Mare Kinley answers “Do you think this book was good enough to...”

Carl Koenemann asked this question about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao:

Do you think this book was good enough to warrant the high accolades it went on to receive?

Mare Kinley I think, "Yes." Definitely "yes."

Here's why.

I came to this book from the opposite end. It had been recommended to me in the context of being a great …moreI think, "Yes." Definitely "yes."

Here's why.

I came to this book from the opposite end. It had been recommended to me in the context of being a great YA book that many of my students could relate to. I wasn't aware until later that it was a Pulitzer winner. Therefore, my expectations were pretty low as it's been a very, very long time since I was a YA and I find it harder to tolerate the genre with each passing year.

It is NOT a YA novel. It's simply a novel which features a YA. I agree with almost everything Gabriela said except for her criticism of you for asking this question.

I disagree with those who fault the book for its narrative style. I happen to think it's brilliant. In the course of the novel, the reader is also given a non-fiction Dominican history lesson as well as a piece of historical fiction that all weave around and through the main plot and still manage to make a cohesive whole. Impressed the hell out of me.

As for the criticisms about the interspersion of Spanish, I admit that I really enjoyed the opportunity to see if my pretty weak Spanish was up to it. With assistance from context, it was, and I got to improve my street Spanish. So for me, it was a definite win. I can see, however, that, for those with no Spanish at all to fall back on, it could be distracting.

Just my two cents. Then again, I'm just a person who read a book. Same as anyone else who asked or answered.(less)

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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

by Junot Díaz

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