How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

Meet our protagonist, Cara Romero, a 56 year old woman, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic living in Washington Heights, New York. Cara has lost her job and the novel is rendered through a series of sessions with a job counsellor. In the form of a theatrical monologue, a first person narrative, Cara recounts her life story with vitality.

It’s incredibly difficult to put this book down once you start. Cara is a flawed character who has suffered incredible hardships and losses. She is unreliable, culpable and at the same time hugely endearing. I finished with a warm glow in my heart. Definitely recommend this thoughtful and unusual little book.

How not to Drown in a Glass of Water after Dominicana is the second book I read by Angie Cruz.

We meet Cara Romero, a woman in her 50s, who left the Dominican Republic and her abusive hushand with their small son. Like Angie Cruz' first novel this book is set in New York. The city, where to the point we meet her Cara has lived for decades. After losing her job during the great recession she goes through a job agency program which quickly turns into her personal therapy session.

The unusual narration style of the book really caught me. The book being a one sided conversation by the protagonist rather than narrated from the outside added to the depth the story and made Cara's character even more lovable.

How Not to Drown in a Glass of water is a story of love and community, and of loss and recession.

We follow Cara Romero, a fifty-odd-year-old woman who lost her job in the 2008 recession. As a result, she must attend twelve sessions with a job counsellor. It is through these sessions that Cara tells us her life story.

I found the structure of this novel very unique and intriguing and Cara was a joy to get to know. The way Cara is written really makes her jump off the page - she entirely feels real.

The only thing I struggled with is the Spanglish as my knowledge of the Spanish language has dwindled over the past few years so I felt like I missed small snippets here and there. However, I wouldn't take this as a deterrent if you want to read this book as it is usually pretty easy to infer the meaning!

Cara Romero is a 56 year old Dominican woman who has lived in New York’s Washington Heights for decades and is invited to attend 12 sessions with a career counsellor for “senior” workers after she loses her factory job during the recession. I am in two minds about that one. The structure is clever - her whole life story is told as she speaks to her beleaguered career over her 12 sessions, pretty much side-lining the counsellor’s efforts to find her a job, any job. The tension between the two women - the career counsellor is also of Dominican origin, but younger and employed - is excellent and funny. I also liked the back story of how Washington Heights gentrified, and the impact this had on the poorer, original inhabitants. Sadly, I did not really take to Cara. Yes, it is great to have a narrator who is an immigrant, working class and unemployed. Yes, the author tries to portray her as a fully fledged human being and not just as an innocent victims of circumstances. But the whole focus on how great women are at helping each other just did not resonate with me and I grew increasingly irritated by Cara’s refusal to consider job offers because she wanted to continue helping others. Still, it’s a solid three, probably 3.5 stars, well written, often funny and for sure a book I’m glad to have read.

I have read one book by this author and have come to the conclusion that maybe is not an author for me.
This book presents a very strong compelling main character with a lot to tell. I enjoyed the character itself and the message that was portrayed on this narration but I didn't enjoy the overral structure of it.

It feels very stream of consciousness, which is not something I enjoy.
It approaches themes with a lot of ounch such as sistematic racism, wage gap and immigration which were nicely done.
I have read other reviews that have said this works better as an audiobook so will give it a try!

When Cara left the Dominican Republic for America, she thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But when the Great Recession hits, she is left unemployed and struggling with the rising rent. To survive, Cara must start again.

Set up with a job counsellor, Cara's future is to be determined through forms and questionnaires. But answer boxes can't contain her indomitable personality and tempestuous past, and over the course of twelve sessions we learn of her scandals and struggles, hopes and heartbreaks, why she came to America and what really happened to her son.

This is about as unique as you can get! Cara lost her factory job and her benefits have expired - the whole novel is a one-sided series of interviews with a welfare department employee who is assisting her with getting another job and assessing whether she's eligible for further benefits.

Sounds pretty dull, eh? Well, it's anything but. Cara is a natural story teller and a rare voice in fiction. She's from a poor background, her landlord is trying to break her tenancy agreement as the area has been gentrified, and her son left home. Lots of stories to tell.

Highly recommend for readers who like something that little bit different.

Cara Romero is a woman who wants to work! Born in the Dominican Republic and leaving for America when her husband tries to kill her - we are told about Cara’s life through a distinctive voice and unique writing style.

