At the age of 15, Ana is the hope of her family in the Dominican Republic. El Jefe has just died, and her Papa sells land to the Ruiz brothers - and as part of the deal, Juan Ruiz and Ana marry and go to New York. Mama is determined she will send them money and eventually the family will migrate as well. But Ana finds herself alone in a strange place where she doesn't know the language and her husband, in love with someone else, suddenly doesn't seem all that interested in helping her family.

Author Angie Cruz tells a story inspired by her own mother and others who had similar experiences moving from the Dominican Republic to Washington Heights. Ana is a strong character and really grows into her own as she becomes pregnant and carves out a life for herself. Her experiences and that of her family are sometimes hard to read about it, but it's realistic and still allows glimpses of hope. ( )

I read this book in one day. Descriptive, to say the least. I could feel the hot breeze of the Dominican, and smell the stale air of a hot NYC apartment. Angie Cruz, the author, showcased Ana and her life as a citizen of the Dominican, translate to NYC, a family's only hope, a girl coming of age in a land far away from any family, a wife, a lover, an ESL student, a friend, and so many other characters she is asked or thrown in to play during her life.

Anyone who picks up this book will fall in love with it and with Angie Curz. Bravo! Ms. Cruz left me wanting more. ( )

Although Ana isn't exactly keen on marrying at fifteen to a man she is barely acquainted with, she knows full well that her Dominican family is counting on her to make their own aspirations a reality. If she marries Juan Ruiz, he'll take her to New York, where she will eventually be able to send for the rest of her family. As far as husbands go, Juan isn't awful, but neither is he warm or loving...and he has a bit of a temper. Ana's life in the vibrant city of New York is more isolated and lonely than she had expected.

It took me a chapter or two to really get into the narrative, but then suddenly I was sucked in for good and couldn't put it down. The story, characters, conversations, circumstances, heartbreak — everything felt so real, and the writing was wonderfully done. That this book was based on the author's mother's life and experiences made it feel all the more meaningful. ( )

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! ( )

Book Club 5/8/23
El último día de 1964, la quinceañera Ana Canción se casa con Juan Ruiz, un hombre veinte años mayor que ella, en el campo dominicano. Al día siguiente se vuelve Ana Ruiz, una esposa confinada a un apartamento de un cuarto en Washington Heights. Juan la engaña, abusa y controla, hasta le prohíbe aprender inglés. Después de un intento fallido de fuga, Ana se entera de que está embarazada. Su madre y su esposo comparan su embarazo a ganar la lotería, su niña tendrá ciudadanía estadounidense. Juan vuelve a la República Dominicana cuando la guerra civil comienza, dejando a César, su hermano, cuidando a Ana. Durante ese descanso del confinamiento ella se enamora genuinamente, lo cual despierta su voluntad de pelear por independizarse de su abusador y por su derecho de permanecer en su patria adoptiva. Un retrato atemporal de feminidad y ciudadanía, que sigue vigente en esta época de migración forzada.