Unabridged Audiobook
Horribly boring book, with no purpose. I got about halfway done and couldn't force myself to continue listening any longer.
This audiobook truly made this story come alive. It is rich in non-fictional detailed history and tells the story of a fictional family. At times in the beginning of the book, it may feel like the history drags on, but that's because the narrator is reading what is reference and subtext material in the book. I appreciated that he included that. Since listening in 2010, this piece of literature remains in my top five favorite books of all time.
This was a really good experience and I actually liked it. The only problem is that the reader is really slow.
I like books set in a historical setting, even if that setting is recent. Listening to this book showed me how ignorant of the politics and history of the Dominican Republic I was. Also because it was wrapped in an interesting story I learned something while enjoying it. There is a lot of use of the "N" word in this book, but it seems to be used to make the language seem authenticate and not as a slur. I thought it was funny that the reader seemed to have an easier time saying that then the word ain't. Every time he had to use ain't it seemed almost painful for him to utter. This book is 1/3 Spanish, 1/3 geek, 1/3 History/Politics. My Spanish is a bit rusty but passible enough that the Spanish portions of the text were understandable and I have a current geek card so I was able to understand those references. I think if you are missing both the geek references and the spanish text you'll have a hard time getting into the story and understanding what is going on.
After seeing this book listed as one of the best of 2007, I decided to give it a try, but it was not for me. The long passages regarding the politics of the Dominican Republic detracted from the flow of the story. The untranslated Spanish phrases and cultural references made me feel like an outsider. Also, the frequent use of the "n word" was offensive. When I realized that I was no longer looking forward to listening, I gave it up (something I rarely do). I guess I will never find out what made Oscar's life "wondrous".
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