A ghetto nerd living with his Dominican family in New Jersey Oscar's sweet but disastrously overweight He dreams of becoming the next J R R Tolkien & he keeps falling hopelessly in love With dazzling energy & insight Diaz immerses us in the tumultuous lives of Oscar; his runaway sister Lola; their beautiful mother Belicia; & in the family's uproarious journey from the Dominican Republic to the US & back' The Best Novel of the 21st Century to Date'
- BBC Culture