Losing her job during the Great Recession, Cara is set up with a job counsellor to undertake twelve sessions. The reader is at once immersed within Cara’s life, her tumultuous relationships, her catty albeit loving relationship with her neighbour Lulu and sister, Angela. Her estranged relationship with her son, Fernando. Her secrets, her dreams, desires, friendships and family, all through crippling debt and the gentrification of New York City.

Cara is a woman full of fight and life - a novel that will leave you laughing and tearing eyed.

Short but densely packed novel , full of vitality and very realistic. Caro is a wonderful character, I will definitely listen to the audiobook too.

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How not to drown in a glass of water was a reflection on the life of our main character Cara, a Dominican immigrant living in New York City. Let me tell you this book had me chuckling at points, Cara is so funny! she practically crackled from the pages, her personality so vibrant. Cara had a difficult life, she discusses losing her job which she had for 25 years, losing contact with her son, the abuse from her husband, a difficult relationship with her mother and sister. This was a really beautiful book which I just sped through, my eyes flicking through each sentence like lightening. Cara remains positive and hopeful through everything that has happened to her, continuing to open her heart and mind to any that she can.

This book was a V quick read, I read it in around three hours, and I don't consider myself a fast reader. I don't really have any cons to this novel aside from the fact there were quite a few Spanish words in there which I didn't understand and I was so engrossed in the story I didn't want to stop and google them lol.

4.5*

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC*

I ended up reading this in a very short period of time, as once I picked it up, I found it very hard to stop.

The narrative voice in this was absolutely gripping. Written all as a monologue of Cara talking to an unvoiced listener, it really wouod rise or fall on the basis of how compelling the storyteller was, and here it worked really well for me. Cara is heavily flawed, sympathetic and critical, caring and harsh, easy to love and easy to rebuke.

The book succeeded greatly in giving a voice to someone often overlooked and ignored, but without patronising. It worked particularly well for me to see how she was patronised and passed over in the written applications and feedback that started each chapter, only for her to seize control of the narrative and of her story, to emphasise how she made her decisions, be they wise or very much not.

I longed to hear from the other characters too - not here, not in this story, but simply because this book emphasised that we only see oart of the story, and I want very much to see a similar depth from the characters depicted within as well

Essentially there was a depth of love and affection here that resulted in me becoming emotional over almost everyone, and longing for them all to be happy.

How Not To Drown In A Glass of Water is a short, but impactful novel with an amazing narrator, Cara Romero, whose story you wish you could follow long after the book is over. Even though the book tackles some incredible hardships: a recession, job-loss, immigration, estrangement the book never loses it's humour and heart and Cara, with her warmth, confidence, wisdom is such a character to root for. She was just wonderful. I wish I had listened to this on audio as although I liked the unique format of first person narrative / interview, I sometimes found it a little harder to follow - but maybe I just would have liked to have heard it read aloud to appreciate it more.

Thanks very much for allowing me to read!

How not to drown in a glass of water is a unique and interesting story told in the first person as a series of interviews with an employment counsellor. I wish I had read this as an audiobook as I think that would be an amazing experience.

Really interesting book with a brilliant main character. Recommended for all. Short but unforgettable

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water
by Angie Cruz

I have a special place in my heart for Angie Cruz. One of my first reads during the recent pandemic was Dominicana, and whether it was the solitude of lockdown, or the need to put my situation into perspective, I was captivated by the soul in her writing. In this, her newest novel, she brings us more of the same, but in a totally new way.

Told through a first person narrative, which is basically the single sided transcript of Cara's Senior Workforce Program training sessions, backed up with some forms and documents pertaining to her case. Cara is a 56 year old Dominican woman who has been living in Washington Heights and working in a lighting factory for years, but now it has closed down. She still needs to work, so she needs to assess her skills and find a new job quickly.

This is such a delightful read. It is at once sad and hilarious. Because we only get Cara's side of every story she tells it takes a while to get to the heart of who she is. Such a character, she leaps off the page. She is uneducated but has her own intelligence. She is judgemental and bossy, but she shares everything she owns and cares for anyone who needs help. She loves her son to distraction, but her devotion has alienated him. She is reactionary but instinctual and she is someone that would scare the crap out of me, but I'd want her on my side.

With themes of poverty, immigration, gentrification, mid life wisdom and work ethic this is so entertaining and I have been captivated by Cara and her glorious irreverence.

