‘Exotic, original and spirited, it’s written with huge energy and heart’ – so says the Guardian’s endorsement on the front cover of my paperback copy of Junot Díaz’s “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”. And the Guardian isn’t wrong. The novel is fizzing and effervescent – so much so that it didn’t matter that I couldn’t understand the Spanish when it appeared, the novel just carried me along.
So, all good? Well, I have two observations. The first is that the chronological chopping and changing doesn’t work for me. And the second is that the narrative seems more about a family dynasty than a single individual. Yes, the book begins and ends with Oscar, but there’s a great deal in the middle (the pre-history if you like) where he doesn’t even appear. Would it be a ‘better’ book if told chronologically and/or had a different title? I don’t know. Do I mind? Only marginally.
If you want an emotional fizz-pop of a book, you could do a lot worse than “Oscar Wao”.
Ian Gouge - Writer 