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Chula
Unapologetic Caribbean palabreo. Storytelling desde mi. - Amanda Alc�ntara
"Chula" is an imaginative bilingual collection of intimate poems, short stories, memories and vignettes about the life of a Dominicana before and after moving to the United States.
Dealing with childhood curiosities, struggles faced by women, identity, pleasures, heartache, and joy, this work is an exploration of self.
"Chula" is an imaginative bilingual collection of intimate poems, short stories, memories and vignettes about the life of a Dominicana before and after moving to the United States.
Dealing with childhood curiosities, struggles faced by women, identity, pleasures, heartache, and joy, this work is an exploration of self.
- GenresPoetryLatinxNonfiction
108 pages, Paperback
Published March 21, 2019
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359 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 8, 2019
It is an interesting experience to review a book from an author that comes from your same province, that in essence has your same background being our neighborhoods kind of close together, it also makes you more critical somehow. This is where I have to be honest and expose myself as a bad Dominican, and with this I mean that there's a lot of stuff that I've never identified with when it comes to my culture.
We have so many customs and colorful folklore. There's the stuff I adore, like Merengue, Tipico, and Bachata -which are vibrant rhythms-, also the architectural places that are left in what we call "La Ciudad" at Santiago de Los Caballeros, I used to love going there to just walk, visit the decaying post office and other such buildings, and then the "bad Dominicana" rap which goes like this: I don't like dembow or reggaeton, I never went to a "Carnaval" celebration because my parents thought that it was too dangerous and it actually never interested me as an adult, I think I just tried a "Yaniqueque" once but someone called it empanada, so maybe I really haven't tried those ever, I have not visit most touristic places nor hidden gems within our island, etc.
That being said, it is not surprising that I did not enjoy the parts of the book that are attempts at rhyming or dembow lyrics, or something like that. I mean,
"Soy puta pero picky, call me fresita
Sepo mas rico que el postre de su marida
Los pongo en cuclilla a comer gratis, así les llenó la barriga
Now you can call me Mother Teresa"
What?
So, let there be said that to me there was a bit of non-sense within these pages, entangled with the valuable substance of the book.
This material reads as a sort of memoir, the author gives us a glance at some changes, decisions, and thoughts she faced/had while dealing with growing up, becoming a woman, moving to a foreign country, remembering the strong family ties of her infancy and having to adapt to a different society. The sort of challenges presented here though are not those that many immigrants face since our author was American born she didn't go through the uncertainty of how to study or work, she also knew the language well when she moved into the US permanently so was able to communicate and avoid language barriers. The challenges here are maybe more personal, the ones that come with trying to find a sense of belonging, familiarity, the warmth of acceptance.
"En un mundo donde me dicen que soy marginal, aquí recuerdo
que mi centro soy yo."
She also takes her time to include political statements about the situation in our country, how corruption and greed damage both our natural resources as it does the economically vulnerable people, which is a significant percent of the population.
"My land is rich
Se hacen ricos vendiendo el país
Y a nosotros no nos dejan ni un chin
But our spirit still persists."
It is important that the book depicted the misogynistic aspects of our culture, the violence against women, the sexual objectification, amongst others. I was appalled when not long ago a friend told me that in order to hire females at a well-known store in our country, they were being subjected to ultrasounds, pregnancy tests and contracts agreeing to termination in the instance of pregnancy. Let's just say that in a country with so many lawyers, someone should take on legal action against this insanity.
Anyway, Amanda Alcantara also includes pages from her diary as a teenager -very brave-, that basically show how we are always writing about some twerp and worrying about boys and the future with the beautiful years we should just be growing and expanding our knowledge with more important things... when I read my old diaries, oh my, the sympathy I have for that dummy girl wasting away her favorite pen and beautiful pages on some dude that I probably forgot who it was the year later, thankfully the diaries eventually morph into physiological questions and ramblings about life and the meaning of it all.
