Books Unlimited | New & Used Bookstore | Franklin, NC – buyprobolan50.co.uk
Books Unlimited owned by Lyle Fitzgerald is a locally owned used bookstore
Dominicana Kindle º Hardcover
Angie Cruz10 on Dominicana
10 thoughts on "Dominicana"
Roxane Roxane	says:
Engrossing story about a 15 year old girl who is forced to marry a much older man and move to NYC where she knows no one and doesn't speak the language It's a story of how she grows into herself and it is beautifully told Interesting structure that sometimes doesn't work but still the story itself and Ana the protagonist are terrifically interesting Loved this
Rincey Rincey	says:
I got so engrossed in this novel that I accidentally took too long of a lunch break And then I got so engrossed again later that night that I almost forgot to leave my house to go hang out with my friend So yeah I think you could say I enjoyed this bookWatch my full review
Nilufer Ozmekik Nilufer Ozmekik	says:
Four yesss another heart wrenching powerful emotional shaking you to the cores kind of amazing story about a young woman who learn how to get out of the restraints and earn her own independence stars Young Ana didn't know what kind of future she was about to embrace when she left her life in Dominican countryside by accepting Juan's marriage proposal and moved to NYC in mid 60'sFinally she realizes that is not only a journey to another continent city culture civilization but that is also a big journey to her self discovery She begins to learn how to survive in difficult situations and lighten up her mood at the darkest times Her communication with her doll was outstanding and so emotional that reminds us even she's married woman she is still a young childShe's struggling to get rid of her boring life she has to live with her abusing and neglecting husband but she also needed to support her family financially and help them immigrate to the states So that's her dilemma that she needed to find a way to accept her realities and resume her new life Her interactions with her brother in law helped her feel still alive and discover about herself and see the different life forms from different perspectives to broaden her horizon As the time passed she was not the naïve little girl who was trapped in a marriage forced to live in a foreign country She developed grew up adapted She learned about her own flaws her weaknesses her strengths She was not a victim any she was fighter survivor I like her journey I like heartwarming storytelling The only thing I didn't like much is ending of the book I think this epic moving colorful journey deserved meaningful ending But that's just my opinion Mostly this is really good written book and I loved to read every part of Ana's story Well done Angie Cruz looking forward to read books of yoursThanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for sharing ARC COPY of this emotional journey in exchange my honest review
Angela M Angela M	says:
"The first time Juan Ruiz proposes I'm eleven years old skinny and flat chested I'm half asleep my frizzy hair has busted out from a rubber band and my dress is on backwards" I couldn't help but smile as the novel opens picturing eleven year old Ana Cancion It was hard to smile when at fifteen Ana is in an arranged marriage with Juan who is thirty two She is sent with him to the US by her family with the hopes of "money and papers" and a better life She didn't want to go and it was a pitiful sight to see what this young girl is made to endure for the sake of her family This is the immigrant experience with the backdrop of 1965 New York City and we see it through the inner thoughts of a young girl We get an intimate look at her fear her loneliness her confusion All she has are these words from her mother"I promise nothing bad will happen to you You go to New York and you clean his house and cook for him the kind of food that will make him return home every night Never let him walk out of the house with a wrinkled shirtI'll come to New York as soon as you send for me to be with you and together we'll build something"Ana finds that things are not as she thought when she arrives at Juan's filthy walkup apartment and faces his infidelity and abuse But Ana is strong and has the desire for When Juan returns to the Dominican Republic concerned about business endeavors during this time of political unrest there she takes this opportunity to take English classes sell food at the factory where Juan's brother Cesar works and to spread her wings and open her heart when she thought it was impossible It was a joy to watch her grow to experience life The story is filled with the tension between loyalty to family and personal happiness The relationships are complicated and Ana's future is dependent on a decision she has to make She is definitely not the same fifteen year old girl at the end of the book as she was when she stepped off the plane months before I rooted for her every step of the way hoping for for her as she hoped for herself It's a wonderfully written story funny and sad heartbreaking and hopeful I read in an interview with Cruz that Ana's story is based on her mother's story and that makes this so much meaningful This is a link to that interview but I recommend that you read it after you've read the book received an advanced copy of this book from Flatiron Books through Edelweiss
Brina Brina	says:
In anticipation of new books by Isabel Allende and Julia Alvarez this year I decided to get a heads up on my Latina amiga reading with Dominicana by Angie Cruz Dominicana has been touted as a story of immigration for all times that every American can relate to It has been lauded by Alvarez and Sandra Cisneros another favorite author of mine and even was the inaugural pick for Good Morning America's book club Always on the look out for fresh Latina writing I decided to pick up a copy It is the early 1960s and the Canción family lives in poverty in Guayacanes Dominican Republic The parents have almost no education and live a life of poverty but the mother believes that if they can move to New York everything will be better an adherent of the American dream before even stepping foot on American soil The Ruiz brothers have been eyeing the Canciones' land for years businessmen determined to expand their fledgling empire that consists of all of one restaurant