Book Review: Dominicana by Angie Cruz

My Rating: 4.5⭐️

(Book: 4⭐️ ; Audio Narration: 5⭐️)

"Take the needle to the thread. Not the other way around. That’s the secret. Always yield to the needle because it’s inflexible. It’s the secret with people too. If a person seems inflexible, yield, then slip in sideways and get what you want."

Newly married to a much older man, fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion moves to New York from her home in the Dominican Republic in January 1965. We follow Ana as she tries to make sense of her new situation- a new country, new language and culture very different from the one she has been accustomed to. Her husband Juan who is both emotionally and physically abusive does not make it easy for her. Ana is young, innocent and naïve in the ways of the world but she is aware of the enormous responsibility she carries on her shoulders- the responsibility of her family back home who expect her to help them move to America once she has settled in. Only when her husband Juan travels back to the Dominican Republic for a short interval to due to business-related issues does Ana get the opportunity to experience life in her new country- learning the language, starting her own little venture selling homemade delicacies, making friends and bonding with her brother-in-law Cesar. Torn between her duties toward her family and her own happiness, Ana will have to make a choice that would determine the trajectory of her future.

Dominicana by Angie Cruz is a well-written story about a young immigrant girl who finds a way to cope with an unfavorable situation with hope, resilience and determination. The author mentions that she drew inspiration for this story from her mother’s life. Ana is smart and learns from observing the people and places around her. Not all her experiences are happy ones , but Ana does not give up. Though there are intense and disturbing moments in the narrative the author balances the heavy parties with moments of hope. I loved Ana’s joy at her new experiences in the city. While I rooted for Ana from the very beginning and enjoyed seeing her evolve into a stronger character, I did feel that the end was a bit rushed. I won’t say that this was a happy story but I am glad that it ends on a hopeful note.

I paired the book with the exceptional audio narration by Coral Peña which definitely elevated my reading experience.

I absolutely loved Angie Cruz’s How Not To Drown in a Glass of Water and I couldn’t wait to pick up more of her work. Though not as good as How Not To Drown in a Glass of Water, Dominicana does not disappoint!