Customer Reviews

America's Dream

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just finished reading America' Dream and I highly recommend it. The main theme of the book is spousal abuse and it's consequences. America, the main character, I think, represents the many Latinas who are victims of the old, but thriving mentality of the Latino men and culture. The book gives a pretty good feel of life in a Latin American country. It also portraits what is like to be a Latina servant in the United States. The story is a descriptive and accurate portrait of a woman's anguish and suffering, and her road to self-sufficiency. As a Latino man I was never offended by the depiction of America's nemesis her lover Correa. On the contrary, I give Esmeralda Santiago praise for daring to portrait the agony that is part of many Latinas and other women's everyday lives.

I read America's Dream over a year ago but America's story still sticks with me. As an American born citizen, I still could relate to her struggle with achieving independence in spite of all the forces that worked against her: her somewhat puzzling love for her husband in spite of his abuse; her tolerance of her mother's preoccupation with controlling her life; her struggle to influence her daughter in spite of a culture that deceives her into believing that she can gain independence through a relationship with a man. As a "professional" woman of color, I could even identify with her relationship with her employer. This is a fascinating story.

As a native of Vieques, I felt especially honored that Ms. Santiago selected our Island as the location for her book. Because I frequently visit Vieques, I was able to visualize every part of the island. "America's Dream" represents women all over the country that believe that there is no way out of dificult situations. However, good or bad, America finds that you really don't have to remain in these situations. You really must have the thrive to excel and the power to succeed. Estoy muy orgullosa de usted Sra. Santiago. Me da mucha alegria de nunca olvide sus raizes. Continue con "LATINA POWER"

I applaud the author's decision of not taking the easy way out with this novel. The main character, America, is a battered woman. The father of her child has been beating her constantly for half of her life. She has known nothing but violence from this man. In addition to this, America has to deal with a rebellious spoiled daughter and an alcoholic mother. Even thought America reaches for strength inside herself and flees the country and her lover and even her family, she does not have the guts to pull the situation through. Overwhelmed by her independence, and ultimately by her own insecurities, she seriously considers going back to the same old torture she escaped. And here is where i see most merit: it would have been so easy for Esmeralda Santiago to portray America as a heroine who fought against oppression and violence and came out victorious. America surrendered, and this is a very real perspective on battered women, because unfortunately there are many that give up on hope and cannot escape the terror they have lived. Kudos to the author for her decision. After i read the book i kept thinking about different issues in the story, and this is why i think this book would be excellent for a group discussion. Another good topic is the relationship between America and her daughter, and on a broader perspective the perpetuation of the single-mother status in her family. America asks herself this question many times : what should have i done to prevent this from happening to my daughter? The dynamics between mother and daughter are very real. All the characters are extremely believable and very well-defined: the abusive husband, a charming manipulator that gave me the creeps more than once; America's employer in NY, so cold, so Anglo, so perfect; the culture shock episodes America goes through have a very familiar ring. The book becomes sluggish at times, but over all it is quite interesting.

I had to read this book for a class that I am taking at school and I must say this has been the most enjoyable read this semester. This book is really a page turner I read it all in one day because I wanted to keep finding out what would happen next. I love this book because it's real and it doesn't sugarcoat anything. I also work in the area where the book takes place so I could imagine her at different places in the book. Excellent Book!

At first I thought this book was going to be really corny. But when I read the first page I was hooked! This book touched me on so many levels it was amazing! I recomend this book for anyone who is going through hard times with their daughters and for those who know of women being abused mentally and physically, or just know that someone is being abused period. This book touches on all kinds of topics fron alcoholism to teenage pregnancy to spousal abuse. It also shows that there is a new life after the smoke has cleared. Esmeralda Santiago makes America and her family come to life that I feel like I really know them. Este libro es buenisimo!!!! Boricuas in the house!

AMERICA SANTIAGO IS A WOMAN WHO DOES NOT ASK FOR MUCH AND UP TO THE OPENING OF THE BOOK HAS NOT RECEIVED MUCH EITHER. IF SHE WERE TO BE GRANTED THREE WISHES THEY WOULD CERTAINLY BE THAT HER ALCOHOLIC MOTHER GIVE UP HER HABIT, THAT HER DAUGHTER ROSALINDA NEVER DO WHAT SHE DID IN BECOMING A TEENAGED MOTHER AND THAT HER MASOCHISTIC BOYFRIEND WHO IS ALSO THE FATHER OF ROSALINDA STOP TRYING TO BEAT HER TO DEATH.

THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK TAKES THE READER TO THE SMALL ISLAND OF VIEQUES THAT FLOATS OFF THE EDGE OF ITS MOTHER ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO. IT IS A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN BECAUSE THOUGH IT POSSESSES BEAUTY.IT IS UNDER OUTSIDE CONTROL VERY MUCH LIKE AMERICA HERSELF. THE U.S. NAVY USES IT FOR BOMBING PRACTICE AND COREA USES AMERICA FOR WHATEVER HE IS IN THE MOOD FOR AT THE MOMENT.

