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Dark Dude
He didn't say good-bye. He didn't leave a phone number. And he didn't plan on coming back - ever.
In Wisconsin, Rico could blend in. His light hair and lighter skin wouldn't make him the "dark dude" or the punching bag for the whole neighborhood. The Midwest is the land of milk and honey, but for Rico Fuentes, it's really a last resort. Trading Harlem for Wisconsin, though, means giving up on a big part of his identity. And when Rico no longer has to prove that he's Latino, he almost stops being one. Except he can never have an ordinary white kid's life, because there are some things that can't be left behind, that can't be cut loose or forgotten. These are the things that will be with you forever.... These are the things that will follow you a thousand miles away.
For anyone who loved The Outsiders -- and for anyone who's ever felt like one -- Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Oscar Hijuelos brings to life a haunting choice and an unforgettable journey about identity, misidentity, and all that we take with us when we run away.
439 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2008
29 people are currently reading
780 people want to read
About the author
Oscar Hijuelos
34 books218 followersOscar Hijuelos (born August 24, 1951) was an American novelist. He is the first Hispanic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi School, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and studying writing at the City College of New York (B.A., 1975; M.A. in Creative Writing, 1976). He then practiced various professions before taking up writing full time. His first novel, Our House in the Last World, was published in 1983 and received the 1985 Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome. His second novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, received the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was adapted for the film The Mambo Kings in 1992 and as a Broadway musical in 2005.
Hijuelos has taught at Hofstra University and at Duke University.
Hijuelos was born in New York City, in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, to Cuban immigrant parents. He attended the Corpus Christi School, public schools, and later attended Bronx Community College, Lehman College, and Manhattan Community College before matriculating into and studying writing at the City College of New York (B.A., 1975; M.A. in Creative Writing, 1976). He then practiced various professions before taking up writing full time. His first novel, Our House in the Last World, was published in 1983 and received the 1985 Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome. His second novel, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, received the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was adapted for the film The Mambo Kings in 1992 and as a Broadway musical in 2005.
Hijuelos has taught at Hofstra University and at Duke University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
March 11, 2009
Adolescence is tough--you want to be an individual, to find out who you are, to be seen as special and unique, but you also don't want to be too different, to be noticed and hassled--you want to fit in. Your fellow teenagers can be very hard on both themselves and each other. And groups have their own sometimes menacing lives.
Well OK--adults may not admit it, but it's often like that for us too--but somehow it's more intense for an adolescent, especially in the forced and self-contained environment of a school, with adults everywhere seemingly on your case, not listening, not seeing, not trying to understand.
For Rico, the problem of identity comes with an extra layer. He's Latino, but he looks white; because of a childhood illness that forced him to spend large amounts of time in hospitals away from his family, even his non-fluent Spanish betrays him to his culture. Everywhere he goes in New York--at school, in the neighborhood, even at home--he feels like he doesn't belong. He is seen and hassled as white among blacks and Latinos, yet he is not part of or comfortable in the mainstream white culture either; his family both envies and dislikes him for his failure to be Latino enough (for on top of everything else he is a nerd), and his mother, especially, makes him the scapegoat for the family's troubles.
His journey, both physical and mental, to find out just who he is or could be, to find out where and how he can fit into life, is both an escape and a return--not resolved, but working towards some kind of sense of himself, with the knowledge that he does not need to be defined by others, even though he can't stop the judgements they make.
We can all identify with that never-ending struggle.
Well OK--adults may not admit it, but it's often like that for us too--but somehow it's more intense for an adolescent, especially in the forced and self-contained environment of a school, with adults everywhere seemingly on your case, not listening, not seeing, not trying to understand.
For Rico, the problem of identity comes with an extra layer. He's Latino, but he looks white; because of a childhood illness that forced him to spend large amounts of time in hospitals away from his family, even his non-fluent Spanish betrays him to his culture. Everywhere he goes in New York--at school, in the neighborhood, even at home--he feels like he doesn't belong. He is seen and hassled as white among blacks and Latinos, yet he is not part of or comfortable in the mainstream white culture either; his family both envies and dislikes him for his failure to be Latino enough (for on top of everything else he is a nerd), and his mother, especially, makes him the scapegoat for the family's troubles.