The book is a modest 105 pages long, it is an easy read but can become complicated to those not well versed in Spanish or Spanglish. The cover is beautiful, it depicts Coralillo flowers, which are very common in the Dominican Republic. Cover credit to Tania Guerra.
We have so many customs and colorful folklore. There's the stuff I adore, like Merengue, Tipico, and Bachata -which are vibrant rhythms-, also the architectural places that are left in what we call "La Ciudad" at Santiago de Los Caballeros, I used to love going there to just walk, visit the decaying post office and other such buildings, and then the "bad Dominicana" rap which goes like this: I don't like dembow or reggaeton, I never went to a "Carnaval" celebration because my parents thought that it was too dangerous and it actually never interested me as an adult, I think I just tried a "Yaniqueque" once but someone called it empanada, so maybe I really haven't tried those ever, I have not visit most touristic places nor hidden gems within our island, etc.
That being said, it is not surprising that I did not enjoy the parts of the book that are attempts at rhyming or dembow lyrics, or something like that. I mean,
"Soy puta pero picky, call me fresita
Sepo mas rico que el postre de su marida
Los pongo en cuclilla a comer gratis, así les llenó la barriga
Now you can call me Mother Teresa"
What?
So, let there be said that to me there was a bit of non-sense within these pages, entangled with the valuable substance of the book.
This material reads as a sort of memoir, the author gives us a glance at some changes, decisions, and thoughts she faced/had while dealing with growing up, becoming a woman, moving to a foreign country, remembering the strong family ties of her infancy and having to adapt to a different society. The sort of challenges presented here though are not those that many immigrants face since our author was American born she didn't go through the uncertainty of how to study or work, she also knew the language well when she moved into the US permanently so was able to communicate and avoid language barriers. The challenges here are maybe more personal, the ones that come with trying to find a sense of belonging, familiarity, the warmth of acceptance.
"En un mundo donde me dicen que soy marginal, aquí recuerdo
que mi centro soy yo."
She also takes her time to include political statements about the situation in our country, how corruption and greed damage both our natural resources as it does the economically vulnerable people, which is a significant percent of the population.
"My land is rich
Se hacen ricos vendiendo el país
Y a nosotros no nos dejan ni un chin
But our spirit still persists."
It is important that the book depicted the misogynistic aspects of our culture, the violence against women, the sexual objectification, amongst others. I was appalled when not long ago a friend told me that in order to hire females at a well-known store in our country, they were being subjected to ultrasounds, pregnancy tests and contracts agreeing to termination in the instance of pregnancy. Let's just say that in a country with so many lawyers, someone should take on legal action against this insanity.
Anyway, Amanda Alcantara also includes pages from her diary as a teenager -very brave-, that basically show how we are always writing about some twerp and worrying about boys and the future with the beautiful years we should just be growing and expanding our knowledge with more important things... when I read my old diaries, oh my, the sympathy I have for that dummy girl wasting away her favorite pen and beautiful pages on some dude that I probably forgot who it was the year later, thankfully the diaries eventually morph into physiological questions and ramblings about life and the meaning of it all.
The book is a modest 105 pages long, it is an easy read but can become complicated to those not well versed in Spanish or Spanglish. The cover is beautiful, it depicts Coralillo flowers, which are very common in the Dominican Republic. Cover credit to Tania Guerra.
April 30, 2019
I enjoyed Chula and Alcantara's honest writing (might be a little raunchy for some folks). Being a Dominican-American woman myself, I felt some of her poetry was written directly for me lol. Here's one of my favorite verses:
Soy de la isla
Quisqueya la bella
Brown y Negra
I am the truth.
It brings me great joy so many Dominican-American writers are making their debut! Though I enjoy diverse writers and stories, of course, I gravitate towards authors with my same experiences, vocabulary, and culture. I am always eager to read new work and material from fellow Dominicanos! I picked this book in honor of poetry month and I am thankful to the Bookstagram community for putting on it on my radar.
