I wanted to like this book more than I did. I could see on an intellectually level what was being done. The contrast that's drawn between Oscar, the decidedly irregular Dominican man, and Yunior, the clear authorial stand-in and ultimate player is engaging at times. Clearly there's a lot to uncover there about masculinity, stereotypes and expectations, but I just wasn't that into the language and the voice, particularly the chapters narrated by Yunior.

Glad I finally read it though, it is interesting even if I didn't necessarily enjoy it all the way through. ( )

I was a bit disappointed in this book, as its Pulitzer had raised my expectations. But I never really became invested in any of the characters, save Beli during her back story. It's also worth noting that anyone planning to read this should have a Spanish dictionary close by while reading; there are an abundance of phrases I didn't understand. Maybe I'd have enjoyed it a little more if I had! ( )

It has elements that appeal to me, but there are two big problems with the novel from my perspective. The narrative voice became more grating as the story went on; strong in machismo and a tone of ironic distance, Yunior’s voice was not the voice to tell this story for me. How much this is affected by the controversy surrounding Díaz’s own behavior and a sense that this voice is how Díaz likes to see himself, as a Don Juan who sees himself a bit above it all, I’m not sure, but I feel I would have enjoyed the novel more told in Oscar’s voice. There’s a reason the novel isn’t called The Continuing Irritating Life of Yunior.

Secondly the novel’s structure impeded my enjoyment. This is a personal preference to be sure, but in general I prefer not to hop around between characters and time periods back and forth, forth and back, in lengthy sections. In some novels it works great but generally I like a more time linear construction. ( )

I don't mean to go in for shameless ego-stroking here- I'm really quite more shocked. But I just read a Pulitzer Prize novel in the same year as it won the prize! (This never happens for me.)

Actually, I read this because my friend RoseAnna was reading it because a Dominican friend recommended it, and she laughed out loud reading it. When she flew home, she left it with me, and now I enjoyed it, though I never would have picked it for myself. (Sometimes it good to do that- have someone else pick out a book for you to read.)

I won't synopsize the story for you- being so popular right now, that stuff's all over the place (and I need to go make vegan cupcakes for the office picnic). It's one of the most original plot lines (if not the most) I've ever read. It wasn't a story I particularly identified with, but I was definitely feeling the fuku (curse) by midway through the book.

My biggest problem was that I felt like I missed so much of the story by not being able to understand the parts of the story in Dominican. ("Couldn't you include a glossary, Diaz?") But then I heard an interview with DIaz on Fresh Air (from May 2008, I think) in which he explained that not necessarily understanding the language of the whole book- and therefore not getting all of the story- was part of the point. ( )

This is the second book I've read about a Dominican kid with problems (the other was [Touching Snow]). They were both really good. ( )