His journey, both physical and mental, to find out just who he is or could be, to find out where and how he can fit into life, is both an escape and a return--not resolved, but working towards some kind of sense of himself, with the knowledge that he does not need to be defined by others, even though he can't stop the judgements they make.
We can all identify with that never-ending struggle.
September 18, 2020
Quedé algo desilusionada de este libro y no es su culpa, cuando lo comencé apenas y había leído la sinopsis muy por encima y me imaginaba que trataría de algo un poco diferente.
No es un mal libro, simplemente no logré identificarme porque mi adolescencia fue bastante tranquila y nunca sufrí ninguna crisis de identidad ni problemas serios con mis padres.
A través de este libro conocemos a Rico, hijo de inmigrantes cubanos en Nueva York, que por un tatarabuelo irlandés resulta que es bastante más blanco que el resto de su familia, lo que hace que reciba burlas por su color de piel, especialmente en su barrio, lleno de gente de color o de raíces latinas quienes no lo consideran como parte de su grupo. Harto de esta situación emprende un viaje con la esperanza de encontrar un ambiente distinto.
Se tocan temas de drogas, violencia, alcoholismo, discriminación pero de una forma muy clara y directa de forma que creo que resulta perfecto para los adolescentes que estén pasando por momentos complicados y que sientan que no tienen escapatoria o que no tienen a nadie que los apoye.
Sin duda es un ejemplo de cómo tu familia, amigos y entorno son piezas fundamentales para tu desarrollo como persona y que una buena o mala influencia puede darle un nuevo rumbo a tu vida.
Tiene personajes muy bien desarrollados a los que da gusto ver cambiar y para mí, Gilberto se ha hecho un espacio en mi corazón.
No es un mal libro, simplemente no logré identificarme porque mi adolescencia fue bastante tranquila y nunca sufrí ninguna crisis de identidad ni problemas serios con mis padres.
A través de este libro conocemos a Rico, hijo de inmigrantes cubanos en Nueva York, que por un tatarabuelo irlandés resulta que es bastante más blanco que el resto de su familia, lo que hace que reciba burlas por su color de piel, especialmente en su barrio, lleno de gente de color o de raíces latinas quienes no lo consideran como parte de su grupo. Harto de esta situación emprende un viaje con la esperanza de encontrar un ambiente distinto.
Se tocan temas de drogas, violencia, alcoholismo, discriminación pero de una forma muy clara y directa de forma que creo que resulta perfecto para los adolescentes que estén pasando por momentos complicados y que sientan que no tienen escapatoria o que no tienen a nadie que los apoye.
Sin duda es un ejemplo de cómo tu familia, amigos y entorno son piezas fundamentales para tu desarrollo como persona y que una buena o mala influencia puede darle un nuevo rumbo a tu vida.
Tiene personajes muy bien desarrollados a los que da gusto ver cambiar y para mí, Gilberto se ha hecho un espacio en mi corazón.
May 19, 2016
Short Review: Dark Dude is something new-- something I wish had been one of many similar books when I was a child. Within its pages, Pulitzer Prize winner Hijuelos introduces a Cuban-American coming of age story that feels honest and relatable.Read more...
I’m no expert on young adult books. In fact, I gave my 15-year-old brother Invisible Man and The Fire Next Time for Christmas last year. They’re books that every young black man should have, but my choice actually reveals that I didn't know of any young adult books with young men of color to give him.
Enter Dark Dude. Rico Fuentes is the type of guy I'd have been friends with in high school-- when he's not playing his acoustic guitar, he's working on concepts for the comic book he plans on sending to DC Comics executives. He's a pretty endearing kid, in spite of being shunned for his skin.
Rico is not what he, or those around him, considers a regular Cubano: he’s not much of a dancer, his Spanish isn’t accented, and his hair and skin are very light. He doesn’t fit in among the Black and Latino students, both of which assume he’s white and are suspicious or outright hostile. Through interactions with Rico, Oscar Hijuelos is able to bring forth various discussions about race from a different perspective. Oftentimes, race is treated as a bipolar concept—in this book, mostly set in New York, race is realistically multi-polar. It incorporates dynamics between Latinos, as well as White and Black people of different socioeconomic statuses.
