The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
What is the reason I picked this book up? The Pulitzer Prize label on the cover of the book is what. But after reading the final line and closing it shut, the only thing I remembered from the book was that, Oscar finally got what he had wanted all along, which basically was to get laid. I admit that was a pretty shallow conclusion but really, here goes my honest opinion:
Oscar Wao, a fat-ass Dominican boy, who fears having to die a virgin, has a complicated and extraordinary family history. It was believed that a century-long rumored curse has befell the family, a curse that has been haunting generations, which now plagues Oscar. He is starting to believe with all the bad luck in his life, the curse might actually be real. He yearns for a girl who loves him, but the only girl that truly does is his sister Lola. Oscar has the soul of a (failed) tortured poet, an unrelenting courage to chat up girls, and the heart of a lion. I have Manny from Modern Family in mind when picturing Oscar (just way more nerdy & troubled), which leads me to think, is this the average Latin American prepubescent stereotype?
Anyway. Back to the book… This story provides narratives and perspectives from different people related to Oscar (namely his mother who is a divorcee, his protective sister, and his sister’s casanova boyfriend). The beginning grabbed me, but as I was approaching the middle where Oscar’s mom’s history was being narrated, well, Díaz lost me there. This book is peppered with Spanish terms which confused me a bit, but there are footnotes to those who need explanation (this usually goes unnoticed by an uninterested me). The protagonist had a rather fulfilling ending, if you need ask, and I have to admit I was as happy as Oscar once I’ve finally completed reading it.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is written vibrantly. Rough at the edges, but if you look close enough, you’ll manage to see the fragility of humanity in the characters illustrated by Diaz. Brief? Not quite. Wondrous? I wouldn’t go as far as that. A raw and painfully honest book that breaks the rules. Quirky, comical, and filled with rich narratives and unforgettable characters that (sort of) makes up for the misleading title, crazy Spanglish, and flimsy plot. If you want something experimental, go ahead and grab this. Just be sure to not expect a rather compendious and marvelous biography of Oscar Wao. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
-
tyrannosaurusbee liked this
-
bookcoffeeclub posted this
