Reviews

A salsa hercege by Ernesto Quiñonez

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lostinfrance's review against another edition

5.0

I grabbed this book off of my classroom bookshelf. I don't know how it got there, but it was and it had an intriguing title. Grabbed it for the plane ride to SF and enjoyed it immensely when I got home (spent too much time reading magazines!)

Story is of a young man and his life in Spanish Harlem. There is a drug lord, a best friend who is messed up in selling drugs, a Pentecostal wife, baby on the way, crazy sister-in-law....and a love affair. With a shock...this would be perfect for students. One day I'll read it with them.

rfletch's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

1moodreader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

🏆What I liked:

The writing makes everything come to life- the setting, characters, plot events
This book has so much heart

🚩What I didn't like:

The ending felt rushed and I would've liked to have a more convincing conclusion/closure to the story

nessyreadsalot's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

5 ⭐️ Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez

This is why representation matters!!!! This is set in Spanish Harlem about the “American Dream” of immigrants/underrepresented communities of color who are hoping to build something better for themselves, their family, and community.

Bodega is leading a movement of change for his community, and while his methods may be unconventional (selling drugs) he is gaining political power and using his influence to sell his dream of building a better community for his Latin neighborhood by gaining recruits, respect, and loyalty by his partnerships and tenants. Chino and Blanca are about to start a family and they desperately want to do better for themselves so they both work and attend college in hopes to make an honest living; however, Chino faces many pressures that make it hard to stay out of the webs of Bodega’s plans. We follow Chino and his community members (some friends, some family, some neighbors) in this coming of age story where Chino falls into and rises out of trouble.

The way Quiñonez writes is beautiful and he represents Latin culture during this time so well. Chino, Sapo, and Bodega are characters with complexity and depth and their relationships towards each other really add to the story in a very empathetic way. I’ve seen many reviews compare this to the Great Gatsby; however, I could never get through that book because of lack of interest and connection. If the comparisons are true, Ernesto Quiñonez has made a classic written by a white man (possibly stolen from his wife?) and made the story accessible, engaging, and relatable to Latin and underrepresented readers. I absolutely loved and am grateful I came across this book!