After a lifetime of being too poor and Latino for whites, but too light for Latinos and blacks, Rico is fed up. Convincing a troubled neighbor to accompany him, Rico runs away to Wisconsin, where an old friend lives a much simpler life. Rico's excited to escape to a one of the homogeneously white areas in the U.S., where he's certain his light features will blend in. It doesn't. When he applies for a job at the gas station, the owner remarks that it's odd his name is Rico, because he doesn't "look like a wetback." Over the course of the next year, Rico lives among the corn and the corn farmers, while he and Jimmy contemplate what's left for them in New York City.
It takes a lot of faith for me to read a book that is compared to The Catcher in the Rye on its rear, but I’m happy I did. Aside from the pensive teenage male protagonist, it's not reminiscent of Catcher at all. This book is insightful and relatable, more because of the characters than the story line itself. Rico’s voice is well developed, and he’s essentially like any other young man who feels different. There’s no classist, faux-perceptive musings about “fakes and phonies,” just conversations from a boy unsure about his future, and even more unsure about his identity.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because while it isn't perfect, it's absolutely a book I wish existed when I was younger. Growing up Bahamian-American, I never felt as though I was Caribbean enough, which oftentimes made me feel a bit left out amongst my family. For that reason, Rico's is a narrative I identify with strongly.
For those thinking about buying this for their young adult of choice, the publisher recommends this book for ages 11/12 and up, and I agree. Even though there's minimal romance, there's still ample drug use and periodical violence.
I’m no expert on young adult books. In fact, I gave my 15-year-old brother Invisible Man and The Fire Next Time for Christmas last year. They’re books that every young black man should have, but my choice actually reveals that I didn't know of any young adult books with young men of color to give him.
Enter Dark Dude. Rico Fuentes is the type of guy I'd have been friends with in high school-- when he's not playing his acoustic guitar, he's working on concepts for the comic book he plans on sending to DC Comics executives. He's a pretty endearing kid, in spite of being shunned for his skin.
Rico is not what he, or those around him, considers a regular Cubano: he’s not much of a dancer, his Spanish isn’t accented, and his hair and skin are very light. He doesn’t fit in among the Black and Latino students, both of which assume he’s white and are suspicious or outright hostile. Through interactions with Rico, Oscar Hijuelos is able to bring forth various discussions about race from a different perspective. Oftentimes, race is treated as a bipolar concept—in this book, mostly set in New York, race is realistically multi-polar. It incorporates dynamics between Latinos, as well as White and Black people of different socioeconomic statuses.
After a lifetime of being too poor and Latino for whites, but too light for Latinos and blacks, Rico is fed up. Convincing a troubled neighbor to accompany him, Rico runs away to Wisconsin, where an old friend lives a much simpler life. Rico's excited to escape to a one of the homogeneously white areas in the U.S., where he's certain his light features will blend in. It doesn't. When he applies for a job at the gas station, the owner remarks that it's odd his name is Rico, because he doesn't "look like a wetback." Over the course of the next year, Rico lives among the corn and the corn farmers, while he and Jimmy contemplate what's left for them in New York City.
It takes a lot of faith for me to read a book that is compared to The Catcher in the Rye on its rear, but I’m happy I did. Aside from the pensive teenage male protagonist, it's not reminiscent of Catcher at all. This book is insightful and relatable, more because of the characters than the story line itself. Rico’s voice is well developed, and he’s essentially like any other young man who feels different. There’s no classist, faux-perceptive musings about “fakes and phonies,” just conversations from a boy unsure about his future, and even more unsure about his identity.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because while it isn't perfect, it's absolutely a book I wish existed when I was younger. Growing up Bahamian-American, I never felt as though I was Caribbean enough, which oftentimes made me feel a bit left out amongst my family. For that reason, Rico's is a narrative I identify with strongly.
