Rating: 
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: I honestly don't understand the hype behind this book. It basically reads like an outline that's only been partially filled in, with randomly fleshed-out ideas here and there, and extremely rough character sketches. Usnavys works for a non-profit organization, yet she's a materialistic, money-grubbing gold-digger? I found that combination hard to swallow, although I may have been able to grasp the concept it if Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez had even once showed us Usvnays at her job, which she didn't.
I also had a hard time conjuring up a concrete image of Elizabeth, the super-successful newscaster/hard-core Christian/lesbian, mainly because she didn't seem to have any kind of struggle with being a Christian and a lesbian simultaneously. I do believe that it's possible to be a gay Christian, in fact I know several, but I also know that they've all experienced at least SOMEWHAT of a struggle (if not a long, difficult battle), to reconcile their sexual and spiritual orientations. It just seemed like Elizabeth's only struggle was keeping her personal life a secret from the public, and in real life, I think her struggle would be much more multi-faceted, an adjective AVR has yet to learn. I just had a hard time believing Elizabeth woke up one morning and said "Hmm, I'm feeling a little lesbianish today. Now, what should I wear to church?" Which is basically how AVR portrayed her.
Similarly, Sara's character is described as being a Jewish Cuban, yet we see nothing that illustrates that she's Jewish, other than a brief mention of the fact that she was one of the first Cuban girls in her neighborhood to have a Bat Mitzvah. I was intrigued by this combination of cultures, which-and I'll allow my ignorance to show here-I never knew existed. By the same token, I was disappointed when AVR didn't flesh this concept out at all. She seems to enjoy pinning religions (and jobs) on her characters like name tags, without giving any background or insight into how these belief systems (and jobs) affect her characters' lives.
Overall, I think six narrative characters was too many for AVR to handle. (And doesn't she know the cardinal rule of chick-lit, that women are always friends in groups of four?) All kidding aside, I think a six-narrator story that touches on big social, political, and racial issues (which AVR continually revealed herself to be not all that knowledgeable about) was a little too ambitious of a project for a writer of AVR's caliber. If, in the future, she sticks with more intentionally fluffy pieces and smaller casts of characters, she might do all right as a chick-lit writer, but I found Dirty Girls to be a huge disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Las sucias
Review: A funny, irreverent tale about a group of Latina women of different backgrounds who attended college together, The Dirty Girls Social Club dispels the age-old myths about Latin-Americans. Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez gives us a novel which is at once fresh, fun, and exciting. There women are wonderful because they aren't afraid to be who they are: You won't find any size-0 blonde models here! Lauren, Usnavys, Sara, Rebecca, Amber and Elizabeth get together to dish the dirt and talk about their lives in general. The story is told from the perspective of each of the women, as they go about their daily lives. Lauren is a Cuban-American reporter/ columnist who is a token minority at the paper she works for; Usnavys is the large, outgoing sucia; Rebecca is the do-gooder who owns her own magazine; Amber, the rock en Espanol star who says what's on her mind; Sara, the stay-at-home Jewish mom who seemingly has a million things going on at once but always appears perfectly put together; and Elizabeth, the black Latina who grew up in Columbia and is now a born-again Christian.
Rating: 
Summary: more than a good 'beach read'
Review: All in all, a very enjoyable, engaging read. The book was not at all stereotypical or trite in its portrayal of six contemporary Latina women. They were well-developed characters with distinct identities and lives. Of course, I had to wonder at one point: How would such incredibly diverse women ever become (and remain) friends in the first place? There was plenty of drama and conflicted romance to keep one engaged. Although parts of the plot were a little implausible, there were realistic situations and conflicts. It was easy to picture these women and relate to certain aspects of their lives.
