The Brief and Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Pg 335 (Fiction)

Oscar was the ultimate geek. Star Trek, Dungeons and Dragons, Comic Books and Asimov were his life. He was fat and ugly. The direct opposite of what a Dominican is supposed to be. Dominicanos are the ladies’ men. Oscar was anything but. The title would lead you to believe that the book is all about him. It is really about his family. Even more so about his families’ curse or as it is called in the book it’s Fuku.

The book follows his life growing up. The taunting by his peers. The late nights developing Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. The total lack of any female companionship. Eventually, he enters college and rooms with his sister’s former boyfriend. You realize that Yunior is the book’s author. Yunior tried to help him out; tried to take his life out of the sad loneliness that it has become. He fails.

Here the book starts to jump around in time. You spend some time with his sister. You find out a lot of his mother’s history. How she grew up in the Dominican Republic under the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. People that speak up against Trujillo are found dead in the cane fields. Oscar’s mother, Beli, was raised by her aunt, La Inca. He parents were dead. The repressive Trujillo regime made sure of that.
You go further back in time and follow the story of Beli’s parents as well.

The curse gets to everyone in the family. Oscar, his mom, and his grandparents all are affected by it’s spite. Oscar finally goes back to the Dominican Republic and spends time with La Inca. While there he meets the woman of his dreams and falls in love. This has happened a million times before. As he passes a woman on the street he falls in love, marries, has children and grows old together before she is out of sight. This one is different. This love is different though. The love will truly bring the Fuku down upon him.

Daiz’ wring style is very appealing to me. It flows easily, and surprises with juxtapositions and other writing joys. He adds Oscar’s lifestyle into the work. Since Oscar is so obsessed with games and writing the author makes comments that one would expect Oscar to say. For example: When a man gets punched in the face. He comments something like; the guy must have taken at least 35 hit points of damage. Although the feel of the book is dark and sad, his style of writing has a light, playful feel to it.

Emotional: 5 – This book gets deep into the feelings and thoughts of the characters. Although the book is fiction you know that the things that happen are real.

Intellectual: 3 – The writing is superb and very enjoyable. The book is entertaining from a writing and reading standpoint. It also delves into Dominican history.

Long Term: 4 – It won a Pulitzer Prize. That tends to keep a book’s visibility up. The book is very deserving of the attention.

12 out of 13 - This is a great book. Most anyone would find this book worth reading. There are parts of heavy violence that could be a detriment for some, but the story is worth the sacrifice.

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