For those thinking about buying this for their young adult of choice, the publisher recommends this book for ages 11/12 and up, and I agree. Even though there's minimal romance, there's still ample drug use and periodical violence.
March 8, 2016
Summary:
Rico Fuentes is anything but a ¨dark dude," his light skin and blonde hair separate him from the rest of his dark-skinned Cuban family. He is constantly beat up and bullied for being ¨white" even though he is actually Cuban. High school is tough for him and dealing with his best friend, Jimmy, is even tougher. But when his older friend wins the lottery and decides to move to Wisconsin, Rico decides to escape his New York life and start a fresh, new one on a farm with his best friend Jimmy by his side. There, he learns life isn´t as horrible as it seems.
Rating:
I rated this book three out of five stars because I felt the story was kind of slow paced, and I feel it didn´t fit well with the plot. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this story to any high school students of either gender who enjoy realistic fiction and slife of life genres.
Setting:
The setting takes place in New York city and rural Wisconsin, as well as many other minor places.
Characterization:
Throughout the story, Rico feels his family does not love him, and that he does not fit in with the rest of society. He is a quiet kid, and very intelligent, but skips school often and sneaks around town instead. Although, once he runs away to Wisconsin, he finally notices he fits in with the rest of the world, and learns more about himself than he imagined.
Jimmy is Ricoś best friend. He is a huge drug addict and is constantly beat by his father. Once he runs away with Rico he changes himself by becoming clean and following his passion of drawing.
There was no other characters who expressed change.
Rico Fuentes is anything but a ¨dark dude," his light skin and blonde hair separate him from the rest of his dark-skinned Cuban family. He is constantly beat up and bullied for being ¨white" even though he is actually Cuban. High school is tough for him and dealing with his best friend, Jimmy, is even tougher. But when his older friend wins the lottery and decides to move to Wisconsin, Rico decides to escape his New York life and start a fresh, new one on a farm with his best friend Jimmy by his side. There, he learns life isn´t as horrible as it seems.
Rating:
I rated this book three out of five stars because I felt the story was kind of slow paced, and I feel it didn´t fit well with the plot. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this story to any high school students of either gender who enjoy realistic fiction and slife of life genres.
Setting:
The setting takes place in New York city and rural Wisconsin, as well as many other minor places.
Characterization:
Throughout the story, Rico feels his family does not love him, and that he does not fit in with the rest of society. He is a quiet kid, and very intelligent, but skips school often and sneaks around town instead. Although, once he runs away to Wisconsin, he finally notices he fits in with the rest of the world, and learns more about himself than he imagined.
Jimmy is Ricoś best friend. He is a huge drug addict and is constantly beat by his father. Once he runs away with Rico he changes himself by becoming clean and following his passion of drawing.
There was no other characters who expressed change.
October 28, 2014
I feel like I am sitting talking to a friend in a living room when I read the works of Mr. Hijuelos and I'm so sad that he died!
March 30, 2019
Me gustó mucho el libro, en general es una historia atraparte, aunque debo confesar que al principio no parece tan prometedora. Con el correr de las paginas te vuelves adicto a la historia que va tomando un gran ritmo y eso es maravilloso. El personaje principal, Rico, hace que simpatices con él muy fácilmente al igual que con su grupo de amigos, en especial Gilberto y Jimmy. También simpaticé mucho con el padre de Rico, creo que es fácil identificarse allí, con una relación padre-hijo tan bella y que aun con las dificultades inherentes, como pasa en la vida.
Sin embargo, hay dos aspectos que no me terminaron de convencer en su totalidad con respecto al libro. Primero, me hubiera gustado conocer un poco más de los personajes secundarios, ya que solo los llegamos a conocer muy superficialmente en concreto a Curt, Bonnie y Polly. El otro elemento que no me atrapó fue todo lo relacionado con los comics, me aburría mucho cuando el autor comenzaba a tocar el tema, creo que era algo innecesario que en lugar de sumar, resta.
El libro te hace sentir que vives esta aventura con Rico y eso es simplemente fascinante, espero conocer un poco más de este autor en el futuro.
