Bodega DreamsIn this "thriller with literary merit" (Time Out New York), a stunning narrative combines the gritty rhythms of Junot Diaz with the noir genius of Walter Mosley. Bodega Dreams pulls us into Spanish Harlem, where the word is out: Willie Bodega is king. Need college tuition for your daughter? Start-up funds for your fruit stand? Bodega can help. He gives everyone a leg up, in exchange only for loyalty—and a steady income from the drugs he pushes. Lyrical, inspired, and darkly funny, this powerful debut novel brilliantly evokes the trial of Chino, a smart, promising young man to whom Bodega turns for a favor. Chino is drawn to Bodega's street-smart idealism, but soon finds himself over his head, navigating an underworld of switchblade tempers, turncoat morality, and murder. "Bodega is a fascinating character. . . . The story [Quiñonez] tells has energy and verve." —The New York Times Book Review |
From inside the book
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Page 29
... cops would drive by and see Puerto Ricans workin ' on tryin ' to renovate a building . The cops would laugh . They said we had no ingenuity because we were Puerto Ricans . They would say things like , you guys ain't Incas , you have no ...
... cops would drive by and see Puerto Ricans workin ' on tryin ' to renovate a building . The cops would laugh . They said we had no ingenuity because we were Puerto Ricans . They would say things like , you guys ain't Incas , you have no ...
Page 65
... cops . She just told the entire neighborhood and eventually someone must have tipped off the cops . A girl named Inelda Andino had killed Popcorn . Negra's explana- tion was simple : " She was always jealous of his hair . Popcorn had ...
... cops . She just told the entire neighborhood and eventually someone must have tipped off the cops . A girl named Inelda Andino had killed Popcorn . Negra's explana- tion was simple : " She was always jealous of his hair . Popcorn had ...
Page 115
... cops don't already know what you're doing ? ” " They might be sniffin ' , they ain't that stupid . They got a little piece of it too . But everything is still layin ' low . No noise , and as long as there's no noise , cops don't care ...
... cops don't already know what you're doing ? ” " They might be sniffin ' , they ain't that stupid . They got a little piece of it too . But everything is still layin ' low . No noise , and as long as there's no noise , cops don't care ...
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Common terms and phrases
ain't Alberto Salazar Alleluia asked aunt b'cause Barrio Blanca Blessington building called Chino church Claudia Coño cops crazy DeJesus door dreams East Harlem Enrique everything eyes face fire Fischman floor fuck fucken girl gonna hand happy hated head hear heard hope inside Iris Chacón Julia de Burgos Julio killed knew Latin laughed living Loisaida looked married Mercado mother Nazario Negra neighborhood Nene never nigga night nodded okay Ortiz pana PEDRO PIETRI Pentecostal Piri Thomas Puerto Rican Robert Frost Roberto Vega Salazar salsa Sapo Sapo's shit sister smiled someone Spanish Harlem stared street Taino talk Tapia tell Thass Thass right things thought told took Vera's Veronica Victor Vidal waited walked Whass whispered wife William Irizarry Willie Bodega Yeah yelled yo'r