Helen B. (Medulala) - , reviewed on 7/9/2010 + 18 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Oscar is a sweet, seriously overweight, ghetto nerd in New Jersey who dreams of being a dominican writer and romantic. This is a multi-generational family tragedy using the history of the Dominican Republic as catalyst for the "fuku" that ultimately works its disaster on this family. Through well placed flash backs we learn how earlier generations were both in part responsible for the fuku as well as recipients of its curse. I read this book with a Spanish-English dictionary by my side. Even then, I had to guess at the meaning of some of the DR slang. I found the bilingual descriptions added to the reality of the story. This is how people think and speak -accept it! I was interested in the story and so the sometimes extensive footnotes on DR politics only added to my understanding of the context. A dominican would know these things and this is a domnican story. If you want to read a book that will transport you into another culture and let you see a family's struggles and progress through decades get this book. Be prepared to experience characters and aspects of live that you never knew before.

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