Customer Reviews

Dogfight, A Love Story

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Matt Burgess, in the perfectly titled "Dogfight, A Love Story," has crafted a delicately balanced novel with both bite and heart. Set in the post 9/11 era borough of Queens, "Dogfight" introduces us to a low-level criminal type named Alfredo Batista. Alfredo has a big day ahead--his brother Tariq is getting out of prison! Whether that is good or not remains to be seen. You see, some think that Alfredo turned his brother in. While that may be up for debate, the one thing that is undeniable is that Alfredo is now living with Tariq's ex-girlfriend and is fathering a child with her. What's a good brother to do for this homecoming event? Why, of course, he needs to steal some drugs as a present and set up a dogfight for a party! It only makes sense!

But lest you think that "Dogfight" is a brutal story about the mean streets--let me just interject that the novel is genuinely funny as well. Burgess's principle success is his characterization of Alfredo. A hero, a villain, a lover, a fighter--Alfredo is mostly a mixed up kid with good intentions that is surviving anyway he knows how. Unfortunately, the thing he seems to do best is to get over his head. With real dreams and even bigger worries, Alfredo's trying to step up and be a responsible man. It's a dynamic and fully realized character--and I absolutely loved Alfredo as much as I wanted to throttle him.

Interactions between Alfredo and Tariq are suitably complex. Alfredo's relationships are all well formed, in fact. His parents, his best friend, his surrogate father figure, his girl and even his unborn baby all figure prominently in Alfredo's decisions. There is a real underlying sweetness, despite the unpleasantness, that keeps you really rooting for things to work out! But as the day rushes toward an inevitably violent climax at the dogfight, Burgess builds suspense like a pro. Gritty, yet tender--brutal, yet heartfelt--tragic, yet laugh-out-loud funny--"Dogfight, A Love Story" walks a tightrope in its tone and does so perfectly. A definite recommendation because I actually cared to see what happened with these characters!

Brief summary and review, no spoilers.

The year is 2002, and Alfredo Batista is 19 years old. He and his pregnant girlfriend Isabel live with his parents at their small home in Queens. Alfredo is a high school dropout who makes little money dealing drugs along with his best friend Winston. Alfredo's most pressing concern however is the return of his brother Jose (now going by the name Tariq.) Tariq is being paroled from prison for a burglary committed 2 years earlier. And Tariq might not be very happy because Isabel used to be his girlfriend, and word on the street is that Alfredo ratted Tariq out.

The story is told from various character's point of view. We hear from Alfredo who is understandably stressed about his brother's return and is also apprehensive about his own bleak economic future. We hear from Isabel, and learn about her own upbringing and her concern for her unborn child. And we hear from Tariq, newly converted to Islam, who is struggling with his own demons and inner conflicts.

Alfredo, in an effort to win over Tariq plans to give him some Ecstasy when he gets home. He also plans to stage a dogfight with the same purpose. The problem is that when getting the drugs off of a school drug dealer, Alfredo and Winston end up getting the unwanted and unintended attention and ire of the Russian mob. And their plans for the dogfight have a hitch too - they don't have a dog.

There's a cast of colorful characters, including a 300 pound drug dealer with Cushing's Disease named Baka, an old feisty Jewish shop owner named Max, and a Chevy Impala full of not-so-undercover policemen. To name a few.

This is an astonishingly good book. As you read on and on, there is a palpable sense of tension and dread. It's difficult to put this book down, especially towards the end. You get an absolutely fantastic sense of place and time. This author manages to bring these characters to life and I got a real sense of what life was like for those on the gritty streets of Queens in 2002.

There are many things to recommend about this novel. I thought the writing was just fantastic, and the dialogue was just spot on. This author manages to combine a frightening, bleak and violent story with literally laugh out loud moments. Brilliant, really, and I found myself constantly reading aloud passages to my husband because I thought they were so clever and astute. Such a incredible mix of humor and horror pulled off so adroitly.

Highly recommended. This novel is going on my best of of 2010 list for sure. It's that good.

Dogfight, A Love Story was a love story for me in this sense: I loved reading it. The novel is fresh, very funny, occasionally morbid, and always energetic. It is the product of a very talented writer. In its setting and characters it reminded me of Clockers (a book I greatly enjoyed) minus the cops and with added humor, but the writing in Dogfight is of a higher quality. Burgess' writing style is exactly right for a literary crime novel: sharp and zestful and evocative. The dramatic climax (coming just before an ending that is essentially an epilogue) is frenetic, explosive, intense: powerful stuff that made me utter an involuntary "wow."

Dogfight follows Alfredo Batista during the days before and after his brother Tariq (f/k/a Jose Jr.) is released from prison. While Tariq has been serving his sentence, Alfredo, a small time drug dealer in Queens, has taken up with Tariq's girlfriend, who is now pregnant with Alfredo's child. Worried about his brother's tendency toward violence, Alfredo wants to give him a homecoming present. To that end, he engineers a robbery from a Russian street dealer -- a poor decision that will soon lead to unexpected trouble. He also tries to arrange a dogfight, despite never having seen one (dogfights not being the competition of choice in Queens).

