July 29, 2019
Spanish Harlem serves as both setting and muse in Quiñonez’s disarming third novel (following Bodega Dreams and Chango’s Fire), a tale of a virgin birth told by an adoring admirer. Seventeen-year-old Julio lives upstairs from the pregnant Taína with his Puerto Rican, Jehovah’s Witness mom and unemployed, Marxist dad. Convinced that a revolution of atoms has taken place in Taína’s body, Julio seeks out Taína’s uncle Sal, an ex-con, to find out how he can help. Julio learns much from the mysterious Sal, including things about his own parents’ past. The old guy insists that Julio bring money for Taína’s mom, Dona Flores, who in turn insists that only the very expensive “espiritista” Peta Ponce can discover the truth about the baby’s origin. Julio comes up with a dog-napping scheme that works far too well to be plausible, and in return for sharing his reward money with Doña Flores, he’s allowed to visit Taína, a foulmouthed beauty and the only one of Quiñonez’s characters to ring untrue. But as the baby’s birth draws near and Peta Ponce arrives, Julio’s earnings scam goes heartbreakingly awry. Though its metaphors go down weird rabbit holes and the slang sometimes careens into the awkward, the story is nervy and fresh. Quiñonez’s entire oeuvre should be required reading for those who believe in steering literature toward a more truthful, nuanced view of America.