Soy de la isla
Quisqueya la bella
Brown y Negra
I am the truth.
It brings me great joy so many Dominican-American writers are making their debut! Though I enjoy diverse writers and stories, of course, I gravitate towards authors with my same experiences, vocabulary, and culture. I am always eager to read new work and material from fellow Dominicanos! I picked this book in honor of poetry month and I am thankful to the Bookstagram community for putting on it on my radar.
March 31, 2019
What a great book, which perfectly reflects the life of a bicultural kid, like myself. By calling herself Chula, the protagonist shows us that loving yourself is just as valid as loving someone else.
September 26, 2019
This book has a unique rhythm to it, flowing in and out of the past and hopes for the future from Amanda as she grows up across oceans and continents. Reading about her journey was so affirming as I ask these same questions about where I belong, and perhaps the space in between here and there can be as vibrant and infinite as any place itself. I really loved this book!
July 22, 2019
I read Chula and also met Amanda Alcantara as part of the Mami Chula Social Club. I have to be honest and say it was the best decision I have made. It's a perfect read for Dominican/Latinx readers and the book beautifully explains our struggles assimilating to U.S cultures.
To my Dominicanas out there it will for sure take you on a ride back to your own experiences as a woman in the DR and in the U.S Chula was also my 1st reads by a Dominican-American writer and it has without a doubt encouraged me to search and read more books by Dominicans!
To my Dominicanas out there it will for sure take you on a ride back to your own experiences as a woman in the DR and in the U.S Chula was also my 1st reads by a Dominican-American writer and it has without a doubt encouraged me to search and read more books by Dominicans!
August 8, 2020
WOW.
Wow. This book made me feel so in touch with my roots. I can’t describe how much I loved it.
I also have a very strong connection with my grandma and the poems about her own relationship with her grandma really touched me. I finished the book with tears in my eyes. I will be calling grandma today.
Wow. This book made me feel so in touch with my roots. I can’t describe how much I loved it.
I also have a very strong connection with my grandma and the poems about her own relationship with her grandma really touched me. I finished the book with tears in my eyes. I will be calling grandma today.
April 5, 2019
This book is beyond words. I have never related to a book more in my life than this one. Finding a Dominican author is quite hard. And Alcantara’s writing style is unique and intriguing it really draws you in. Please support this wonderful woman and her book you won’t regret it !!
September 7, 2019
Read Chula in one sitting, and I felt seen by the constant swing of language. Alcantara guides us through the epochs of her life in a way that proves to be compassionate and raw for both reader and narrator; it was refreshing to see joy and trauma being equally treated on the page.
July 22, 2019
I love this book so much! The poetry and realism in the book is amazing. I related do much to her experience because it was similar to mine. I also loved that she used both English and Spanish to share her story. I would recommend this book 100%
April 13, 2019
What a wonderful book of poetry!
July 22, 2019
A beautifully written, self-exploratory, coming of age collection of short stories and poems. Amanda Alcantára gave us permission to live her life between two worlds through her words.
July 24, 2019
Such a breath of a fresh air, and a book that will leave you happy knowing you picked it up.
July 2, 2022
Chula is very lauded within our (Dominican, Latinx) community. Yet even as a fellow Dominican that can relate to Alcántara's prevailing sentiments of straddling cultures, identities, and existences, it was still tough for me to get through.
I applaud Alcántara's candor and unapologetic boldness in putting her work, her words, her story out in the world. That is no small feat and deserves to be highlighted in and of itself. It requires a certain level of fearlessness to bear so much of oneself on a page for the world to see. And that fearlessness is evident throughout the text, as Alcántara's unrelenting self-confidence (even in the face of dark moments and, at times, abuse) reverberates in virtually every piece - sometimes brash, at others soft and in the vein of self-love (76, 90). The actual labor of love it likely was for her to execute Chula was palpable. For me, those cords are the strongest elements of the text and why it even earns two stars from me.