A match between the two families would insure that the Ruiz' would get their land and the Canciones could begin to immigrate to New York One issue preventing the coming together of the two families is that Juan Ruiz a so called savvy New York businessman is thirty years old and his would be bride Ana is a mere fifteen a school girl and uninterested in leaving her family Yet with political unrest surrounding the island Ana's mother pleads with her to marry Juan and leave paving the way for the rest of the family to follow her to a better opportunity Cruz has said that Ana's story is her mother's story of immigration to New York and research for this book has been pulled from years of interviews with family and friends Ana's voice rings clear as she navigates being a newly arrived teenager to an intimidating city not being able to speak the language knowing no one Juan is a stereotypical Hispanic male and rubbed me all the wrong ways He has a woman on the side after years as a bachelor tells Ana to always remain in their apartment and do his bidding and even becomes abusive if she does not measure up to his mistress Getting Ana pregnant with his future child does nothing to alleviate Juan's behavior patterns that appear all too often in Hispanic machismo culture My dislike of Juan even though he managed to make it in New York to a certain extent downgraded my overall like for this book but I was determined to make it work for me Ana Ruiz is also a archetypal portrait of an immigrant Juan has to return to return to the Dominican Republic amidst the political unrest there and Ana flourishes She takes English classes ventures out of her apartment with her brother in law Cesar cooks traditional foods to stay rooted to her culture and actually appears to be making it in America This is only because Juan has left her in Cesar's care and Ana full of hormones finds herself falling for her brother in law in a way she could never love her husband I thought this relationship was too cliched but I enjoyed how Cesar convinces Ana to sell food to factory workers and earn her own money her own American Dream He takes her to the movies and dancing to Coney Island and the World's Fair and the two of them fall for each other making plans to start a new life without Juan Whether this aspect of the story is part of Cruz' mother's story or not the love triangle turned an otherwise uality Latina written story into a telenovela Maybe I have been spoiled after all these years reading Allende and Alvarez Cisneros and Garcia They were the pioneers and their early work paved the way for new generations of Hispanic women writers writers like Angie Cruz The historical fiction in this story upheaval in the Dominican Republic the assassination of Malcolm X Juan Marichal worked for me The stereotypical Hispanic characters did not I do like how Ana gets stronger as the novel progresses determined to make it in New York to give her family a better chance in life If this was actually the case for Cruz' mother then her family did just fine in the United States I am willing to give this author a second chance and hope that her characters work better for me a second time around 35 stars
Elyse Walters Elyse Walters	says:
Audiobooknarrated by Coral PenaI totally enjoyed this coming of age story about Ana a young girl who immigrants to New Yorkby this wonderful Dominican author who now lives in AmericaThe bonus interview with the author at the end of the Audiobook was great too Angie talks about storytelling contributing to social change 'This' story set in the 60's was inspired by her mother ANGIE is inspiring to listen to and very likableThis fiction tale allows us to understand women immigrants who came to the United States in the 60'stheir circumstances challenges skin color working being in a new marriage and language struggles they had to face every day There's a lot vivid imagery from The Dominican Republic as well as NYC VERY HEARTFELT from beginning to end Powerful entertaining novelLoved it
Kelly (and the Book Boar) Kelly (and the Book Boar)	says:
Find all of my reviews at ♫♪♫♪ COMMUNITYIn the heightsI flip the lights and start my dayThere are fightsWOMENAnd endless debtsMENAnd bills to pay♫♪♫♪I'm so disappointed that I found this to be disappointing but sadly that's the case As you can see from above this story reminded me a bit of another that was already done – and better And before anyone jumps my ass and tells me these stories aren't alike at all and I realize that it may seem like a bit of apples and oranges – so let me explain The problem with Dominicana is there is not much to it Told from the perspective of 15 year old Ana who has been smuggled pretty much into America by a "husband" twice her age you only get to know what she knows andor understands which translates into some pretty flat characters Ana's life mainly consists of the small apartment where she and Juan live and when monumental historical events ie Malcolm X's assassination conveniently happen literally outside of her door she's oblivious to their significance which make them seem thrown in just to remind readers that this is an attempt at being a "historical" novel Juan the kidnapperhusband depending on your viewpoint I guess has a job is able to send money back to the DR and invests in property acuisitionbuilding development with his brothers but no details are given regarding anything The story development would lead you to believe this arranged marriage was organized in order to benefit Juan's family yet he holds up his end of the bargain spoiler here so watch out view spoilerregarding bringing Ana's mother and brother to the US hide spoiler
Rachel Rachel	says:
Dominicana was one of the flattest and most poorly written things I have read in a while There was a sort of painful obviousness to the way this entire story was told; if you've read even a single historical fiction novel about immigration this will offer nothing new or fresh or dynamic The whole thing unfolded so predictably that I don't think I experienced a single moment of tension or anxiety while readingThat's mostly down to the fact that Angie Cruz never earned my investment and I didn't believe any of it; I didn't believe the story and I didn't believe the characters At one point in this book Ana the narrator has resolved to leave her husband Juan and return to the Dominican Republic Juan is abusive a decision which I found frustrating in and of itself the arranged marriage with an abusive black immigrant husband was chock full of stereotypes none of them challenged and Juan has just choked her so hard she passed out She wakes up terrified puts on all of the clothes she owns and runs to the bus terminal where she happens to run into her brother in law César While reminding you that Ana was AFRAID FOR HER LIFE moments ago this is how the exchange between Ana and César is written He pulls out a cigarette from his jacket pocket You leaving without saying good bye?It's not like you're ever around busy with all your girls I say it in a voice I don't recognize Why am I flirting? Now? And with César Some other choice uotes to illustrate the egregious prose I just wish he would say to me that I'm beautiful whisper in my ear that I'm his only little bird and mean it That he would cover the bed with flowers and look at me like a man in love like Gabriel looked at me as if my curves were a riddle Juan is pale César the color of the crunchy skin off of juicy roast chicken thigh creamy hot chocolate buttered toast dark honey the broth of slow cooked sancocho I love him I fucking love him His mischievous eyes his firm ass his muscular legs Moreover this book was a structural enigma to me It felt to me like Angie Cruz was so determined to Capture the Immigrant Experience that she crammed in as many details as possible to further this goal while following through on none of them The historical details felt shoehorned in to remind the reader of historical context Malcolm X is assassinated right outside Ana's door conveniently while lacking sufficient commentary; none of the characters' motives are really explored outside of Ana's and therefore everyone feels like a caricature or a plot device; the way Cruz attempted to balance Ana's first person narration in New York with updates from back home was perplexing The result is a disjointed messThe one thing I thought Angie Cruz did well was capture Ana's loneliness and alienation in the United States but even the strength of this element began to wane once Ana met César Ultimately I hated reading this and how it earned its way onto the Women's Prize longlist is beyond me
Hugh Hugh	says:
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize 2020This is my fifth of the six books on this year's Women's prize shortlist and so far it is a very strong list I really enjoyed this story inspired by Cruz's mother of a Dominican immigrant's first years in New York in the mid 60s as a young bride Cruz captures the period and the situation very well and her story is readable and uite moving in placesThe heroine Ana is expected by her family to marry Juan whose family are regarded in the Dominican Republic as a successful one At 15 she agrees to join him in New York and he arranges fake documentation to facilitate this On arrival she discovers that many of her expectations were empty dreams but by the end of the book she has established herself despite a husband who discourages her aspirations and already has a married lover who he cares for
Richard Derus Richard Derus	says:
THIS ENTIRE REVIEW MUST BE READ AT YOUR OWN RISKThe pages turnedview spoilerOn page 48 Ana Canción gets raped by Juan the man she's already agreed to marry in order to escape Rafael Trujillo's repressive Dominican Republic for a better life in New York CityThey get to New York start a tailoring business and Ana gets pregnant Yay She decides to run away from Juan but his brother César convinces her to come back be with him Some things happen; Juan gets a mistress; Ana's pregnancy drags on and on and on; César leaves for Boston leaves her finally tasting love pregnant ass with violent Juan who is in love with another woman hide spoiler
➥ [Epub] ➟ Dominicana By Angie Cruz ➯ – Buyprobolan50.co.uk Fifteen year old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York Cit Fifteen year old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City she has to say yes It doesn't matter that he is twice her age that there is no love between them Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close knit family to eventually immigrate So on New Year's Day Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz a wife confined to a cold six floor walk up in Washington Heights Lonely and miserable Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape But at the bus terminal she is stopped by Cesar Juan's free spirited younger brother who convinces her to stayAs the Dominican Republic slides into political turmoil Juan returns to protect his family's assets leaving Cesar to take care of Ana Suddenly Ana is free to take English lessons at a local church lie on the beach at Coney Island see a movie at Radio City Music Hall go dancing with Cesar and imagine the possibility of a different kind of life in America When Juan returns Ana must decide once again between her heart and her duty to her family.
Angie Cruz
About the Author: Angie Cruz
Angie Cruz was conceived in Dominican Republic and born in in New York City's Washington Heights She continued to travel to and from every summer until she was sixteen years old She went to La Guardia High School concentrating on Visual Arts and by default decided to follow a path in Fashion Design at Fashion Institute of Technology During those four years of college she worked as a sal.
The Winter Sea
Becoming Marie Antoinette
Sharpe's Tiger
Ross Poldark
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution
Louis the Well Beloved
Faro's Daughter
The Road to Compiegne
The Convenient Marriage
Flaunting, Extravagant Queen
Scattered Seeds
Blood on the Snow
Heart of Oak
Catherine: The Great Journey, Russia, 1743
The Venetian Mask
The Queen's Dollmaker
The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette
The Sisters of Versailles
Slammerkin
To Dance with Kings
Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow
Redcoat
Devil's Cub
In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story
Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe
These Old Shades
The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.
© Copyright Books Unlimited | New & Used Bookstore | Franklin, NC – buyprobolan50.co.uk
QuickPress Theme • Powered by WordPress