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 6-10 of 90
Page 17
... things like Cristo salva! I get the heebie-jeebies. You don't know what it's like inside a Pentecostal church full of Latinos. They really get down to some serious worshiping, with tambourines here, tambourines there, some guy beginning ...
... things like Cristo salva! I get the heebie-jeebies. You don't know what it's like inside a Pentecostal church full of Latinos. They really get down to some serious worshiping, with tambourines here, tambourines there, some guy beginning ...
Page 18
... thing, taking it around is another—” “Hold your caballos, bro, like I wouldn't be askin'ya unless I knew it was somethin'easy and not out of your way." "Yeah, well it's way out of my way. I have to go to class, man, I'll see you around ...
... thing, taking it around is another—” “Hold your caballos, bro, like I wouldn't be askin'ya unless I knew it was somethin'easy and not out of your way." "Yeah, well it's way out of my way. I have to go to class, man, I'll see you around ...
Page 19
... thing" “So why don't you take it to Tweety? Look, I'll wait for you here to come pick—" “I'm in the Bronx, Chino! You think I would've called you if I coulda come by? Fuck, man, you go to school or what?" So, without telling Blanca, I ...
... thing" “So why don't you take it to Tweety? Look, I'll wait for you here to come pick—" “I'm in the Bronx, Chino! You think I would've called you if I coulda come by? Fuck, man, you go to school or what?" So, without telling Blanca, I ...
Page 21
... things to Blanca sometimes when I knew she could see right through me. “You mean you want to hang with Sapo." She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it. Vete. Act like a single man.” She stormed into the bedroom to get on ...
... things to Blanca sometimes when I knew she could see right through me. “You mean you want to hang with Sapo." She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it. Vete. Act like a single man.” She stormed into the bedroom to get on ...
Page 23
... thing worse than the smell of a tenement is a pissed-up elevator in a project. If you look at the floors of an old ... things because you never knew when you had to disappear for a while. You had to travel light and easy. Nene led us ...
... thing worse than the smell of a tenement is a pissed-up elevator in a project. If you look at the floors of an old ... things because you never knew when you had to disappear for a while. You had to travel light and easy. Nene led us ...
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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