This novel, the winner of the 2008 Pulitzer, won me over in the end. I didn't really enjoy the first half, but really got into it as the story went on. The story is, as told by a family friend, about the de Leon family. They are from the Dominican Republic and are living in New Jersey, and are tragically complex. Some believe there is a curse on the family that followed them from the DR, which may not be too far fetched.returnreturnThe family's story centers around Oscar, an overweight young man who is very much into sci-fi/fantasy, comic books, role playing games and anime, and who is constantly falling in love with random women. He is endlessly teased at school and as an adult and has zero luck with the opposite sex. As an adult, he becomes depressed and even attempts suicide.returnreturnWhat I liked about this book was that it showed how deeply others touch us - even those that are very different from ourselves and we wouldn't normally be friends with. It's a tragic story that at times feels too ridiculous to be true, but at other times really hit close to home for me.