and outrages of a mob of deranged half-wits” (19).

Sigh… This book is too familiar and I‘m just not enjoying it. I‘m tired of the too-similar narrative that Dominican American authors seem to lean towards.

I probably read this book way too late, I‘ve seen too much of the same now to be impressed.

The NYT list reminded me that I had not read this 😅

I‘d forgotten how “in your face” Junot‘s writing is. Having fun with it, so far.

Ok I‘m calling it. After the most vulgar scene yet, I‘ve decided I do not need to fill my consciousness up with this mess of a book. Especially since I‘ve got the #DominicanRepublic covered by two other books. Moving on. #foodandlit #readingtheamericas @Catsandbooks @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

I‘ve updated my #litsyatoz challenge to include books I hope to read for my other challenges: #foodandlit #authoramonth and #readingtheamericas. I‘ve also color coded it so I can quickly see my progress in reading every letter of the alphabet. Color coding makes me so happy! That‘s how I got through law school, color coding every case I read. 😂

🟩 I‘ve finished a letter
🟨 I‘m reading a book for that letter
🟥 not read yet

I ❤️ all the 🌈

I get that this book caught some attention, but I just couldn't care much about Oscar's misfortunes. Not very wondrous, but repetitive and clichéd.

I learned a lot about Dominican history, which I honestly knew nothing about. That's a big plus, thank you #foodandlit

The vulgar narrator may be a provoking idea, but it left me with the feeling that this is what you do when you have nothing else to contribute.

@Catsandbooks @Texreader

I‘ve spent my evening planning my 2023 #litsyatoz challenge, my longest successful challenge on litsy. These are books I‘ve read, am reading (italics), or I‘m pretty certain I‘ll read (bold). They are all in my library.

It‘s far from complete. I haven‘t added books I plan to read for my other challenges, just a few for #authoramonth #foodandlit & #readingtheAmericas are on the list so far. I just wanted to make sure I plan for success for #atoz.

Starting this book tonight for #foodandlit #DominicanRepublic

It also works for #readingtheAmericas

These are my books for #DominicanRepublic I bought today. For #foodandlit in February and #readingtheamericas

@Catsandbooks @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle

#twofortuesday @TheSpineView

1. My bf and I just had a conversation about going to the Dominican Republic! Which is half an island so I think it counts. I don‘t know that we‘ll actually go but it‘s the one I‘m daydreaming about atm

2. I might reread the tagged book which I really loved, or I‘d probably see what classic or new Dominican fiction I could find and download a massive stack on kindle before I left

Overall I enjoyed this one in spite of some slow parts. I'm seeing Oscar's drama as the hero's supreme sacrifice for love.
I particularly appreciated the parts dealing with the history of the Dominican Republic during the Trujillo dictatorship.

🙂

Yunior narrates the story of Oscar Wao, an overweight Dominican growing up in New Jersey.

The story focuses on how his family has bad luck, fuku, and trying to defeat but I think most of their problems would be solved if they didn‘t believe liars so much.

I really enjoyed this tale immensely even if half the time, I was getting frustrated with their decisions.

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel winds its way through 3 generations of Oscar's family from New Jersey to the Dominican Republic and back. Set against the backdrop of the Trujillo regime the narrator wonders if the family suffers from bad luck or if they're actually cursed.

4 🌟

Lots of Yes's going off in my head when I recognised a Spanish word/phrase!

Loved the references to lord of the rings, doctor who etc!

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

#latinxauthor #booked2021 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaratheBibliophage

I had so been looking forward to reading this classic, but I was so disappointed by how incredibly sexist it was. Yes, the prose is gorgeous, but I just skimmed through it hoping there would be something more substantial, but nope. If it hadn‘t been for the fact that the book was loaned to me by a friend who will no doubt ask me about my thoughts on the book, I would have bailed on it.

Read it in school but it was so wonderfuly written I remember loving it

Is this what Diaz thinks women find attractive? Seriously?

You have got to be kidding me 🙄

Thank you so much @CBee ❤️ The book made it safe and sound and is now patiently waiting for me to make the time to read it.

Still working through this one. I am really enjoying it. But I have to stop a lot and look up words. But the story is good so far. Also does not help I am working all the time. Sheba is happy today just hanging out with me.

Picked a Blind Date book yesterday and it ended up being one I already own. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I‘m conflicted. There are huge passages and narratives in this book I really like, and the interlacing of family tragedy and political turmoil was incredibly interesting to read. And on the other hand, there were a lot of moments I really struggled to sympathise with the characters in a book that really relies on you to care about them.
Overall though I would say the interlocking stories were interesting enough to still warrant a good review

#readaroundtheworld #dominicanrepublic A sad soulful story of a Dominican diaspora family impacted by the terrors of Trujillo‘ reign. Equally a mash up of pop fantasy references from anime to games as the story focuses on Oscar, the desperate virgin nerd. Told in Caribbean street Spanish, erudite academic English, and Spanglish the work sings with counter rhythms and clashes of cultures. Other than the 2000 references to “puta”, I loved it.

