There are some books, hopefully more than a few, that just grab you. It may be the characters, it may be the setting, it may be the voice. Who knows, it may be a terrific combination of all three. No matter the reason, it is almost impossible to put the book down after it’s been started, and after you’re done, the only logical reaction seems to be to pick it up again. And that’s what The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, written by the insanely talented Junot Díaz, was for me.

The Brief Wondrous Life centers on Oscar Wao, a “sweet but disastrously overweight ghetto nerd” living in New Jersey, writing stories and looking for love. Oscar’s story spans from when he was seven to after he’s graduated college, weaving in accounts of school, his friends, and the many girls he falls for. But it’s also much, much more, encompassing the stories of his sister, his mother, his mother’s family, and even some of the history of the Dominican Republic itself. It’s expansive and full of stories, and it’s also fantastic.

One of the most striking things about the book is its narration. Díaz writes in the first person, but not from the point of view of Oscar or a member of his family, but instead from an unknown “Watcher,” who the reader is finally introduced to about halfway through the book. Díaz’s narrator is blunt and sharp-tongued, a complex character in his own right who describes Oscar’s life in a quick and witty manner, but also adds in his own views and interpretations. It’s one of the most distinctive voices I’ve ever read, the kind that you hear in your head long after the book is closed, and it makes it all the harder to put the book down.

Another thing that makes The Brief Wondrous Life so incredibly engrossing is the characters. Oscar himself is original and complex, a boy who falls in love with all things nerdy and almost every girl he meets. His sister, Lola, is brash and caring, and, fantastically, we get to see her grow up as well. Their mother is a story unto herself, and a large part of the book is spent exploring that story, learning more about the woman who grew up in Santo Domingo during the age of a violent dictatorship led by the general Rafael Trujillo.

These characters are by no means perfect; in fact, they’re far from it. Oscar, while helplessly in love with many girls throughout the book, doesn’t understand boundaries as well as he should. His mother is an incredibly complex character, who can be kind, but also cruel and filled with anger. The narrator himself is often vulgar and makes his own mistakes, many times over. But Díaz doesn’t hide these flaws, nor does he minimize them — he presents his characters in the most human way possible, and it’s a large part of why this book is the type of book you want to shove into the hands of everyone you meet. It’s the kind of writing that makes it almost impossible to pick apart, simply because it’s so good.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is one of the best books I’ve read all year. Junot Díaz paints the setting, the characters, and their stories with such talent that they become completely engrossing, and it’s almost impossible to stop reading about them. It’s the kind of book that I want to read again and again and again, simply because I can’t imagine getting tired of it. It’s one of the best kinds.