Sin embargo, hay dos aspectos que no me terminaron de convencer en su totalidad con respecto al libro. Primero, me hubiera gustado conocer un poco más de los personajes secundarios, ya que solo los llegamos a conocer muy superficialmente en concreto a Curt, Bonnie y Polly. El otro elemento que no me atrapó fue todo lo relacionado con los comics, me aburría mucho cuando el autor comenzaba a tocar el tema, creo que era algo innecesario que en lugar de sumar, resta.
El libro te hace sentir que vives esta aventura con Rico y eso es simplemente fascinante, espero conocer un poco más de este autor en el futuro.
October 6, 2013
Audio book performed by Armando Duran
3.5***
This is a young-adult novel from the Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.
Rico Fuentes is a “dark dude” – which means that he is a very-light-skinned Cubano – living in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. Blond, with hazel eyes and freckles, his appearance gets a lot of attention from the tough guys in the neighborhood, who hassle him for being a “whitey.” The fact that he’s slight of build, and prefers books and music to hanging in the streets doesn’t help. Feeling like he doesn’t belong, tired of getting beat up just for his appearance, and torn by events in his family and neighborhood, Rico decides he cannot continue. With his best friend Jimmy, he runs away to Wisconsin, where a former neighborhood boy is now attending college. Gilberto takes the boys in without question. Rico figures he’ll fit in here; he looks like everyone else in Wisconsin. But the 16-year-old soon discovers that he feels just as “different” in Wisconsin as he did in Harlem.
There are elements of this book that I really liked. I enjoyed Rico’s journey of self-discovery and watching him mature and absorb life’s lessons. I liked the fact that he was fairly strong in character – refusing to get involved in drugs or crime. Rico is intelligent, thoughtful, loyal, curious, diligent and conscientious. I was particularly happy to see how his love of reading – especially the works of Mark Twain – helped him understand his situation and consider his options. What I didn’t like was the casual way in which these teens treated alcohol – they were constantly drinking beer. I wondered why Gilberto, who was portrayed originally as a straight-arrow and a role model, tolerated (and even encouraged?) his roommate’s constant use of marijuana. Bad decisions did not seem to have negative consequences; a couple of times I thought “Oh, this is going to turn out badly,” but the expected turn of events never occurred. I know that real life doesn’t always work that way; people behave badly and get away with it every day. But this is a YA novel, and I think the author needs to show consequences for his intended audience. I also wondered why Hijuelos was so circumspect about the time period. If he specifically mentioned that this is set in the mid-1960s I missed that. I figured it out fairly easily due to the cultural references, but I lived those years. I wonder if the teens which are the target audience for this novel will pick up on the time frame so easily. In all, I loved Rico, but I only liked the book.
Armando Duran does a good job of performing the audio book. He has good pacing and good Spanish pronunciation. His skill as a voice artist also made each character sufficiently distinct to avoid confusion.
3.5***
This is a young-adult novel from the Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.
Rico Fuentes is a “dark dude” – which means that he is a very-light-skinned Cubano – living in New York City’s Spanish Harlem. Blond, with hazel eyes and freckles, his appearance gets a lot of attention from the tough guys in the neighborhood, who hassle him for being a “whitey.” The fact that he’s slight of build, and prefers books and music to hanging in the streets doesn’t help. Feeling like he doesn’t belong, tired of getting beat up just for his appearance, and torn by events in his family and neighborhood, Rico decides he cannot continue. With his best friend Jimmy, he runs away to Wisconsin, where a former neighborhood boy is now attending college. Gilberto takes the boys in without question. Rico figures he’ll fit in here; he looks like everyone else in Wisconsin. But the 16-year-old soon discovers that he feels just as “different” in Wisconsin as he did in Harlem.
