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 47
Page 4
But Sapo never bitched, as if he had said, “Fuck that shit. I'll love myself.” And that's how I wanted to be. To have a name other than the one your parents had given you meant you had status in school, had status on your block.
But Sapo never bitched, as if he had said, “Fuck that shit. I'll love myself.” And that's how I wanted to be. To have a name other than the one your parents had given you meant you had status in school, had status on your block.
Page 7
making us respect her by never taking shit from us, was the math teacher, Ms. Boorstein. She once went toe-to-toe with Sapo. He was about to walk out of her classroom because he was bored, and she said to him, “Enrique, sitbackdown!
making us respect her by never taking shit from us, was the math teacher, Ms. Boorstein. She once went toe-to-toe with Sapo. He was about to walk out of her classroom because he was bored, and she said to him, “Enrique, sitbackdown!
Page 8
Those names meant shit around school, around the block, around the neighborhood. They carried no weight and it was usually guys stuck with those names that were always getting their asses kicked. sApo was the same around everybody, ...
Those names meant shit around school, around the block, around the neighborhood. They carried no weight and it was usually guys stuck with those names that were always getting their asses kicked. sApo was the same around everybody, ...
Page 9
“Shit, man, she ain't gold. She ain't the fucken Virgin Mary." “Blanca's Pentecostal, bro. Not Catholic.” “Whatevah the fuck she is. All the guys really want is to fuck her, so why do they keep her in some ...
“Shit, man, she ain't gold. She ain't the fucken Virgin Mary." “Blanca's Pentecostal, bro. Not Catholic.” “Whatevah the fuck she is. All the guys really want is to fuck her, so why do they keep her in some ...
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 |