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
His eyes bulged in their sockets and when he laughed there was no denying the resemblance. It was like one huge, happy toad laughing right in front of you. As far back as I could remember Sapo had always been called Sapo and no one ...
His eyes bulged in their sockets and when he laughed there was no denying the resemblance. It was like one huge, happy toad laughing right in front of you. As far back as I could remember Sapo had always been called Sapo and no one ...
Page 7
She only wanted us to listen, and when we did well on her math tests she was all smiles. The Hispanic teachers, on the other hand, saw themselves in our eyes and made us work hard. Most of them were young, the sons and daughters of the ...
She only wanted us to listen, and when we did well on her math tests she was all smiles. The Hispanic teachers, on the other hand, saw themselves in our eyes and made us work hard. Most of them were young, the sons and daughters of the ...
Page 9
She had lighttan skin, hazel eyes, and a beautiful mane of semibrown, semiblond hair. Nancy exuded a purity rarely found among the church girls. She was as genuine as a statue of a saint you want to light candles to, steal flowers for, ...
She had lighttan skin, hazel eyes, and a beautiful mane of semibrown, semiblond hair. Nancy exuded a purity rarely found among the church girls. She was as genuine as a statue of a saint you want to light candles to, steal flowers for, ...
Page 10
I would collect our spoils of war, which we would sell to some kid and split the money. My father understood where we were living. He knew, and when I would come home with bruises or a black eye he never lost his cool.
I would collect our spoils of war, which we would sell to some kid and split the money. My father understood where we were living. He knew, and when I would come home with bruises or a black eye he never lost his cool.
Page 15
... avoiding any possibility of eye contact. When she did this, I knew a little speech was coming. “Julio, I know how you feel about your studies. I B C D E G A D R. E. A. M. 5 15.
... avoiding any possibility of eye contact. When she did this, I knew a little speech was coming. “Julio, I know how you feel about your studies. I B C D E G A D R. E. A. M. 5 15.
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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 |