There are elements of this book that I really liked. I enjoyed Rico’s journey of self-discovery and watching him mature and absorb life’s lessons. I liked the fact that he was fairly strong in character – refusing to get involved in drugs or crime. Rico is intelligent, thoughtful, loyal, curious, diligent and conscientious. I was particularly happy to see how his love of reading – especially the works of Mark Twain – helped him understand his situation and consider his options. What I didn’t like was the casual way in which these teens treated alcohol – they were constantly drinking beer. I wondered why Gilberto, who was portrayed originally as a straight-arrow and a role model, tolerated (and even encouraged?) his roommate’s constant use of marijuana. Bad decisions did not seem to have negative consequences; a couple of times I thought “Oh, this is going to turn out badly,” but the expected turn of events never occurred. I know that real life doesn’t always work that way; people behave badly and get away with it every day. But this is a YA novel, and I think the author needs to show consequences for his intended audience. I also wondered why Hijuelos was so circumspect about the time period. If he specifically mentioned that this is set in the mid-1960s I missed that. I figured it out fairly easily due to the cultural references, but I lived those years. I wonder if the teens which are the target audience for this novel will pick up on the time frame so easily. In all, I loved Rico, but I only liked the book.
Armando Duran does a good job of performing the audio book. He has good pacing and good Spanish pronunciation. His skill as a voice artist also made each character sufficiently distinct to avoid confusion.
December 25, 2009
Cubano teen Rico who looks "white" deals with prejudice in NYC & Wisconsin, and searches for his identity while living as a runaway in Wisconsin after his family decides to send him to a military school. Great hitchhiking roadtrip description and interesting observations about the differences between life in NYC and a farm in Wisconsin. Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Oscar Hijuelos writes a realistic novel about coming of age, life decisions, relationships with friends and parents. Rico reads The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and finds similarities to his own experiences.
October 9, 2017
Dark dude is a very interesting book i believe that a lot of readers would find this novel very good. It’s remarkable the detail the author of this book puts into his descriptions of his surroundings he really does a great job of making you feel that you are really there. The book takes place in a modern new york city and gradually takes this young man who is not the most popular to wisconsin. Rico Fuentes was his name and he was born with light skin unlike everyone else in his neighborhood in the book this really causes a lot of problems for rico. Rico is also very smart but he never really gets the opportunity to really grow with it but life has a plan for him and eventually his life changes for the good. Through Ricos life he has always had his best pal Jimmy by his side this shows true through the whole book. Jimmy lived in the apartment complex next to rico in which jimmy's dad ran the complex, But Jimmy's dad was not a very good person in fact he was pretty mean to Jimmy which ends up with a bad conclusion. Through all of Jimmy's ups and downs though Rico stays right by his side to make sure that he knows that he will never be alone. Jimmy is extremely talented when it comes to drawing and through the book you'll find that it's very hard for Jimmy to keep practicing his talent and to really open his eyes to the fact that he really does have a talent but once he does jimmy's not so great life really does take a turn for the better. When Rico came to Wisconsin he came to stay with his best buddy who had ran into a bunch of money who was from new york his name was Gilberto. Gilberto was a very loving and knowledgeable person he helps both Jimmy and Rico out when they really needed it. Gilberto really does have a big heart for everyone but sometimes really just doesn't know how to show it which makes him confusing to some of the other characters. In the end though Gilberto really does lend a helping hand to everyone that he can and is a great person. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who really likes a good fiction novel this was a great book to read and taught me alot.
March 23, 2018
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos focuses on the childhood of Rico Fuentes a Cuban-American growing up in the streets of Harlem, New York. Rico and his drug addict, friend Jimmy try to escape the struggles of New York City. I personally enjoyed this book because it had strong plot and character development. One element of literature that was effective was the characterization. In one chapter Jimmy gave advice to Rico not do drugs because he cared for him too much to let him make a bad decision that would ruin his life. Another example is Rico (the protagonist) feeling for his father. Ricos’ father is an alcoholic who stays out late and has to work multiple jobs to support his family. At the beginning of the book, it shows how scared he would feel when he was younger not knowing if his dad would come home. Another element of literature that was effective was the setting. The author did a great job of describing the streets, weather, and buildings of New York City. This made the intro to the book a lot more believable. Later in the book, it shows transition changes that Rico is experiencing from going from New York City to Wisconsin. The author does a great job comparing and contrasting the environment and people who live in different places in the world. I enjoyed this book because it was very descriptive and the characters and plot were well thought out. I would recommend this to anyone who is over the age of 12 or so because a lot of the story revolves around Jimmy's drug addiction. I think people who enjoyed adventure, drama, coming of age, books or TV shows would enjoy Dark Dude.
