Fun, sinewy, showy, super-charged read told in a rapid patois of Spanglish nerd. Not entirely life-changing nor mind-blowing, but still absorbing, brisk, and frenetic. Could be leaner and meaner, but all-in-all lit by a real, pulsating warmth and affection for each character. ( )

I really enjoyed this book.

It tells the story of Oscar de Leon (nicknamed Oscar Wao in reference to Oscar Wilde). He sees himself as the antithesis of what a Dominican male should be. Overweight, bookish, SF movie watching, journal writing , and worst of all NO luck with the ladies. His story is told from several points of view (his own, his sister Lola, his friend Yunior, and other family members).

They take us on a journey through Oscar's life, and also through the birth and reasons behind the family fuku (bad karma) that flows through every action and possible outcome, predetermining the worst outcome. You get a up close look at the Dominican Republic's history especially the era of the dictator Trujillo, a regime as oppressive as any dictator in history, that operated for over 40 years in obscurity to the outside world, but with devastating consequence to the people, including Oscar and his family.

The characters are believable, neither glorified nor reviled, just trying to survive. They leave the Dominican and immigrate to Nuevo Yol in search of freedom and a better life. But what can be done with the ever present fuku? It seems you cannot escape!

I found Oscar and his family's story fascinating. Each generations struggle to escape the repressive situation in which they live and struggle toward a better life. Oscar struggles to become a man and find love and happiness in his life. Will he succeed? Read and find out! ( )

Holy crow, y'all. Junot Diaz is the real deal. ( )

Quirky and honest, the story of an unexpected hero. ( )

The undoubtedly brief, yet questionably wondrous life of Oscar de León is one of an overweight nerd, who is impossible to hate. Oscar, our hero, is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey. He is not like your stereotypical "Dominican cat." Oscar is no playboy and certainly no ballplayer. In fact, he is rather nerdy and socially awkward.

While Oscar is clearly the novel's main character and protagonist, he is certainly not the only loveable, relatable character. The novel is multifaceted, enhanced by its many layers.

The book looks back on Oscar's family history, reaching all the way back to his grandparent's struggles living in the Dominican during the reign of Trujillo. On the way, we see the story of Oscar's mother and sister as well, each as complicated as the next. Oscar attributes the crazy happenings of his family to a Dominican curse- fukú. He is certain this is the reason why he cannot get a girlfriend, his sister ran away, and his grandfather was tortured and murdered.

The book is written in an easy to follow blend of English and Spanish. The text is riddled with Spanish colloquialisms that even the most novice speaker can easily understand. The text also contains many footnotes which, oftentimes, is where the author, Diaz's, wit truly shows. While these footnotes and "Spanglish" could be considered distracting, I found them both to be extremely informative and interesting. ( )