Other than that, Chula largely felt all over the place, like the stream of consciousness one expects to find in the pages of a schoolgirl's diary: replete with random thoughts, rhymes, memories, and musings, yet following no definitive path or trajectory. Part 1 in particular felt like it had no cohesion or common thread other than the fact that the pieces were penned by the same author. Many bore no title (which became a big sticking point for me) and in the table of contents, were merely labeled by the corresponding piece's first line.
Part 1 gave the impression of Alcántara seemingly trying to fit in every childhood/adolescent memory possible, while also purging herself of every act and deed she's committed (sexual and non). The lack of discernible grouping (thematic, chronological, or otherwise) proved problematic and confusing. It translated to repetitiveness and clunkiness, due to backstory/context of incorporated characters (family members, friends, exes) and situations only being disclosed in later pages. In "I've been living on my own," for example, brief mention is made of her cousin's husband stalking her but we are only given the full story in a subsequent account in "Trigger Warning."
Even within individual pieces, the writing often felt unfocused. For example, in "When I had just arrived" Alcántara starts out talking about class rankings and then digresses to a lengthy footnote noting things she had not gotten to do in DR but did at her U.S. high school. "Before moving to the United States" opens focusing on attempting to lose her virginity in DR before relocating to the U.S., then jumps to (in contrast to her experience in DR) not having friends upon arriving, to her favorite songs, before circling back to losing her virginity (though oddly mentioned in passing, in just three short sentences).
By comparison Part 2 felt like a breath of fresh air after plodding through Part 1, though I'm not sure my sentiments would be the same were I just encountering Part 2 on its own. Nonetheless, the poems and their brevity provided respite. Part 2 also contained what I considered to be the text's standout pieces: "Learning how to make té pa'l mal de amores" where she discusses inherited ancestral gifts, and "Buelita's Songs" in which she recounts her abuela's songs to her as a child and the origin of one of her favorites.
In the end, Chula contained plenty of kernels that could potentially be fleshed out into coherent essays or even vignettes. Alcántara also does discuss a number of important topics, including: misogyny, machismo, anti-Blackness, mental health, abuse, ancestry, and identity. Unfortunately Chula felt largely mishmashed and jumbled, with Alcántara trying to fit way too much in the span of few pages. Even recurring symbols that obviously bear significance to her (an upside-down world map - 59, 79, the "About Me" at the end; sheer blue curtains - 59, 61, 79) are never unpacked or explained. While the text's content may have seemed logical to her as its author (these being her own thoughts and lived experiences) with regard to order, placement, and inclusion, as a reader it certainly did not feel intuitive. Instead as a whole, it was downright frustrating and exhausting to navigate. Upon finishing, it felt reminiscent of experiencing whiplash.
If I had not seen the other publications Alcántara has already had pieces appear in, I would have thought Chula was one of her early works. I anticipate that I am likely in the minority in hoping her writing evolves, given the acclaim she's received, the fact that she is already well-established within notable publication and community circles, and that she has found a style that clearly works for her and her devoted readership.
Noteworthy lines and passages:
"Mi abuela on my dad's side era curandera - at least that's what my dad told me [...] And so, when I drop these petals into this tea, I think of her too. I try to remember what she was never able to teach me. I think of how her hands must've been: were they soft and gentle? Or rough from hard work? I picture su casita en el barrio de Pueblo Nuevo." ("Learning how to make té Pa'l mal de amores," 82)
"My grandmother died before I knew which questions to ask and somehow, on my face, she still shines" ("My resistance goes beyond being alive," 84)
"The warmth of her hands was my spiritual baptism; they themselves were the tradition she passed down. It's like magic, but it's tangible. I breathe deeply when I think of her, I can feel get warmth. What a blessing that it is my first memory on this Earth." ("Buelita's Songs", 102)
I applaud Alcántara's candor and unapologetic boldness in putting her work, her words, her story out in the world. That is no small feat and deserves to be highlighted in and of itself. It requires a certain level of fearlessness to bear so much of oneself on a page for the world to see. And that fearlessness is evident throughout the text, as Alcántara's unrelenting self-confidence (even in the face of dark moments and, at times, abuse) reverberates in virtually every piece - sometimes brash, at others soft and in the vein of self-love (76, 90). The actual labor of love it likely was for her to execute Chula was palpable. For me, those cords are the strongest elements of the text and why it even earns two stars from me.
