Jenny Reviews: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

The Vitals

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Release Date: 6 September 2007
Page Count: 335
Genre: Contemporary; Historical Fiction
Target Audience: Adult
Series: No
Source and Format: Purchased; Paperback

Summary (From Goodreads)

Things have never been easy for Oscar, a sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd, a New Jersey romantic who dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and, most of all, of finding love. But he may never get what he wants, thanks to the fukú — the ancient curse that has haunted Oscar's family for generations, dooming them to prison, torture, tragic accidents, and, above all, ill-starred love. Oscar, still dreaming of his first kiss, is only its most recent victim - until the fateful summer that he decides to be its last.

With dazzling energy and insight, Junot Díaz immerses us in the uproarious lives of our hero Oscar, his runaway sister Lola, and their ferocious beauty-queen mother Belicia, and in the epic journey from Santo Domingo to Washington Heights to New Jersey's Bergenline and back again. Rendered with uncommon warmth and humor, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao presents an astonishing vision of the contemporary American experience and the endless human capacity to persevere - and to risk it all - in the name of love.

Notes on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
This book is my favorite of the semester. As the title suggests, it is a story about a boy named Oscar. That is just the surface story, though. It is a book about Oscar's family and his one friend, and the many seemingly ordinary events that make up their lives. There are two narrators, and neither is Oscar, which means we learn about his life from others. The book is filled with Spanish words, but don't let that put you off. It adds to the authenticity of the book. You feel the Dominican-ness of the characters. 

This novel is one that sticks with you. My students had to write a response telling me why Oscar's life was considered wondrous; it is a good idea to keep that question in mind when you are reading it. He is the epitome of nerd in a culture that is known for machismo. It seems that there is nothing wondrous about his life, that perhaps tragic would be a better adjective. The beauty of his life is his refusal to give up on love and his refusal to change who he is in order to fit in. 

It is not a happy-go-lucky book; life is hard, especially life under a dictator. There are a ton of bad words, lots of talking about sex (though no sex scenes), and several beatings. It is a messy novel because life is messy. My students loved it. I dare you to read it and not fall a little in love with Oscar yourself. 

Overall Diagnosis

Get a Second Opinion

• Amanda at Late Nights with Good Books - "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is literary fiction at its finest...Highly recommended for those who aren't afraid of crude language, who want a thought-provoking, lasting read that offers a glimpse into another culture and its history."