I was completely enraptured by this quintessential immigrant story. It is set to be republished on April 9, 2024, following the sad passing of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos.

The story begins in 1943 when Alejo Santinio and his young wife Mercedes leave their home in Oriente Province, Cuba. They embark on a journey to the USA in search of success and magical riches. However, things do not unfold as per their plans and dreams. Alejo is overly generous to a fault. He has no clue about how to save money and soon finds comfort in the stupor of alcoholic dreams. Mercedes, on the other hand, struggles to adjust to her new life. She remains resentful of her situation and obsessively misses the people she left behind in Cuba. Naturally, their marriage suffers.

Over the course of four decades, the Santinios become parents to two sons, Horacio and Hector. Horacio, aware of the unhappiness in their dysfunctional family, enlists in the Air Force to escape the bleak life of poverty and misery he has grown up in. Hector, named after his beloved paternal uncle, is coddled by his mother and overly loved by a father who is unable to express that love effectively. His identity is stifled as he exists in a limbo, part Cuban and part American, with no firm grounding in either world.

Written in poetically beautiful language, this is not an easy book to read. Instead, it delves deep into the immigrant experience of not quite belonging anywhere, with numerous stumbling blocks and hardships at every turn. The characters are vividly brought to life, with distinct temperaments, longings, and hurts that are palpable. A magical world of dreams permeates their reality, adding a surreal quality to the storyline.

I adored every single page and every word of Hijuelo's first novel. I highly recommend it to those who relish an immersive plot that is more centered in a troubled reality rather than an uplifting one. Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have purchased a book and it is currently waiting to be read.

The anticipation is building as I look at the unopened pages, filled with the promise of new knowledge, exciting stories, or thought-provoking ideas.

I can't wait to dive into the world that the author has created, to lose myself in the words and let my imagination run wild.

Whether it's a thrilling mystery, a heartwarming romance, or a non-fiction work that will expand my understanding of the world, I know that this book has the potential to be a wonderful escape and a source of inspiration.

So, I am patiently waiting for the perfect moment to sit down, open the cover, and begin this literary adventure.

The most depressing book I've ever read was truly a disappointment.

It had a promising start, which gave me hope that it would be a great read. However, as I delved deeper into the pages, it became a never-ending cycle of drunk, abusive, and crazy people.

The author's use of weird descriptions that were repeated over and over again only added to the overall chaos and confusion.

For example, the constant mention of how happy mice are, apparently the happiest creatures on earth, seemed out of place and did not contribute to the story in any meaningful way.

Moreover, there was not a single redeeming thing about any of the characters. They were all so flawed and unlikable that it was difficult to feel any connection or empathy towards them.

It was easy to see that this was a college student's attempt at writing what he thought would be a great novel. Unfortunately, he was incorrect. The book lacked depth, coherence, and a clear narrative arc.

In conclusion, this book was a waste of time and I would not recommend it to anyone.

The American Dream is often held as an ideal that promises prosperity and opportunity for all. However, for Cuban Americans, this dream may be more complex and filled with challenges.

This novel questions the American Dream for all Cuban Americans. It delves into the painful experiences that have shaped the lives of its characters. These experiences make one wonder just how autobiographical the novel really is.

Perhaps the author has drawn from personal experiences more than they would admit. The story may be a reflection of the struggles and sacrifices that Cuban Americans have endured in their pursuit of the American Dream.

It forces readers to confront the reality that the American Dream may not be as attainable for everyone as it seems. It challenges the notion that hard work and determination are enough to overcome all obstacles.

Overall, this novel offers a thought-provoking exploration of the American Dream through the lens of Cuban Americans. It invites readers to question their own assumptions and to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences that exist within the American fabric.

Covering the time period basically from the 1930s through the '70s, this multi-generational Cuban-American family epic takes us on a journey. It begins with the aristocratic Sorrea family in eastern Cuba. Mercedes, the second of three daughters, often sees the ghost of her father and has dreams. She marries Alejo Santinio, who desires a more exciting life away from rural Cuba. So, they decide to emigrate to the United States with their two boys, Hector and his older brother Horacio. This story then becomes Hector's tale as he seems to have inherited his mother's phantasmagoric sensitivities. The changes in Cuba up to Castro's era and in the United States over those decades serve as the backdrop. What I liked most about this novel is the flavor of the dream-like recollections. It relies on wistful passages and very little dialogue. This presents a delicate balance for the author. The story sometimes threatens to drift away, unmoored by the delicate prose and description. However, it ultimately proves to be a firm enough foundation to support a reincarnation recollection that goes all the way back to Columbus.

I have finally finished reading this book. However, I cannot truthfully claim that I derived any enjoyment from it. It is a truly depressing story that seems to drag on and on.

As I reached the last few pages, I was completely taken aback. The plot took a rather strange turn and seemed to be completely disconnected from the rest of the story. It was as if the author had suddenly decided to veer off in a completely different direction without any regard for the coherence of the narrative.

Overall, I would rate this book at a mere 2.5 stars. While it may have had some redeeming qualities, such as the author's writing style, the overall experience was marred by the depressing nature of the story and the disjointed ending. I would not recommend this book to others who are looking for an engaging and enjoyable read.