Happy #Litsyversary, @BarbaraBB 🥳! The tagged book takes place - in part - in New Brunswick, NJ (home of Rutgers University - R-U-Rah-Rah!). A tale of a young Dominican man as he navigated life, I found the tale moving and enjoyed it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ As a #CentralJersey resident and employee of #TheStateUniversityofNewJersey, this is a true #ThinkLocalGiveAway choice for me!

This is an interesting novel and possibly even a good one, but it left me feeling unsatisfied in some way (although it seems ultimately that Oscar was satisfied har har). Filled with Spanish and Dominican slang, the prose reaches out and grabs hold of you, speaks from the immigrant barrio, warns of "fukú," a sort of curse Oscar's family endures for three generations. Does Oscar manage to break it? I don't know. Did I like this book? I don't know.

Oops missed this yesterday!

Book: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Author: Brown, Pierce
Movie/TV: Bright Star/Band of Brothers
Singer/Band: Bod Dylan/The Beatles
Song: Bennie and the Jets

#ManicMonday #LetterB

An interesting, entertaining read, a fantastic commentary on immigration, and family, and legend/myth and how experiences shape us. It was sincere and authentic and unique.
#awardwinning #pulitzer #aoc

I wish I had read this book sooner - I‘ve never read anything like it. Almost like a modern, updated Catcher in the Rye. It was such a prime example of well-done storytelling.

Another book that's been on my TBR far too long, and I'm so glad that I finally read it. 💚

I adore Oscar and all his trials and triumphs as he attempts to find out who he is and where he fits in. Great character driven story with characters that are diverse and relatable.

The closest I could get to #magic was these books on #magicalrealism #scarathlon #chillingphotochallenge #teamslaughter @Clwojick 297pts

I tried. I really tried. The writing is great, but I‘m just not in the mood for yet another “but I‘m a *nice* guy! Why isn‘t everyone sleeping with me?! Women make terrible relationship choices, it‘s their own fault!!” trope.

1. I‘m about 10 mins from Rutgers University (R-U-Rah-Rah)!
2. Fall-like! 🤗 🍁
3. Blind double date...the other couple was dating for sometime and no one was helpful with conversation. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️
4. Two kiddos 👦🏻👧🏻 - No pets
5. 👌🏼
#friyayintro @howjessreads

I'm trying to like this book. Some great one-liners, nerd references, and I appreciate that the author seamlessly weaved two languages together and didn't make me feel like I had to grab a dictionary every time.

But...

For some reason I need a break from reading this book. Maybe too much too fast? It's not you, Oscar Wao, it's me. I hope we can still be friends.

Books are like humans. Some you love from the first moment you meet them, with some you work on a balanced relationship and with some you just don't get along. This and me - we're the latter. I've tried, I've really tried. For the second time now. But I just seem unable to get into the story and/or care about Oscar. I'd love to learn more about the DR but I get the feeling this is not the book for me.

I can‘t say I quite enjoyed this book, but I appreciated the experience of reading it. The story is often violent and depressing but the immersion in the culture of the characters is amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the Tolkien references and the depth that added to the story for me.

I strongly recommend http://www.annotated-oscar-wao.com if you‘re struggling with the language or the references.

#1001books #1001Discoveries

Wow. What a read. A family‘s history in the violent and brutal Dominican Republic of strongman dictator, General Rafael Trujillo. They escape the curse of their family and the DR only to be drawn back into both. It is raw and painful as well as achingly beautiful. I enjoyed Diaz‘ conversational style and his slip into Dominican slang. I highly recommend!

The Tolkien references in this book are great! It‘s not just Lord of the Rings either, another quote references the fall of Gondolin. Catching these does make me wonder about the specifics of some of the other references that are familiar but not as well known to me.

#1001books #1001Discoveries

It didn‘t take long for me to realize that I was going to need to look up some Spanish while reading this book. The first phrase I typed into the search led me to this website of not only translations but also notes and links for mentions of books, movies, games, etc. It has been helpful and I would recommend it. http://www.annotated-oscar-wao.com

Additionally, I‘m enjoying the Tolkien allusions and references.

#1001books #1001Discoveries

I‘m finally starting this one during Sunday morning books with breakfast. I‘m curious about it since I‘ve seen rather conflicting reviews.

#1001books #1001Discoveries #ReadandEat

In the end I am glad I read this book. It was compelling in its telling, informative, and believable. I love how Díaz creates a whole family history. But what surprised me was the way the narrative is woven and told from a reserved distance; the reader is protected from some of the sadness of the story. We are hearing about tragedy, but somehow are able to take it in stride not because it isn‘t sad but rather because it is just the way it is.

Some of the books I'm planning to read this month. The slips are E-Books. If I don't note them on paper I tend to forget about those... 😅

#augusttbr #bookchallenges #bookchallengebyerin11 #popsugar2019

ay the half way point this book is best described as Intriguing. I love how Díaz has created an entire family for us, and has taken the time to footnote individuals and events important to Dominican history, of which I sadly know very little.

Still wondering who the narrator is but love all of the Lord of the Rings and fantasy references.

So far, I like it, But see neither why people LOVE or HATE it. It is interesting to be sure, and compelling... and for me that is enough.