Publication date: 10th February 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #johnmurraypress for the egalley

This is an unusual novel, written in the first person by Cara Romero.
Cruz has created an entirely believable character in Cara. Told over the course of twelve sessions with her job coach, Cara’s life unfolds.
Cara, a Dominican woman in New York, is a likeable unreliable narrator.
She can’t see her culpability in the breakdown of the relationships with her son and sister.
But the job sessions are a form of counselling for her, and as her story develops, so we see her develop too.
Cruz has written Cara beautifully, from her mix of Spanish and English, to the heart of gold despite her flaws.
We’re cheering for Cara throughout.
Recommended: a lovely and thoughtful novel full of unexpected humour.

Conversations with my job coach: revealing family saga through one woman's life experiences.

Not quite what the unseen job coach was expecting maybe, but this 12-session narrative where Cara is asked to explain her skills and experiences leads to a novel reading journey as she takes us through her life, loves, family, highs, lows, and we just hope the recession isn't too hard on this middle-aged warm-hearted jobseeker.

A snapshot of life in the city at this time, there's a lot here. Cara is very likeable, the unseen work coach possibly exasperated but possibly infatuated, it's hard to tell. I enjoyed the focus each time on Cara settling on one skill to talk about but then wrapping this inside episodes in her life and the best and worst coming out.

A son who doesn't see his mum. Rent arrears and possible eviction. Sisters and unruly children. Love affairs and unsavoury endings. Both entertaining and eye-opening.

Dotted throughout with Spanish phrases I had to occasionally look up, she's one of those inspirational people who comes out with life wisdom you want to hold onto: "We step in the sh*t on purpose so we're forced to buy new shoes." Genius.

It seems more like a counselling session, though always returns to the job purpose eventually, you can almost picture them sitting there in an office, one taking notes. I read this in instalments but wanted to come back to it when forced to leave, wanting to hear more about Cara's life and what might happen to her.

The extra information - arrears forms, job descriptions and applications, I loved this extra information as background to Cara's narrative. Cara herself was both self-aware but also caught up in events outside her control, a woman who's made mistakes and is trying to make up for them.

Short but definitely worth the read.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

I love a first-person narrative done well, and Cruz has created an entirely believable and engaging persona in Cara Romero. Told over the course of 12 sessions with her job counsellor, Cara pieces together the story of her life. She is defiant and caring, sometimes frustrating in her lack of insight, but a compelling storyteller through and through.

In a similar vein to a coming of age novel, this is the story of an immigrant woman in her mid-50s coming to terms with the life she's led, learning to celebrate her strengths and make amends for mistakes she's made. In many ways she's defined by the shadows of her past, a history of violence and abuse, but she also has an incredible, almost unconscious determination to shape her own destiny.

With the unique voice of a brilliant, flawed protagonist, How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water is an unforgettable read.

This book was a little slow to start, or rather a little slow for me to get interested in, but I liked it more as it went on. The voice was engaging and the prose was strong.

To drown in a glass of water is a Spanish idiom referring to a person who gets overwhelmed by ordinary circumstances.

"Desahogar: to undrown, to cry until you don't need to cry no more"

Cara Romero fled from the Domincan Republic to New York with her toddler son. She found work in a factory and thought she would work there forever. Recession hits and Cara finds herself unemployed at 56, estranged from her son who is now an adult and struggling to pay the rent in the apartment she has lived in for years. Under the Obama government, Cara is entitled to continue receiving unemployment benefits if she agrees to complete twelve sessions with a workforce program to help her find a new job. Over the twelve sessions, Cara shares her story through snapshots of her life from an abusive marriage in the Dominican Repubilc, to her life as an immigrant and legal resident of the US. We learn of her strained relationship with family members, her loyalty and difficulties, her lack of health insurance and her propensity to care and look after others and her temper. Cara unveils her flaws, abilities, disillusionment and hopes and as the full picture emerges of the woman she is, it's impossible not to warm to her and hope things work out for her.

I read and adored Dominicana by Angie Cruz, this is a very different book, it took me a while to get into it and the majority of the book is written in the first person with Spanish words and broken English sprinkled throughout. I was heavily aware of this for the first 5o pages of the book but then got used to the style of writing. The book grew on me as it went on as did Cara. Nothing could have pulled me away from reading when I got to the final quarter of the book. There is a lot of wisdom and wit woven throughout this book and it’s very much worth sticking with if like me, the book doesn’t initially hook you. A memorable character, Cara will stay with me.

4 star.

*I think this would be excellent on audio and would bypass the initial difficulty I had with reading some of the dialogue at the beginning.