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos focuses on the childhood of Rico Fuentes a Cuban-American growing up in the streets of Harlem, New York. Rico and his drug addict, friend Jimmy try to escape the struggles of New York City. I personally enjoyed this book because it had strong plot and character development. One element of literature that was effective was the characterization. In one chapter Jimmy gave advice to Rico not do drugs because he cared for him too much to let him make a bad decision that would ruin his life. Another example is Rico (the protagonist) feeling for his father. Ricos’ father is an alcoholic who stays out late and has to work multiple jobs to support his family. At the beginning of the book, it shows how scared he would feel when he was younger not knowing if his dad would come home. Another element of literature that was effective was the setting. The author did a great job of describing the streets, weather, and buildings of New York City. This made the intro to the book a lot more believable. Later in the book, it shows transition changes that Rico is experiencing from going from New York City to Wisconsin. The author does a great job comparing and contrasting the environment and people who live in different places in the world. I enjoyed this book because it was very descriptive and the characters and plot were well thought out. I would recommend this to anyone who is over the age of 12 or so because a lot of the story revolves around Jimmy's drug addiction. I think people who enjoyed adventure, drama, coming of age, books or TV shows would enjoy Dark Dude.
April 9, 2020
In New York City, Rico finds himself utterly frustrated because he is too "white" to be accepted by other Latinos, too Cuban to fit in white society, too much of a book nerd for many of his peers, too poor, too lonely, on and on. This sensitive, artistic teenager recognizes his parents' disillusionment and pain, and he feels like his current life will become a dead-end with his only "escape" being a severe enrollment in military school. With his best friend Jimmy, another whose life is painful and directionless, he travels to rural Wisconsin to live with another, older friend (Gilberto) from their New York neighborhood. Through his travels, he sees the larger expanse of the United States, encounters various people reflecting both honesty and deceit, and discovers himself. During this time "Dark Dude" comes into his life. (no spoilers here) As he grows through work and an open community (a commune of sorts), he revisits his memories of home and his family. He comes to realize that life itself is not perfect; he comes to understand his parents' struggles anew; he comes to understand he can create his own opportunities in life.
September 11, 2025
NYC life has not been easy for 15 year old Rico. A childhood illness separated him from his family for several years, leaving him disconnected from the Spanish language and his Cuban culture. An Irish ancestor has given him much whiter skin than the rest of his family. Unhappiness at school, conflicts with parents, and a lack of direction provide reasons to follow his older friend Gilberto, who has gotten a scholarship to a college in rural Wisconsin. Rico and best friend Jimmy join Gilberto in a run-down farmhouse and over the course of a year, Rico gets a job, finds a girlfriend, and navigates the weirdness of passing for white in a mostly white place. Vivid characters, strong sense of time and place, memorable writing. EARC from Edelweiss.
December 19, 2017
Oscar Hijuelos did an amazing job of writing this book. It has amazing characters and had an amazing meaning (that I will let others figure out after reading the book) The book is beautiful and focuses on finding oneself amongst people that don’t accept you into their group. Rico is a Cubano that is very white and is not accepted in the Cubano community but is not accepted in the American community because he is full Cubano. After running away and being in Wisconsin for a year, he realizes he needs to go home. He needs to go back to his family, he realized that he lost a part of himself while trying to fit in, in Wisconsin.
January 31, 2022
I read this back in 8th grade and related super well with this book. I saw a lot of Rico in myself at the time. The only reason I don't give it more stars is because the majority of the characters in the book weren't super memorable or I just remember them being quite bland or forgotten throughout the story (or maybe that's just me after not reading this book after years), but also I remember not being super satisfied finishing the book.
When it comes to how it relatable it is, that deserves 5 stars but overall it's 3 stars.
When it comes to how it relatable it is, that deserves 5 stars but overall it's 3 stars.
September 3, 2017
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!
