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
Results 1-5 of 42
Page 5
Freddy would hang there all night. I want it to say, 'Freddy the best of 109th Street, R.I.P.' And then I want the flag of Borinquen and a big conga with Freddy's face on it, can you paint that?"You would say, "Yeah, I can paint that" ...
Freddy would hang there all night. I want it to say, 'Freddy the best of 109th Street, R.I.P.' And then I want the flag of Borinquen and a big conga with Freddy's face on it, can you paint that?"You would say, "Yeah, I can paint that" ...
Page 6
They lived on Pleasant Avenue off 116th Street, and ifyou were caught around there at night you'd better have been a light-skinned Latino so you could pass yourself off as Italian. So, since we were almost convinced that our race had no ...
They lived on Pleasant Avenue off 116th Street, and ifyou were caught around there at night you'd better have been a light-skinned Latino so you could pass yourself off as Italian. So, since we were almost convinced that our race had no ...
Page 9
Made you want to pick up a tambourine and join her one night in her church. Make a joyful noise to the Lord so she would begin to jump up and down to all that religious salsa. And maybe you'd be lucky enough to cop a cheap feel as the ...
Made you want to pick up a tambourine and join her one night in her church. Make a joyful noise to the Lord so she would begin to jump up and down to all that religious salsa. And maybe you'd be lucky enough to cop a cheap feel as the ...
Page 14
Anyway, it was Sapo who introduced me. Sapo would knock at my door at crazy hours of the night. “Yo, Chino, man, whass up? You know yor my pana, right? And like, you know yor the only guy I can trust, right? I mean, we go way back.
Anyway, it was Sapo who introduced me. Sapo would knock at my door at crazy hours of the night. “Yo, Chino, man, whass up? You know yor my pana, right? And like, you know yor the only guy I can trust, right? I mean, we go way back.
Page 18
All right, you know that taped-up paper bag I left wi'choolass night?” "Yeah, but if you picking that up you gonna have to wait, bro. Because I have to go to class and meet Blanca." “Oh, I'm touched, Jane and Joe Night School.
All right, you know that taped-up paper bag I left wi'choolass night?” "Yeah, but if you picking that up you gonna have to wait, bro. Because I have to go to class and meet Blanca." “Oh, I'm touched, Jane and Joe Night School.
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
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 |