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 enlarge | Author: Junot Diaz
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $12.50
You Save: $12.45 (50%)
New (60) Used (44) Collectible (26) from $9.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  267 reviews
Sales Rank: 3202
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.8 x 2.1
ISBN: 1594489580
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781594489587
ASIN: 1594489580
Publication Date: September 6, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Just wonderful January 2, 2009
I adored reading this book. it reads fairly fast and is filled with so many literary, historical, and social references, almost anyone can find a way to personally invest in the characters and story.
A wonderful character, just a bit too much history December 31, 2008
Oscar Wao is one of those truly novel creations of a gifted writer, a character that comes to life on the page. I actually felt for him as he struggles through the real world armed only with his conviction that by staying true to himself he will eventually find happiness. When the book is with Oscar it truly is fascinating, but the flashbacks into Trujillo's horrific reign over the Dominican Republic, while equally fascinating, don't move the story forward. Instead, they move story away from Oscar to the books detriment. While this history is a vital component to the story, the way it is presented bogs the story down into such detail that as I was wading my way through it I just kept wondering, "Where's Oscar?" But eventually Diaz gets back to Oscar's final fate, and the sense of how this would have to end becomes crystal clear; where Oscar's final words are so wonderfully appropriate to the character and the coda coming from Alan Moore's Watchmen end the book perfectly.
My two cents December 31, 2008
Once you understand and adapt to the style, you realize that Mr. Diaz has a wonderful, original prose that creates a very enjoyable story.
Plenty of thorough reviews, so I don't need to say much more than that.
I just would like to make one comment. Mr. Diaz, if you are out there, save the commentary for another book, or at least limit it. The constant footnotes distract from the story.
Fun Book December 29, 2008
Nice book. Our book group read this recently. I know virtually nothing about the Dominican Republic and got a nice feel for the culture and some history. Much was lost on me though--I might have enjoyed this more if I knew more about the culture to begin with. I admit I read this quickly for my book group and many nuances were lost on me (what is a moreno?). The narrative sometimes is difficult to follow--it switches from person to person and I got lost. Still it was enjoyable.
Recommended December 29, 2008
Perhaps one of the best character-driven novels that I have read in a very long time. I enjoyed Diaz's ability to weave between multiple generational stories, but always end up with our main character, Oscar. Lots of history and depth that makes you sympathetic to even the most unsympathetic characters. I enjoyed the historical footnotes about the Dominican Republic, although I think I might have been bogged down by them had I not listened to it, and instead read through them. Likewise on the Spanish references, of which there is no translation, and I'm sure (had I read them) I would have pronounced incorrectly. Not so with listening to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the credibility that correct pronunciation offered to Diaz's writing.
It's a sad book that left me feeling a bit morose, but those are the ones that always stay and linger with me a long time. It was hard to put down. I felt as if these were real people, which I think is a testament to the author. My hesitation in not giving it five stars is that some of the language and imagery is incredibly coarse; not for everyone. Additionally, the story is not something new, so it doesn't get huge points with me for strict originality. But what it may lack there (and be your own judge) it more than made up for by the beautiful and amazing writing style. I also loved the references to Lord of the Rings - a little added bonus for the "geek" in me!
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