December 18, 2017
Over the course of the story, there is plenty of character development (and not just for the protagonist Rico). I liked the book due to it having a perfect mix of relatable characters, humor, and plot twists that I was looking for in a YA coming-of-age novel. Oscar Hijuelos's writing style really got my attention from the beginning to the end, and the plot is not a typical overwritten prompt that is seen over and over again. Overall, I would recommend this book.
June 18, 2018
Dark dude gives us an insight into the life a white, blonde haired boy named Rico from Harlem. Drugs and violence inspire him to leave from his hood and travel to Wisconsin with his close friend Roberto. Over the course of the story Rico learns that wherever he travels he cannot escape who he is. This coming of age novel is good for young adult readers. I would recommend it for anyone from 14-25.
November 7, 2018
This was a pretty interesting book, following the trials and tribulations of a Cuban-American teenager’s journey from New York to Wisconsin after running away from home. The experiences and evolution of the character - and the friends he surrounds himself with - allowed for your mind to ponder on the path of really finding yourself.
The story was a little scattered for my taste, but it was well-written and I enjoyed it.
The story was a little scattered for my taste, but it was well-written and I enjoyed it.
February 11, 2020
Dark dude is a refreshing read! I have never read anything closer to my own experiences as a Chicano growing up in America. The division , the juggle, and the self doubt one feels when trying to figure out where you fit in-- it's all contained here, inside the store of Rico.
A little nod to Huckleberry Finn seemed a bit overused at times, but overall, I recommend this book to anyone wanting to see a new perspective.
A little nod to Huckleberry Finn seemed a bit overused at times, but overall, I recommend this book to anyone wanting to see a new perspective.
January 28, 2023
I think the character development was what really stood out to me about this book, like how going to Wisconsin has shaped each character’s perceptions of the world, and they ways they learn things about themselves from each other. Really nice easy read, good for when you are in school and reading a lot of sense material on a regular basis, and you need something light. But still a great story with deep messages.
July 22, 2021
(Updated review on 7/22/21) Looking back over ten years I don't recall much about this book other than it is long (over 400 pgs) and I could never get any students to check it out. The main character is Cuban-American and living in the Pac NW perhaps this is a group that my students couldn't relate to.
June 10, 2025
A young adult novel about a boy named Rico who runs away from his life in Harlem following an old friend from the neighborhood to Wisconsin where he has adventures for a year. I didn't really connect with the book, but perhaps it would be more appealing to the young men at which it is presumably aimed.
November 9, 2019
Very enjoyable and although it was written about a light skinned Cuban American kid from the ghetto, I could unconditionally relate to many of the coming of age moments he experiences in the Midwest. I really enjoyed the book.
June 25, 2020
Loved it! It was fun kept me interested! Life is sometimes that way as a kid.. teenager. Sometimes life isn’t fair and we grow up when we go off on our own, misunderstood but loved is key. Having a good friend looking out for you also reminded me of my teen years. Good book. I’d recommend it.
August 11, 2020
Pleasant coming of age novel about a light-skinned Cuban who runs away from home to a Wisconsin farm to find himself and get his friend off drugs.
2020 reading challenge-a book by an author whose real name(s) you’re not quite sure how to pronounce
2020 reading challenge-a book by an author whose real name(s) you’re not quite sure how to pronounce
June 16, 2020
I couldn’t put it down. The pace was great and the characters were extremely likable.
February 1, 2021
Este libro me encantó mucho. Con este libro vivimos las aventuras que Rico pasa para poder encontrarse a si mismo y saber que quiere ser en la vida. Un libro muy fácil de leer y comprender.
May 8, 2021
A story about a teenager realizing that you can change your surroundings but not neccessarily change your life.
January 19, 2023
Read this for the first time in 6th grade. May have been a little dark for me then, but I don’t often reread. And I’ve read this one 3 times total. Middle school. High school. And in my early 20s.
March 5, 2024
4.888889 (basically a 5)
sooo good but the country part kinda lost me a lil
made me cryyyyy tho (I think?)
f the mom
sooo good but the country part kinda lost me a lil
made me cryyyyy tho (I think?)
f the mom
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