Dominicana

By: Angie Cruz

Narrated by: Coral Peña

Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

One of Esquire Magazine's 2019 Best Books of the Year

A Good Morning America Cover to Cover Book Club Pick

This program includes a bonus conversation with the author.

Named a Most Anticipated Book by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, O Magazine, Time, Real Simple, Chicago Review of Books, Kirkus Reviews, Nylon, BuzzFeed, Lit Hub, The Millions, InStyle, Bustle, Refinery29, Hello Giggles, AARP, Domino

"Coral Pena's strong delivery is a breath of fresh air...a master of accents and emotion, bringing genuine pathos to the story." (AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner)

Fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America, the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did. But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to say yes. It doesn’t matter that he is twice her age, that there is no love between them. Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close-knit family to eventually immigrate. So on New Year’s Day, 1965, Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz, a wife confined to a cold six-floor walk-up in Washington Heights. Lonely and miserable, Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape. But at the bus terminal, she is stopped by Cesar, Juan’s free-spirited younger brother, who convinces her to stay.

As the Dominican Republic slides into political turmoil, Juan returns to protect his family’s assets, leaving Cesar to take care of Ana. Suddenly, Ana is free to take English lessons at a local church, lie on the beach at Coney Island, see a movie at Radio City Music Hall, go dancing with Cesar, and imagine the possibility of a different kind of life in America. When Juan returns, Ana must decide once again between her heart and her duty to her family.

In bright, musical prose that reflects the energy of New York City, Angie Cruz's Dominicana is a vital portrait of the immigrant experience and the timeless coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her voice in the world.

Praise for Dominicana:

"Through a novel with so much depth, beauty, and grace, we, like Ana, are forever changed." (Jacqueline Woodson, Vanity Fair)

"Gorgeous writing, gorgeous story." (Sandra Cisneros)

©2019 Angie Cruz (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Coral Pena's strong delivery is a breath of fresh air - her depiction of Ana blends confidence and naïveté as the protagonist makes her way from her home in the Dominican Republic to New York, from a simple life to a complicated one. Pena is a master of accents and emotion, bringing genuine pathos to the story. At times, her pace quickens precipitously, but the overall impact of her elegant narrative is appealing." (AudioFile Earphone Award)

"Lovely... Compelling... An intimate portrait of the transactional nature of marriage and the economics of both womanhood and citizenship, one all too familiar to many first-generation Americans." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Through a novel with so much depth, beauty, and grace, we, like Ana, are forever changed." (Jacqueline Woodson, Vanity Fair)

I love this book!! The depth and the production.

loved it. funny, loving, insightful, tender...took me into the DR and Washington Heights - 1960's.

Representation is important

Dominicana is a great story that tells the Dominican immigrant story of the 60s masterfully.

A perfect portrait.

I love how Angie so stubbornly places the reader in three geographical and emotional contexts: the Dominican Republic of 1965, the New York of 1965 and Dominican Republic in New York or the Dominican-York fusion. I saw the whole movie in my head and only because of Angie’s ability to describe so elegantly, precise, touching. Far from tiring, these descriptive journey helped me connect with each character. I hated Juan a little too much, a little less at times. I was proud of Ana. I loved César. I revisited my history, learned a lot as well. Coral’s job is amazing! Her voice, so suitable. Thank you Coral for an excellent performance. Thank you Angie for this vivid, colorful, history-fiction-permeated portrait of nuestra dominicanidad.

Vivid Immigrant Experience

This book was excellent! The true story about the Dominican immigrant experience is described so accurately. I feel like the characters were people I knew as a kid. As a daughter of Dominican immigrants that arrived around late 60s/early 70s, it makes me appreciate the sacrifices they made so people like this author and myself have opportunities they didn't.

My first audiobook

I love the story line. It name parts of the Dominican Republic that I know and from where my family is from. In the New York setting, I could see myself as a little girl walking the area with my mom and the landmarks so clearly.
The story sad and so true. I think it was well written.

Thank you!!!

Thank you for making this amazing book. It made me question a few things in my family and to realize that most of my aunts went through that.. Thank you for showing people the true and not have drugs or gangs represent Dominicans but for showing that our parents did everything for a honest living..

Wonderfully crafted Dominican-American story

Absolutely loved this book. Bought the Kindle and audible version. Listened for the first round, to an expertly crafted story narrated by a talented actress. Looking forward to reading it all over again for the first time. Was introduced to Dominican-American fiction with Junot Díaz' "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" nearly a decade ago and now I have another author to follow. Looking forward to future work by Angie Cruz.

Excellent connection to so many immigrant experience

Excellent book. The author ties so much of the immigrant experience to the domestic history of NY...specifically the Washington Heights, Harlem communities. Her use of vivid imagery makes the reader feel as if they are on the farm of Guanyacanes and walking the streets of Washington Heights.

An essential book in cultural diversity

Beautifully written, well told story representing the philght of so many Caribbean women. Kudos for sharing a stoey untold by too many.

Eye Opening

It took me a while to really connect with Anna but soon I was riveted. It is a beautiful story of tragedy, triumph, racism, sexism,kindness, betrayal and most of all resilience. It is inspiring.