Matt Burgess does a masterful job of merging the plot-driven demands of genre fiction with the character-driven sensibility of literary fiction. Some readers won't like Alfredo or some of the other characters because they commit crimes. But even readers who generally want to read about morally pure characters might find Alfredo to be worth their time. He's imperfect (aren't we all?) but he isn't thuggish. Despite doing something during the novel's course for which he will probably never forgive himself, he has a conscience and he experiences some personal growth, if not full redemption, by the novel's end. In any event, all of the central characters in Dogfight have distinctive, fully realized personalities. It is easy to understand their actions even if the reader might disapprove of them. At least to me, they were all interesting, filled with credible emotions, self-doubt, yearnings, regrets -- all the stuff that makes us human.

Finally, lest you be alarmed by the content of single star reviews from reviewers who didn't bother to read the book before complaining about it, be assured that no dogs were harmed in the writing of this novel. This is a work of fiction, after all. Speaking as someone whose best friend is a golden retriever, I can safely predict that most dog lovers will recognize that this novel does not glorify or glamorize dog fighting. Quite the opposite, in fact. Animal lovers should not avoid this excellent book because of its unfortunate title. In this dog lover's opinion, it is a five star novel.

Full disclosure: I wanted to hate this book. I read it hoping I could say, "This is terrible."

See, I play basketball with Matt Burgess at the Y in Minneapolis, and every week he breaks my spirit with his devastating crossover. I back off, and he calmly drains a three pointer. Each game, drenched in sweat, I think, "I hate Matt Burgess. That guy is too good at basketball to be an author. He should be a joke of a writer, since his game is so good."

And so I read this book, hoping for some vindication. Some proof of the author's fixation on ball, to the exclusion of his writing skill (his kind inscription on the title page mocked my insidious motives). But I hoped in vain. The man can flat out write.

Matt's characters breathed and stretched. Their dialog hewed faithfully to the patterns of speech of real people. Already with his first novel, Matt has this incredibly difficult skill down cold. I laughed, because his characters had achieved an almost impossible feat - they are funnier than he is. His plot zipped along fluidly, much like his left handed-drives to the hoop. I winced (at the faithfully rendered violence). I worried. Am I too envious? Or is this man as ridiculously talented as it seems?

I look forward to his next book, and hope that by then, I will have figured out a way to defend against him.

Great book! having grown up in Queens, each of the characters reminds me of someone that I know and their stories made me remember some good times. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun, thrilling,intimate, and easy read.

Alfredo Batista has a bunch of problems. His brother Tariq (nee Jose) is due home in a matter of days after a stint in prison. Ordinarily, this might be good news; however, in Tariq's absence, Alfredo has claimed his girlfriend Isabella as his own, and they are expecting a child. Worse yet, street rumors target Alfredo as the main reason Tariq went to jail in the first place. So Alfredo, the broke drug "corner boy," seeks to get into Tariq's good graces---or at least garner some respect--by hosting a neighborhood dogfight...the first of its kind in the neighborhood. The only problem is, they need a dog. And if there could be a bigger problem, Alfredo and some of his buddies robbed some of their competition....who also happens to be the kid brother of a Russian drug kingpin.

Awesome dialogue and character insight, the author takes readers into a world many are unfamiliar with. Dialogue and situations rang true....but the book to me was just not all that interesting, the title was bizarre, and there were really no likeable characters in the entire tale.

DYB

"Dogfight, A love Story" by Matt Burgess is a novel in the fictional melodrama genre. While the title invokes the suggestion of a "Romance Novel", it is not of that particular genre nor is it about dog fighting per se and the title may be taken more allegorically than literally.

The novel is well written and narrated by the author who interjects conversation attributable to each character into the scenes. The time period is contemporary, 2002, and the background is Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. The main cast of characters is 19 year old Puerto Rican Alfredo Batista and his older parolee brother Jose Jr. (aka Tariq); Alfredo's Haitian friend Winston, who suffers from alopecia; an old Jewish man, 72 year old Max Marshmallow who owns the local bodega previously owned by Alfredo's father; Isabel Guerrero, Alfredo's pregnant girl friend, previously Tariq's girlfriend; and Baka, Alfredo's drug connection, previously Tariq's drug connection, who happens to suffer from "Cushing's Syndrome" that at 28 has left him weighing over 300 pounds.

The story in main is about the return of Alfredo's brother, Jose Jr. a Muslim convert who takes the name Tariq, to his home in Queens after spending time in prison for robbery. It is generally suspected that Alfredo sold his brother out to the cops. During Tariq's stay in prison, Alfredo usurps Tariq's share of the robbery money and his girl friend Isabel who Alfredo later impregnates. It is now with great trepidation that Alfredo is contemplating the reunion with his brother. The story builds around Alfredo's attempt to welcome Tariq home by staging a dogfight in his honor, though more to impress Tariq that Alfredo was now his own man who would not be easily intimidated by a brother who only respects violence and power.

