Dominicana

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020

'A story for now, an important story . . . told with incredible freshness'
Martha Lane Fox, Chair of Judges, Women's Prize 2020

'The harsh reality of immigration is balanced with a refreshing dose of
humour' The Times

'This compassionate and ingenious novel has an endearing vibrancy in the
storytelling that, page after page, makes it addictive reading' Irish Times

'Engrossing . . . the story itself and Ana, the protagonist are terrifically
interesting. Loved this' Roxane Gay

'This book is a valentine to my mom and all the unsung Dominicanas like her,
for their quiet heroism in making a better life for their families, often at a
hefty cost to themselves. Even if Dominicana is a Dominican story, it's also a
New York story, and an immigrant story. When I read parts of Dominicana at
universities and literary venues both here and abroad, each time, audience
members from all cultures and generations came up to me and said, this is my
mother's story, my sister's story, my story' Angie Cruz


Fifteen-year-old Ana Canción 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 must 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 César, 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 César to take care of Ana. Suddenly, Ana
is free to take English lessons at a local church, lie on the beach at Coney
Island, dance with César at the Audubon Ballroom, 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, 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.