Dominicana

Dominicana by Angie Cruz is a historical-fiction novel that tells the story of Ana Canción, a Dominican immigrant who arrives in New York City homesick and married to an older, abusive man. The story follows Ana as she forges her own path to happiness, love, and the American Dream.

Published in 2019, Dominicana was selected as Good Morning America’s Cover to Cover, shortlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and longlisted for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Awards for Excellence in Fiction. The success of the novel inspired the organization “Dominicanas NYC,” a digital archive of Dominican American life in the 1950s-1990s.

Inspired by her mother’s move to America, Cruz wrote her novel as an homage to the strong women who left their home countries for the promise of a better future in the United States. The novel is structured in six parts in which Ana’s first person point of view depicts her loneliness, disenfranchisement, and hopes. Suitable for young and adult readers, Dominicana identifies the immigrant experience in a historical context with themes that ring true to contemporary readers.  

Plot Summary

Ana Canción is a teenager when she marries Juan, an older man who whisks her out of their home country of the Dominican Republic to a new life in New York City. Ana doesn’t want to marry him but does so out of duty and for the opportunity to become American. In New York, Ana pines for her family in Santo Domingo. Juan keeps her shut away in the apartment, where she cleans, cooks, and exists for his pleasure. Juan hustles to make money for them and for their families in the D.R., but he also holds tight control over Ana and carries on an affair with Caridad, a Puerto Rican woman he works with.

Juan and Ana’s marriage begins tumultuously, and Juan is often violent. Ana becomes pregnant, which only exacerbates her loneliness. Juan’s brother César is a friend to Ana but is often not home. Marisela, who forms an alliance with Ana when she comes over to make payments she owes Juan, betrays Ana when she convinces her to give back Marisela's wedding ring, on hold for collateral, and stops showing up to make payments. Ana longs for a friend and for stimulation. She hopes to learn English and get a job, but Juan’s controlling nature keeps her sequestered.

In 1965, Ana witnesses the changing political and social tides of America from her apartment window. Two major upheavals include the assassination of Malcolm X just across the street from her, and the start of a civil war in the Dominican Republic. The bad news from back home, where people are losing money amid increasing political instability, makes Ana even more homesick. The tumult of the civil war and the American invasion of the Dominican Republic compels Juan to leave Ana on her own while he takes care of business in Santo Domingo.

In Juan’s absence, Ana is free to explore the city. She starts free English classes at the nearby church, and forges a friendship with César, who has been assigned to look after her. César helps Ana launch a business selling pastelitos and arepitas. The new business gives Ana financial independence and the opportunity to travel in the city. César and Ana’s friendship turns into a passionate love affair. When Juan returns, César and Ana make plans to run away together. But Juan has arranged for Ana’s mother (Mamá) and little brother Lenny to join her in America, making it impossible for her to leave Juan for César. Ana’s younger brother Yohnny is killed, and Ana and César break up. Ana returns to her unpredictable domestic life with Juan.

Mamá and Lenny move to New York, giving Ana more comfort but also more stress. Mamá is critical of her housekeeping, and nervous in her new home. Ana gives birth to a girl, whom she names Altagracia. When the baby is only a couple of days old, Juan and Ana get into a fight in front of his brothers and Mamá over Caridad, who has shown up to the apartment building screaming for Juan. Juan hits Ana, sending her to the hospital. There, Ana and Mamá bond over their mutual understanding that Ana’s life in America has been far from glamorous and perfect.

Lenny starts school, and Ana heals. She dreams of creating a business for her family and raising her daughter to be happy and powerful. One day, she is confident she will leave Juan.