The message in the novel struck me as particularly disconcerting. It seemed to be off the moral center; that it's ok to deal from the bottom of life's deck as long as the dealer comes out a winner. It is all very clear that Alfredo was morally corrupt. I did not grant him redemption simply because he changed his business ethics although I perceived that the author wanted me to do so. The other thing I had some difficulty with is the seemingly endless descriptive narrative. At times this could go on for pages. A good example is an entire page devoted to a single word: Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring.....ok I got the picture. On the positive side I thought the conversations were earthy and very well done. I could hear the lilt of real street voices and chuckled at some of the satire - especially with regard to the detectives. I also liked some of the comical characters, like Max Marshmallow and Winston.

Overall I liked this Novel in spite of some of my objections. If you don't get antsy with the lengthy scene descriptions you will enjoy reading the book too. I recommend this novel. Of my three recommendation categories "Forgettable" - "Pleasurable-not memorable" - "Memorable", I suggest it is "Pleasurable-not memorable".

Many authors miss the nuances of the world they create. The tension of whats unsaid between two lovers. The witty, playful banter that captures the strength of the relationship of two brothers. The physical gestures that demonstrate the dominance of one person over another. Matt Burgess captures dialogue with the best of them. His characters are complex. In relationships between father and son, brothers, and lovers, he alternates between moments of fear, moments of trust, and moments of love. It is simple to imagine the physical presence of these well-rounded characters in Queens, NY and I suspect this book will be made into a movie.

You will crave the answers to several questions as the book progresses.

Will a conversion to Islam in jail change Tariq's ways?

Will Alfredo and Isabel have a happy ending?

and in a killer subplot (see Chapter 9- "The Many Loves of Vladimir Shifrin"), will Vladimir be properly avenged?

What will unfold at the dogfight?

These cravings are what makes the book such a stellar read. Nothing gets resolved quickly in this incredibly realistic tale.

Looking forward to his next book.

cheers,

Todd

Anyone familiar with Queens or Manhattan will smile at the mention of botegas, pizzerias, and other things strictly "New York". The book centers around two brothers, Alfredo and Jose (aka Tariq - his Muslim name he acquired in prison). Alfredo is about to be a teen father with his girlfriend Isabel, who was Tariq's girlfriend before he went off to prison. Alfredo's feelings towards his brother are complex; while he is not looking forward to his arrival and wants to protect Isabel from him, he still wants to have his approval. With Tariq arriving home, Alfredo and his partner in crime, Winston, need to plan something big. Alfredo acquires some ecstasy tablets he hopes will give his brother a way back into drug dealing, and begins to plan a dogfight as a sort of welcome home party. This book is not so much about action, but about the internal conflicts of the characters who can't be categorized as either "good" or "bad".

- GoodReads.com reviewer

Dogfight, A Love Story, by Matt Burgess narrates the unique relationship of two drug dealing brothers. This story is set in the New York borough, Queens in 2002 over the span of Father's Day weekend. Our heroic protagonist is Alfredo Batista, a 19-year old drug dealer, who does not enjoy his gangster lifestyle. This suspenseful novel unravels Alfredo's best efforts to make something out of himself and please his older brother, Tariq who has been incarcerated for sometime.

Alfredo is awaiting Tariq's arrival from prison with much worry and stress. There is a large amount of talk around the town that Alfredo somehow framed his brother into going to jail. On the day of the failed robbery when Tariq was arrested, Alfredo was too much of an amateur and began hyperventilating in the car. He was dropped off right before the car was caught by the police. Everyone gossips and wonders if it is true that Alfredo would snitch on his own brother, especially because of the way Alfredo lives while Tariq is incarcerated. Alfredo took over his brother's business during his leave and also took responsibility of Tariq's girlfriend, Isabel. Alfredo lives with Isabel who is now seven months pregnant with Alfredo's baby. Needless to say, Alfredo fears of his brother's return and believes that he must do something extra special for Tariq when he arrives home.

In Alfredo's mind, the way to make up for what he did is to give him the gift of drugs and throw him a dogfighting match as a tribute to his brother. Alfredo attempts to steal ecstasy from Vladimir, a 15 year old drug dealer. Unfortunately for Alfredo, this plan goes horribly wrong as he catches the undesired focus from the Russian mob. The dogfight plan is not running smoothly either because Alfredo does not even have a dog. Burgess turns the hunt to capture a dog and to score some drugs into a comical, vigorous plot.

Dogfight, A Love Story is worthy of high ratings from critics. The novel is told in the present tense which leaves the reader feeling more in suspense throughout the story. Burgess does a phenomenal job of leading the reader into the world of Alfredo. His use of detail in all of the places and people in the city creates a very realistic setting to the reader. It is an excellent example of contemporary American literature based on the struggles some Americans face in today's society.

Although it is said, "do not judge a book by its cover," I did judge this book by its title. I wondered how a story about dogfighting could also translate into a love story. It is evident to me now that this novel has a great deal of heart, mixed with a little brutality and jocosity. I found this book abundantly entertaining with nail-biting enthralling moments combined with the occasional pee my pants laughing scenes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a clever, heartfelt read.