I was impressed by the novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz. It's not perfect technically (for example, there are some inconsistencies in the narration) but it is highly spirited, humorous and touching. The story of the nerdy, needy Dominican young man, in the final analysis, is a sad one, with an unmistakable air of tragic inevitability. But despite the potential for a dark tone (as several other characters such as Oscar's mother and indeed, the collective tragedy of the Dominican Republic could color it darkly), the book sparkles with wit and slick street-smart style. Oscar is a sympathetic but frustrating character. Family and friends make up a strong support set of colorful characters. All-in-all, the book is a strange mixture of humor and tragedy. It's energetic and at times laugh out loud funny, very impressive as a first novel and definitely worth reading.
For a review of the book from The Guardian, click here:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/feb/23/featuresreviews.guardianreview20
For a review of the book from The Guardian, click here:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/feb/23/featuresreviews.guardianreview20