The story of a family is truly a saga. It begins with the happy days they spent in Cuba. In the 1940s, they make the decision to move to New York, hoping for a better life. However, as the years pass from the 1940s to the 1960s and then to the 1980s, their lives take a tragic turn.

The once happy young couple who left Cuba for a better future now face a completely different reality. He becomes a drunk, losing control and taking out his frustrations by beating his wife and children. Meanwhile, she transforms into a crazy woman, constantly yelling at her husband and children.

I find myself engrossed in reading this novel, eagerly waiting for the situation to improve. But alas, it doesn't seem to get any better. The story continues to unfold, revealing the downward spiral of this family, leaving me with a sense of sadness and disappointment.

What a wonderful treat it is to revisit Oscar Hijuelos by delving into his first novel, Our House in the Last World.

Hijuelos writes with a distinct rhythm that is truly unmistakable. As you peruse the pages, it's as if there is a Cuban guitarist gently strumming in the background, adding a touch of authenticity and charm.

Although he sometimes writes about brutality and heartache, Hijuelos offers a beautiful and poignant glimpse into what it means to be Cuban-American. To be uprooted from one's homeland, longing to hold onto one's birthright while simultaneously striving to make it in a new country is a complex and often painful experience.

In Hijuelos's novels, some characters succeed, while others do not. But the journey itself is the delight, even as we witness characters who are terribly flawed by their longings.

Our House in the Last World tells the story of Alejo Santinio and his wife Mercedes as they raise their two sons in mid-20th century New York City. Having immigrated from Cuba just a few years before Castro took over the country, they find themselves in a new and unfamiliar environment.

While other immigrant relatives and friends are adjusting to the new country, putting down roots, and achieving success, Alejo is like a fish out of water. He struggles throughout his residency in NYC, taking out his frustrations on his wife and sons.

Mercedes, on the other hand, is extremely unhappy. She cannot cope with the poverty that she has been thrust into by her husband. She endures his irresponsible spending on others in an attempt to impress them, as well as his brutality towards her. All the while, she also has to suffer the hatefulness of Alejo's sister Buita, who despises Mercedes and would do anything to take her two sons and raise them as her own.

Our House in the Last World is a powerful examination of how we deal with our fates. Despite the fact that it portrays a man whose life seems wasted and thrown away, we see that Alejo's sons and his wife have grown and learned from having known him. It is a testament to the power of human connection and the ability to find meaning and growth even in the most difficult of circumstances.

I have a profound and abiding interest in both immigrant stories and tales set in New York. This is precisely why I was irresistibly drawn to "Our House in the Last World" by Oscar Hijuelos, especially considering the author's prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

The writing quality of this debut novel is truly remarkable, with its nuanced and detailed characterization. However, the plot, unfortunately, proves to be rather exhausting. The family depicted in the book, having migrated from Cuba to New York, persists in remaining unhappy and unsuccessful, primarily due to their entrenched old-country mindsets. Their frustrations and limitations ultimately lead to their unraveling and the traumatization of their children.

While Hijuelos does manage to make the characters sympathetic through their portrayal of human flaws, the overall story is emotionally laborious and not particularly enjoyable. Nevertheless, it does offer a fascinating and captivating look into Cuban and Cuban American cultures, providing valuable insights and perspectives that are both thought-provoking and engaging.

Really fucking sad and absolutely beautiful. This simple sentence holds a world of emotions and contradictions. It's as if a storm of sadness is colliding with a breathtaking beauty, creating a chaos that is both overwhelming and captivating.

The sadness could be the result of a lost love, a broken dream, or a tragic event. It weighs heavy on the heart, making it difficult to breathe at times. But within that sadness, there is also a glimmer of beauty. Maybe it's the beauty of acceptance, the beauty of learning from pain, or the beauty of finding strength in the midst of weakness.

It's a reminder that life is not always black and white, but a complex tapestry of emotions and experiences. Sometimes, the most beautiful things can emerge from the darkest of places. And even when we are feeling really fucking sad, there is still a chance to find something absolutely beautiful.

It wasn't a truly remarkable book by any means. However, for some mysterious reason, I found myself dreaming about it last night. The details of the dream are a bit hazy now, but I remember that the book seemed to take on a life of its own. It was as if the characters and the story within its pages came alive and interacted with me in ways I never expected. I could feel their emotions and experiences as if they were my own. Maybe it was because I had been thinking about the book earlier in the day, or perhaps there was something deeper within my subconscious that was drawn to its themes. Whatever the reason, it was a strange and somewhat fascinating experience.

If it were available, I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

I generally had a favorable impression of this book. However, similar to "Mambo Kings," I noticed that Hijuelos' writing style is somewhat repetitive.

Thankfully, unlike in "Mambo Kings," he managed to keep this book to a more reasonable length.

This made the reading experience more enjoyable and less tiresome.

Considering the price I paid, which was only $1, I firmly believe that this book was definitely worth it.

It offered an interesting story and some engaging characters, despite the repetitive writing.

Overall, I would recommend this book to others, especially those who are looking for an affordable and relatively quick read.