Rating:
Summary: Fluffy fun for the beach
Review: As long as you don't expect the second coming of Isabel Allende or Sandra Cisneros, The Dirty Girls Social Club will keep you plenty entertained on the beach or on your commute. Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez debuts a nuanced, if unbelievable piece of "chica"-lit.The six women narrate the story, each from her own perspective. Lauren, Usnavys, Rebecca, Sara, Elizabeth, Amber encompass everything from rising from poverty to spousal abuse to living in a parent's shadow to identity crises. The women are typical girlfriends in their late 20's with hackneyed love, family, and career problems that all get resolved in a fairly (but not entirely) predictable manner. But what makes them fun to read is their distinctive voices and personalities. Often an author shouldn't attempt multiple narrators because they basically all sound identical (like Summer 2002's The Boy Next Door). To Valdes-Rodriguez's great credit, these women speak their individual minds in original ways. That, and the author's overall sure, clear writing (especially of the primary setting, Boston) made this book a pleasure to read. And it is funny - in a sarcastic, biting way. By all accounts, Lauren is modeled after Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. Thanks to her sharp descriptive pen, the characters came to life in a variety of ways. I found Lauren the least likeable although it felt as if she was meant to be the main protagonist. Rebecca was painted negatively initially, but I found her the most relatable and the most fulfilled. Valdes-Rodriguez writes each woman multi-faceted. They all have problems tailored to their situations, but don't all reach the perfect answer or solution by the conclusion. The same creativity cannot be applied to the men in the Girls' lives or the fantasy-like premises (magical $2 million investor, a number one record on multiple charts, a sensitive drug dealer). In short, interesting women, lousy side characters, poor plot construction. I am not Latina, but that didn't mean I didn't connect with The Dirty Girls. It got me thinking about the disparity between the Latino minority and my own. Contrary to popular belief, not all minorities bond over their status and this book really makes that clear just by exploring the six lives of women in ONE minority group. While other reviewers have criticized Valdes-Rodriguez's inadequate or awkward treatment of the vast scope of the Latino-American experience (which includes too many cultures and regions to list here), I think she makes her point by failing to live up to expectations. The matter is just too huge to be ever be comprehensive much less in a light, humorous novel. A great beach read, a page-turner, and if you're open to some more depth, it can get you thinking, although you should probably look elsewhere for more info.
Rating:
Summary: Cheers for the "Sucias"!
Review: At first, it took a few pages for me to get into this book. But once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Images of friends and acquaintances, relatives and neighbors began popping into my head as I read more and more about each "sucia." I found myself laughing, crying, relating to each woman's experience, and wanting to call Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez and ask her how she managed to unearth so much that lies within each Latina that so many people seem to miss. I found myself identifying with some of the 'dirty girls', from Rebecca, who is a control-freak, success-oriented woman who just wants to be different from her mother, to Usnavys, who wants to be 'from the block' and give back to her neighborhood but still wants everyone to know that she 'made it' by shopping Neimans and driving the BMW. I related to Sara, and felt angry at times that her experience with violence is so parallel to what many Latinas endure right now. I felt empowered by Amber, who didn't let her threatened boyfriend keep her from obtaining her goals. I cried at the discrimination Elizabeth faced for her personal life. And I felt like Lauren, with all her problems and experiences, was really telling my story, too. As a Latina, it is difficult for me to find books that accurately depict my feelings and experiences in society, the way that I navigate America as a Latin woman, and how the 'other' really treat us, whether that be men from within our own culture to men who are not; or professionals in the workplace, or people at large. It's about time that someone opened eyes through creative text using humor and parody. This book transcends cultures and boundaries, so whether you are Asian, Anglo, or African American, you will still relate to their experiences and plights. This book would in fact be a better film than Terry Mc Millan's Waiting To Exhale, since it discusses more cultural and social issues at large that desperately need to be discussed in society. I was impressed by Valdes-Rodriguez's talent and brilliance, her energy and enthusiasm for what she is discussing, and I hope to read more from her in the future. I recommended the book to other "sucias" I know, in hopes that they will be inspired and moved as I was, as well. Read this book, and then share it with a girlfriend, your Mom, or your 'tias'.It's amazing.
Rating:
Summary: HELP ME! What am I supposed to read now????
