A review by readwithpassion
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos

4.0

I think this novel has great teen appeal. It deals with the harsh realities that many teens face today. Rico struggles with his identity, a Cuban who looks white and doesn't speak Spanish well. He runs away to Wisconsin to escape the violence and crime in NYC, only to find that crime exists everywhere. His voice felt real to me, and I was sucked into his story. My only complaints are that the novel drags a bit in a few places, and the drug references are quite graphic. In the end, I had to give it five stars, as I truly thought it was an amazing book.