AMERICA IS FACED WITH HAVING TO LEAVE THE THINGS CLOSEST AND DEAREST TO HER. HER PLACE OF BIRTH, HER MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTER. WHILE NONE OF THOSE THINGS BRING HER GREAT PLEASURE,THEY ARE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HER. SHE WORKS AS A MAID IN A HOTEL MAKING JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP GOING,HER MOTHER IS A WORRY FOR AMERICA BECAUSE SEES HER LIFE BEING DESTROYED BY DESPAIR AND TH BOTTLE. NOT TO WORRY THOUGH TOO MUCH AMERICA,ESTERS LOVE INTEREST WITH THE HOTEL OWNER FILLS HER NIGHTS WHENEVE SHE GETS IN THE MOOD. HER DAUGHTER ROSALINDA SEEMS TO BE GOING THROUGH THAT DIFFICULT PERIOD OF NEEDING TO FEEL AS DIFFERENT FROM HER MOTHER AS POSSIBLE AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ALIENTATE HERSELF FROM HER BY ACTING DISCUSTED,DISGUSTING AND DETACHED.

AFTER A DISTURBING SCENE OF COREA FLEXING HIS MACHISMO EGO AND MIGHTY FIST,AMERICA TAKES AN OFFER TO MOVE TO NEW YORK TO HELP CARE FOR A SUBURBAN FAMILY. THE PLACE IS AS CULTURALLY DIFFERENT AS SWEDEN IS TO THE SUDAN. THE DIFFERENCE IN CLIMATE IS COMPARABLE AS WELL. ITS A TOUGH LIFESTYLE FOR AMERICA BUT ATLEAST SHE IS AWAY FROM COREA. NO ONE NOT EVEN HER MOTHER KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE AMERICA IS. SHE KEEPS IN TOUCH BUT DOES NOT TRUST THAT HER MOTHER COULD KEEP THE SECRET THROUGH ONE OF HER DRINKING EPISODES. AMERICA GETS TO KNOW OTHER LATINA MAIDS CARING FOR PROFESSIONAL WHITE FAMILIES. SHE LEARNS WHO SHE CAN TRUST. SHE FINDS SOME CULTURAL NORMALCY WITH HER PUERTO RICAN COUSIN AND HER FAMILY LIVING IN THE BRONX. FROM TIME TO TIME SHE VISITS THEM WHERE SHE MEETS A YOUNG MAN VERY MUCH UNLIKE COREA WHO ADORES HER. AMERICA HAS DREAMS THOUGH AND SHE IS NOT SURE THAT SUCH A MAN CAN EXIST IT THEM. THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE BOOK IS A VERY PLAUSIBLE ONE. AT ANY RATE IT FITS WELL WITH THE STORY. THERE ARE SEVERAL CONNECTED ISSUES IN THE BOOK THAT MAKE ONE REALIZE THAT WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DREAM REALITY COULD SIMPLY BE TOO MUCH.

What Esmeralda Santiago portraits in this book is the reality of millions of women, not only Hispanic but from every race and every country. The main theme of the book is the violence that surrounds America. Her relationship with her mother and daughter is affected tremendously. Her mother is an alcoholic perhaps as a result of living in a house that she owns but does not rule; America's lover is the "man of the house", the one who bought the furniture and goods, the one who comes and goes as he pleases but expects the refrigerator full of the kind of beer that he likes at all times. The daughter chooses sides between mom and dad: mom is weak, dad is strong and violent, so she becomes dad's alcahueta.

America has the opportunity to leave and she takes it. The author provides us with a realistic vision of the division of clases, the immigration problem, the suffering of mothers apart from their kids in order to provide for them, the unity of the Puerto Rican family, and the loneliness of being in a foreign country.

I like the ending. America fought back. She won.

America's dream is a really good book that reminds me of what some mothers go through when the father of their child abuses them and has a wife already. America goes through alot when she's in Vieques and working in a hotel La Casa del Fances. She has an achoholic mother, Ester and a rebelious and misunderstood daughter, Rosalind. She also has a abusive boyfriend, Correa, who has a wife and kids and promises America that they will get married and have a wonderful life. America meets a married couple with two small children and they ask her to babysit the kids while they go out. She does it without knowing that this couple and two children that will change her life dramatically.

Once I picked up "América's Dream" it was extremely difficult to put the book down. Esmeralda Santiago is so descriptive and talented in her work. You can seriously tell that she has a passion for writing. Reading "América's Dream" will put you right in the middle of the scene. You feel as if she is standing right in front of you and you just want to help her in so many ways possible. This book was so amazing that I finished it in just 2 days, wanting to read it all over again. I will truly recommend this book to anyone.