Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez and narrated by Angelo Di Loreto for National Hispanic Heritage Month.

I thought Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez started off kind of slowly and wondered where it was going initially. But things picked up and I liked the ending of this novel. It gave an interesting perspective on the Hispanic experience in Spanish Harlem. I liked the writing, storyline, and characters for Bodega Dreams. I thought Angelo Di Loreto was a decent narrator.

Below is the plot summary for Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez I discovered on Chirp's website:

In 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.

I am giving Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars!

Until my next post, happy reading!