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 9
She always carried a Bible with her and never talked bad about anybody and at school she only hungaround with her Pentecostal friend, Lucy. Lucy was a hairy girl who never shaved her legs because it was against her religion.
She always carried a Bible with her and never talked bad about anybody and at school she only hungaround with her Pentecostal friend, Lucy. Lucy was a hairy girl who never shaved her legs because it was against her religion.
Page 10
Yo, my aunt was Pentecostal and she, bro, she has fucked half the men in her congregation. Esa ha cosido mas huevosque una sartén.” “Respect, Sapo. Blanca believes in that shit, so—" Sapo would cut me off. “So you like her, thass all.
Yo, my aunt was Pentecostal and she, bro, she has fucked half the men in her congregation. Esa ha cosido mas huevosque una sartén.” “Respect, Sapo. Blanca believes in that shit, so—" Sapo would cut me off. “So you like her, thass all.
Page 17
Now I know about wanting some sort of recognition, of wanting to have some sort of status, but when I think about yelling things like Cristo salva! I get the heebie-jeebies. You don't know what it's like inside a Pentecostal church full ...
Now I know about wanting some sort of recognition, of wanting to have some sort of status, but when I think about yelling things like Cristo salva! I get the heebie-jeebies. You don't know what it's like inside a Pentecostal church full ...
Page 18
But the one thingyou could never make fun of about Pentecostals was their girls. They had the prettiest church girls in the neighborhood. You knew their beauty was real because they didn't wear any makeup and still looked good.
But the one thingyou could never make fun of about Pentecostals was their girls. They had the prettiest church girls in the neighborhood. You knew their beauty was real because they didn't wear any makeup and still looked good.
Page 21
She wasn't as pretty, wasn't Pentecostal, she cursed, drank Budweiser from the can, and got into fights. She was so much the opposite of her kid sister that from the time Blanca was ten and Deborah twelve, everyone called her Negra.
She wasn't as pretty, wasn't Pentecostal, she cursed, drank Budweiser from the can, and got into fights. She was so much the opposite of her kid sister that from the time Blanca was ten and Deborah twelve, everyone called her Negra.
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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 |