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 3
But Sapo didn't look like an Enrique anyway, whatever an Enrique is supposed to look like. Sapo could only be Sapo. And that's what everyone called him. It was rumored around the neighborhood that when Sapo came out, the nurses cleaned ...
But Sapo didn't look like an Enrique anyway, whatever an Enrique is supposed to look like. Sapo could only be Sapo. And that's what everyone called him. It was rumored around the neighborhood that when Sapo came out, the nurses cleaned ...
Page 7
He was about to walk out of her classroom because he was bored, and she said to him, “Enrique, sitbackdown!"Sapokept walking and she ran toward the door and blocked his path. She dared him to push her. She said to him, “I'll get your ...
He was about to walk out of her classroom because he was bored, and she said to him, “Enrique, sitbackdown!"Sapokept walking and she ran toward the door and blocked his path. She dared him to push her. She said to him, “I'll get your ...
Page 14
I don't want you around Enrique.” “What are you, my mother?" "He's a drug dealer, Julio." “Man, you're brilliant, Blanca. What could have possibly given him away?" The honeymoon had been over for months. “What is your problem?
I don't want you around Enrique.” “What are you, my mother?" "He's a drug dealer, Julio." “Man, you're brilliant, Blanca. What could have possibly given him away?" The honeymoon had been over for months. “What is your problem?
Page 15
“Just look at Enrique,” she continued. “He has all these women who sleep with him hoping to rip him off when he falls asleep. So he brings his dope here so you, my idiot husband, can guard it while he has a great time!
“Just look at Enrique,” she continued. “He has all these women who sleep with him hoping to rip him off when he falls asleep. So he brings his dope here so you, my idiot husband, can guard it while he has a great time!
Page 16
“But what if one day Enrique doesn't tell you where he is taking you and actually takes you somewhere bad? What if the police bust him and since you were with him you get in trouble too? That happens a lot, you know.
“But what if one day Enrique doesn't tell you where he is taking you and actually takes you somewhere bad? What if the police bust him and since you were with him you get in trouble too? That happens a lot, you know.
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Common terms and phrases
ain't Alberto Salazar Alleluia asked aunt b'cause baby Barrio bitch Blanca Blessington building called Chino church Claudia Colombia cops crazy DeJesus door East Harlem East River Enrique everything eyes face fire Fischman floor fuck fucken girl gonna hand happy hated head hear heard hope inside Iris Chacón Izzy Julia de Burgos Julio killed knew Latin laughed leave living looked married Mercado mother Nazario Negra neighborhood Nene never nigga night nodded okay opened Ortiz pana Pentecostal 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 Vasquez Vera's Veronica Victor Vidal waiting walked Whassup whispered wife William Irizarry Willie Bodega Yeah yelled
Bibliographic information
| Title | Bodega Dreams Vintage Contemporaries |
| Author | Ernesto Quiñonez |
| Publisher | Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2015 |
| ISBN | 0804154058, 9780804154055 |
| Length | 224 pages |
| Subjects | › Fiction / Coming of Age Fiction / Hispanic & Latino Fiction / Urban & Street Lit |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |