Book Talk 1/21:Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos

Transcript

The book my book talk is going to be on is Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos, a realistic fiction novel. Dark Dude is set in modern day New York City, but transitions to the modern day countryside in Wisconsin. The main character is Rico, a part Irish Cuban who, because of his more Irish appearance, takes a lot of flak at school. He's an aspiring comic book writer and guitar player. He had to hitchhike to Wisconsin, and thus experiences a sort of cultural shift, thus creating the conflict. The mood shifted frequently, but it was kind of depressing for the New York chapters, and happier for the rest of the book. A theme of Dark Dude is family. Rico's family, whether physically present or not, affects him in almost every chapter.

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Now then, onto the review. I found this book interesting because it gave me more of a glimpse into a life somewhat less fortunate then my own. The thing I remember most is the concept of Dark Dude, the made-up hero that lends the book its title. It's an African American twin who gets fused with his white counterpart when they get struck by lightning, giving them the power to shift between light and dark, and I'm assuming some more form-specific powers here too. I would recommend this book to lovers of more cultural books, as this has that in spades. You should get it because, even if you're not into cultural identity type books, Rico's view of Midwestern style is...interesting, to say the least. That's all for now.

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