Reviews

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos

msnikkiwilks's review against another edition

3.0

Identity is tough to figure out. There's this tension of honoring where you came from while trying to forge your own person simultaneously. It's messy and imperfect, just like we all are, but it's important and life giving when you finally own who you are and all you are capable of being. Thank you, Mr. Hijuelos, for reminding us of the importance of owning where we came from while recognizing who we are!

ash_heartsbooks's review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

monty_reads's review against another edition

2.0

Meh. Red flags should come up all over the place when author Hijuelos says he wishes this were a book he had read when he was a teen. That's a problem because A) it's pompous and self-serving to admit, and B) this book kinda sucks, which doesn't say much for his taste. Set in the late 60's, Rico is a light-skinned Cuban who has all kinds of problems in New York City, what with his parents and drugs and his drug-addicted friends and violence and blah blah blah, so he moves to a farm in Wisconsin and learns Important Life Lessons™ about parents and drugs and friends (some drug-addicted, some not) and violence and blah blah blah. It's a pretty superficial way of dealing with some problems that are actually pretty serious (racial identity being the most obvious), and I feel like there's a good book in here somewhere. But Hijuelos hamstrings himself by giving us a dullard of a protagonist and then tossing a bunch of balls in the air without much apparent concern about whether or not he can keep them there.

werds's review

4.0

This is how YA should be

http://recenseernogeenkeer.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/dark-dude/ ‎

themagpiereads's review

5.0

Different from anything I've ever read, but absolutely fantastic. This book is full of vibrant characters and colorful stories about a young man's coming-of-age. One of the best coming-of-age tales I've ever read. This book was funny and touching in equal doses. Fantastic.