Other than that, Chula largely felt all over the place, like the stream of consciousness one expects to find in the pages of a schoolgirl's diary: replete with random thoughts, rhymes, memories, and musings, yet following no definitive path or trajectory. Part 1 in particular felt like it had no cohesion or common thread other than the fact that the pieces were penned by the same author. Many bore no title (which became a big sticking point for me) and in the table of contents, were merely labeled by the corresponding piece's first line.
Part 1 gave the impression of Alcántara seemingly trying to fit in every childhood/adolescent memory possible, while also purging herself of every act and deed she's committed (sexual and non). The lack of discernible grouping (thematic, chronological, or otherwise) proved problematic and confusing. It translated to repetitiveness and clunkiness, due to backstory/context of incorporated characters (family members, friends, exes) and situations only being disclosed in later pages. In "I've been living on my own," for example, brief mention is made of her cousin's husband stalking her but we are only given the full story in a subsequent account in "Trigger Warning."
Even within individual pieces, the writing often felt unfocused. For example, in "When I had just arrived" Alcántara starts out talking about class rankings and then digresses to a lengthy footnote noting things she had not gotten to do in DR but did at her U.S. high school. "Before moving to the United States" opens focusing on attempting to lose her virginity in DR before relocating to the U.S., then jumps to (in contrast to her experience in DR) not having friends upon arriving, to her favorite songs, before circling back to losing her virginity (though oddly mentioned in passing, in just three short sentences).
By comparison Part 2 felt like a breath of fresh air after plodding through Part 1, though I'm not sure my sentiments would be the same were I just encountering Part 2 on its own. Nonetheless, the poems and their brevity provided respite. Part 2 also contained what I considered to be the text's standout pieces: "Learning how to make té pa'l mal de amores" where she discusses inherited ancestral gifts, and "Buelita's Songs" in which she recounts her abuela's songs to her as a child and the origin of one of her favorites.
In the end, Chula contained plenty of kernels that could potentially be fleshed out into coherent essays or even vignettes. Alcántara also does discuss a number of important topics, including: misogyny, machismo, anti-Blackness, mental health, abuse, ancestry, and identity. Unfortunately Chula felt largely mishmashed and jumbled, with Alcántara trying to fit way too much in the span of few pages. Even recurring symbols that obviously bear significance to her (an upside-down world map - 59, 79, the "About Me" at the end; sheer blue curtains - 59, 61, 79) are never unpacked or explained. While the text's content may have seemed logical to her as its author (these being her own thoughts and lived experiences) with regard to order, placement, and inclusion, as a reader it certainly did not feel intuitive. Instead as a whole, it was downright frustrating and exhausting to navigate. Upon finishing, it felt reminiscent of experiencing whiplash.
If I had not seen the other publications Alcántara has already had pieces appear in, I would have thought Chula was one of her early works. I anticipate that I am likely in the minority in hoping her writing evolves, given the acclaim she's received, the fact that she is already well-established within notable publication and community circles, and that she has found a style that clearly works for her and her devoted readership.
