Bodega Dreams
Chino, a promising young latino, finds himself drawn into the dangerous world of Willy Bodega, ruler of Spanish Harlem, and torn between his loyalties to his pregnant Pentecostal wife and the promises of the barrio ringleader.
Read More
<b>In this "thriller with literary merit" (<i>Time Out New York),</i> a stunning narrative combines the gritty rhythms of Junot Diaz with the noir genius of Walter Mosley.</b><br><br><i>Bodega Dreams</i> 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.<br><br>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.<br><br>"Bodega is a fascinating character. . . . The story [Quiñonez] tells has energy and verve." —<i>The New York Times Book Review</i>
Read Less