Review: I am so upset! I finished this book last night and I don't know if I'll be able to find another book that even compares to this one. When I go to the book store, it seems like all the stories are either British, or they take place in New York. Dont' get me wrong --it's just that the story lines are pretty much the same (dull....zzzzz). LOL! Any recommendations out there? This was a great book! It took me about a week to get through it. These girls are so much fun. Lauren was my personal favorite, she's very real and will do anything for her friends. Usnavys cracks me up with her shallow and materialistic views on life. Rebecca is way too organized and doesn't know how to have a good time. Elizabeth is very sweet and good-hearted. Sara is a loving mom. Amber is strong and admirable. I got absorbed into each character and could understand their perspectives in every situation. They use spanish slang that kept me hooked throughout the story, so I'm not sure if it has the same impact if you don't speak spanish. I highly recommend this book! I can't wait for "Playing With Boys" to come out this Fall or "Sucias 2"...whenever that one's ready! :-)
Rating:
Summary: negative
Review: I expected the book to be funny. Instead, the opening chapter was one long complaint about Latinos being sterotyped, discriminated against, etc. It was "poor,poor,pitiful me" paragraph after paragaph. The following chapters were downers. Not until the last chapter did good things seem to happen--not the high=spirtited funny novel I had expected.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, sassy, edgy, but with some loose ends...
Review: I have wanted to give this novel a whirl for quite a while but never got around to reading it until now. The Dirty Girls Social Club is about six spunky, vibrant Latinas -- or "sucias," as they call themselves -- dealing with career and relationship plights as well as addressing various takes on cultural politics, and dealing with their identities as Latin Americans. They have been friends since college and get together to catch up on their lives every so often. During the course of one year, a big, beautiful, sassy and somewhat materialistic Puerto Rican tries to decide on whether she should give her heart to a sweet, albeit broke gentleman; a bohemian and politically conscious musician tries not to lose her identity and beliefs as her CD skyrockets on the pop charts; an uptight, anal retentive magazine chief wonders why she'd married a phony, self-centered billionaire; a young housewife's life isn't as perfect as others think; a drop-dead gorgeous lesbian anchor is forced to come out of the closet before being ready; and a frustrated, opinionated Cuban American journalist deals with her dwindling love life and her headache-inducing neurosis. There are various twists throughout the novel.
The sucias are fun, intelligent women who have a lot to say about many things. As a Latina, I nodded in agreement with a lot of the things the characters said -- it is clear that the aforementioned arguments are the author's musings. I liked the novel's earnest humor and political backdrop. However, it was hard to take the author's work seriously when she herself stereotyped various characters (namely Usnavys). I realize that some of it was intentional, but some nationalities were shown on a better light than others. Also, there are a lot of loose ends in this novel. What happened to Elizabeth's feelings for Lauren? Why weren't the male characters in the story developed enough? What was Sara's take on her situation after all the changes she endured? What did Usnavys's job entail? There are many other things left undeveloped. I agree with various reviewers here that said the novel has too many female leads in a story that's only a little over 300 pages long. It was difficult for me to have any sort of affinity to the characters when their stories are told in parts. Other than that, I loved this novel. I couldn't put it down and loved reading about smart, successful Latinas, though I must add that the women should have been older. I, like the characters, am a Hispanic woman in my late twenties. I work in Public Relations and am a part-time writer. But I make nowhere near as much money as these ladies and neither do my peers, regardless of race. The women in this book sound like they are in their mid to late thirties. Anyway, this is a great chick-lit that should be appreciated as the lighthearted, compelling read that it is. I think Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez has a lot of potential and I shall give her second novel a whirl.
Rating:
Summary: Las Sucias
Review: I just loved this book- it was a fun read and I can't wait to see the movie. Well I'd actually love to be in the movie because it would be so much fun. Being un Cuban-American I related to it very well and could see how it translates across cultural bounderies. FUN! FUN! FUN!
Carinos
to all the other Sucias.
Rating:
Summary: Just Cool!
Review: Let me say..I really enjoyed this book. Of course it was a little unbeleivable here and there-but it's just a story. With a Latina-cocktail of characters from Cubana to Xicana Valdes-Rodriguez's novel showcases just how very different and varied Latina's can be.
There is the 'Spanish' Mexican-denying Mexicana, the probably more Spanish-yet identifying with her native background Xicana, the intelligent ghetto fabulous Afro-boricua, the beautiful Negrita Colombiana, the weathly Euro-Cubana, and the 1/2 'white-trash' 1/2 Cubana caught between two worlds. I am half Panamena and half Euro-mutt myself so I could dig Lauren's character:the non-Spanish speaking, half-white chick. This book is street smart and will have you coming back for more'drama'. It's a fun book- Every Latina will not identify herself in the story, but those that embrace the diversity of Latinas will surely enjoy this book.
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