A review by renatasnacks
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos

3.0

It took me forever to figure out that this book is set in the 60s. I thought it was a contemporary novel for some reason, and the only thing that really got to me was the prices of everything. Anyway. The titular "Dark Dude" is a derogatory nickname for Rico, a light-skinned Cuban-American boy who gets hassled in his school and neighborhood because the black and Latino kids think he's white. He ends up running away to Wisconsin (where an older friend of his has moved to attend college after winning the lottery). It actually feels very plausible in the book, although when I write out that plot point it sounds a little ridiculous. Just go with it. My favorite part of the book was Rico's connection with comic books and Huckleberry Finn.