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A review by theeclecticreview
One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie
4.0
I was interested in this story because of the immigrant perspective in Trinidad. When a family is faced with an enormous debt left by "the family bitch", the dangerous payoff wreaks havoc in all sorts of bizarre ways.
Yola is a writer and translator who lives in Trinidad with her father, mother, and younger sister. When a gun-toting man named Ugly shows up at their barbeque demanding payment that the deceased Aunt Celia owed him, the Palacio family get to work off the debt by proxy or else. Meaning they get to host illegal immigrants from Venezuela for free in their home for an undetermined amount of time. What Yola doesn't see coming is the very attractive Román, Ugly's right-hand man, and "Surveillance Expert". A job he takes seriously when it comes to Yola. However, when Aunt Milagros goes crazy and accidentally shoots a guest with a pellet gun bringing unwanted attention to Ugly, she is saved by Román, unbeknownst to his employer. In the meantime, the family is forced to pay again by working at a high-end strip club and surprising secrets are soon revealed.
I love Yola's dedication to her Aunt Celia's memory. Aunt Celia sounded like a bold, take life by horns, kind of woman who lived life to the fullest. The funny antics she pulls on her cheating husband are hilarious. Yola seemed like the sensible one in the family (contrary to her schlepping an enforcer-type criminal) who keeps to herself and seems a bit lost without her Aunt Celia to talk to. Román's personality is a bit contradictory for his line of work which may have to do with his attraction to Lola. In fact, he turns out to be a good guy who helps Yola and her family more than once. Aunt Milagros, the religious spinster, is another one I liked especially when she started chainsmoking and walking around like Rambo with a pellet gun. There were several LOL moments considering the seriousness of the subject matter.
Overall, this was an engaging and informative story that touched on a lot of subjects including illegal immigration, prejudice, grief, and self-identity. If you enjoy contemporary fiction filled with serious issues, dark humor, and quirky characters, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Mackenzie for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Yola is a writer and translator who lives in Trinidad with her father, mother, and younger sister. When a gun-toting man named Ugly shows up at their barbeque demanding payment that the deceased Aunt Celia owed him, the Palacio family get to work off the debt by proxy or else. Meaning they get to host illegal immigrants from Venezuela for free in their home for an undetermined amount of time. What Yola doesn't see coming is the very attractive Román, Ugly's right-hand man, and "Surveillance Expert". A job he takes seriously when it comes to Yola. However, when Aunt Milagros goes crazy and accidentally shoots a guest with a pellet gun bringing unwanted attention to Ugly, she is saved by Román, unbeknownst to his employer. In the meantime, the family is forced to pay again by working at a high-end strip club and surprising secrets are soon revealed.
I love Yola's dedication to her Aunt Celia's memory. Aunt Celia sounded like a bold, take life by horns, kind of woman who lived life to the fullest. The funny antics she pulls on her cheating husband are hilarious. Yola seemed like the sensible one in the family (contrary to her schlepping an enforcer-type criminal) who keeps to herself and seems a bit lost without her Aunt Celia to talk to. Román's personality is a bit contradictory for his line of work which may have to do with his attraction to Lola. In fact, he turns out to be a good guy who helps Yola and her family more than once. Aunt Milagros, the religious spinster, is another one I liked especially when she started chainsmoking and walking around like Rambo with a pellet gun. There were several LOL moments considering the seriousness of the subject matter.
Overall, this was an engaging and informative story that touched on a lot of subjects including illegal immigration, prejudice, grief, and self-identity. If you enjoy contemporary fiction filled with serious issues, dark humor, and quirky characters, give this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Mackenzie for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.