Noteworthy lines and passages:
"Mi abuela on my dad's side era curandera - at least that's what my dad told me [...] And so, when I drop these petals into this tea, I think of her too. I try to remember what she was never able to teach me. I think of how her hands must've been: were they soft and gentle? Or rough from hard work? I picture su casita en el barrio de Pueblo Nuevo." ("Learning how to make té Pa'l mal de amores," 82)
"My grandmother died before I knew which questions to ask and somehow, on my face, she still shines" ("My resistance goes beyond being alive," 84)
"The warmth of her hands was my spiritual baptism; they themselves were the tradition she passed down. It's like magic, but it's tangible. I breathe deeply when I think of her, I can feel get warmth. What a blessing that it is my first memory on this Earth." ("Buelita's Songs", 102)
July 23, 2020
Amanda is a lyricist. The poetry she weaves into this collection is cutting. She paints a vivid picture of her bi-cultural life that is relatable to many of us who are "ni de aqui, ni de alla." I loved how fluidly she transitions from English to Spanish, it feels like we are peeking into the way she thinks, imagines, and dreams. I enjoyed traveling back in time with her to those confusing moments where we are forced to be Putas y Santas, to time where we are still niñas, but men tell us otherwise. The book is also empowering and shows how she owns her sexuality and beauty. Great read!
September 25, 2021
Chula is combination of poetry, cuento, prose, selfies, and beautiful hybrid language.
Amanda aka Chula takes us to her childhood and teenage journey from Dominican Republic to the United States.
Weaving themes of family, harassment, losing people, but mostly self-love.
My favorite phrase: “How amazing is to give ourselves butterflies?”
Amanda aka Chula takes us to her childhood and teenage journey from Dominican Republic to the United States.
Weaving themes of family, harassment, losing people, but mostly self-love.
My favorite phrase: “How amazing is to give ourselves butterflies?”
August 20, 2020
I like it a lot! The combination of poetry, diary entries, and short stories is delightful. Amanda shows a side of a lot of Dominican women, here and there, from the island and in the diaspora. Is a short book, that I read in only one week, 10 or 20 pages per day in the morning when I woke up.
October 15, 2021
Please don't buy the Kindle version, the format is off. Having said that, let's get to the book. This book was completely different of what I expected. It's written in Spanglish so brace yourself. It's a story about life and how to find a home when no eres de aquí ni eres de allá.
May 1, 2019
I’m digging these Dominican/Latinx writers that I have been reading lately, because they have opened my eyes to the beauty of just embracing who you are and your culture and the dualism that come with being a Dominican American.
This book was not what I was expecting, because first this writer has bars...I was like whatttt. I have been reading a lot of poetry by many different writers so I was expecting this to be similar but it was very different in that it didn’t really follow the format that I’ve grown accustomed to seeing in poetry books. There’s some raps, poems and lyrics from songs mixed in with her story of her growth and the trials that she went through discovering who she was as a woman.
You can see the growth of the writer as the book progress and that was very inspiring. The confidence that radiates from the writer through her words is something so inspiring, that I’ve been carrying around this warmth with me since reading it.
I want to write.
I want to spend more time learning how to love myself.
I want to feel confident every single day.
I want to be spontaneous.
These are just some of the feelings that I was left after reading Chula.
This book was not what I was expecting, because first this writer has bars...I was like whatttt. I have been reading a lot of poetry by many different writers so I was expecting this to be similar but it was very different in that it didn’t really follow the format that I’ve grown accustomed to seeing in poetry books. There’s some raps, poems and lyrics from songs mixed in with her story of her growth and the trials that she went through discovering who she was as a woman.
You can see the growth of the writer as the book progress and that was very inspiring. The confidence that radiates from the writer through her words is something so inspiring, that I’ve been carrying around this warmth with me since reading it.
I want to write.
I want to spend more time learning how to love myself.
I want to feel confident every single day.
I want to be spontaneous.
These are just some of the feelings that I was left after reading Chula.
March 26, 2019
This book is so beautifully and intentionally written. It touches on themes of identity.It captures the painful and joyful journey of healing.
April 13, 2019
Absolutely gorgeous book.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews