Bodega DreamsIn a stunning narrative combining 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. |
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Page
All other characters and all actions, events, motivations, thoughts, and
conversations portrayed in this story are entirely the product of the author's
imagination and any resemblance to actual persons or events is entirely
coincidental.
All other characters and all actions, events, motivations, thoughts, and
conversations portrayed in this story are entirely the product of the author's
imagination and any resemblance to actual persons or events is entirely
coincidental.
Page 11
... showing all his teeth as he glued some razors to his kite. “This neighborhood is
beautiful, bro." “Yeah, you're right, pana," I said to him, but knew I didn't mean it. I
gave my kite to the wind, which took it with a hiss, and I thought of Blanca and ...
... showing all his teeth as he glued some razors to his kite. “This neighborhood is
beautiful, bro." “Yeah, you're right, pana," I said to him, but knew I didn't mean it. I
gave my kite to the wind, which took it with a hiss, and I thought of Blanca and ...
Page 12
The Futurists had been a malcontent group of artists at the beginning of the
century who loved speed and thought war was good, the “hygiene of humanity."
To them it was important to begin again. Culture was dead and it was time for ...
The Futurists had been a malcontent group of artists at the beginning of the
century who loved speed and thought war was good, the “hygiene of humanity."
To them it was important to begin again. Culture was dead and it was time for ...
Page 13
Blanca thought the same, and when we started going out we would talk about
this all the time. “Julio, don't you hate it when people from the neighborhood who
somehow manage to leave change their names? Instead of Juan, they want to be
...
Blanca thought the same, and when we started going out we would talk about
this all the time. “Julio, don't you hate it when people from the neighborhood who
somehow manage to leave change their names? Instead of Juan, they want to be
...
Page 14
The honeymoon had been over for months. “What is your problem? You know,
Julio, I married you because I thought you had brains. I thought you had more
brains than most of the f.s.fucks in this neighborhood." When Blanca cursed, I
knew ...
The honeymoon had been over for months. “What is your problem? You know,
Julio, I married you because I thought you had brains. I thought you had more
brains than most of the f.s.fucks in this neighborhood." When Blanca cursed, I
knew ...
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - BtB_Library - LibraryThingBodega Dreams features really well-written, sympathetic characters living in Spanish Harlem. With a gripping, detailed portrayal of the neighborhood and a fast moving plot that's very easy to get ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - marciathing - LibraryThingThe books by Ernesto Quinonez were my first introduction to Spanish Harlem. Thanks to my Midwestern existence, and even to some years in S. Texas, I had never known this place existed. Both his novels are fantastic and engrossing. I'm looking forward to more. Read full review
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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 tambourines Tapia tell 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 |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |