A Gangster's Girl [Paperback]

Chunichi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2004

Different cover as shown. Cover, corners and spine is worned. Pages has no markings. Section B 120611-6

Product Details

• Paperback: 258 pages
• Publisher: Urban Books (February 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974363650
• ISBN-13: 978-0974363653
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,242,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Loving the Dope Man, January 25, 2006

By 

Joan B. Stanford "Jazzy Pen" (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Gangster's Girl (Paperback)

Today's street fiction typically chronicles the world of men who are pimps, gangsters, hustlers, drug dealers and guys who have become products of their environments. When Sister Souljah wrote The Coldest Winter Ever, who knew the female perspective would be just as interesting, if not more so? With A Gangster's Girl, debut novelist Chunichi has picked up the urban fiction torch and penned a fast-paced tale about a dope dealer's girlfriend.

Meet Ceazia (pronounced C-Asia) Devereaux. She's not your typical around the way girl. In fact, she comes from a middle-upper class family and she's not new when it comes to brand name clothes, shoes and cars or expensive furs and jewelry. But once she moves out of her parents' home and her dad cuts off the money, her "I-gotta-get-mine" attitude surfaces real quick. After all, she has a reputation to uphold. With the help of a guy named Cash, Ceazia and her friend Meikell (Mickie) decide to make some extra money as escorts. Though Ceazia is completely disgusted by her first escort encounter, the female hustle is "on and popping." That is, until she meets Vegas. Much like the popular city, he's attractive, has loads of money and prestige in the streets.

Just as fast as they meet, she becomes his girl and gives up the escort business. The lovebirds soon start living together and make plans to buy a house. While Ceazia has met her prince in shining Versace and Timberlands, her friends are having some issues. Tionna is betrayed by someone close to her and she is forced to take an AIDS test. Carmin shares a secret that may jeopardize their friendship forever. Meanwhile Mickie is doing more than escorting and has lowered her standards severely, all in the name of the almighty dollar.

When Vegas goes to jail, his relationship with Ceazia is truly tested. Will she stand by her man and be that "ride or die" chick? Better yet, will Vegas be down for his girl when all is said and done?

After a dose of deception and a series of discoveries, Ceazia has a decision to make. How she handles it makes for a shocking ending.

A Gangster's Girl is an entertaining story with realistic action from beginning to end. However, it is not without flaws. While the novel moved quickly, almost too fast at times, character development was sacrificed. Some of the characters were one-dimensional and were part of the story simply because of the drama they brought to the plot. Despite this shortcoming, Chunichi has put herself on the street fiction map. I look forward to her sophomore effort.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Urban Fiction at its best, April 8, 2004

By 

S. Hudson "Avid Reader" (Tucker, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Gangster's Girl (Paperback)

Urban fiction at its best is how I would characterize A Gangster's Girl. First time Chunichi has captured the life of a gangster's girl with stunning accuracy. There is enough neck rolling, gum popping, latest fashion wearing, and name-dropping to keep the surface reader entertained while devising a nicely written novel for the more in-depth reader. I imagined the balance was difficult to maintain, but Chunichi has pulled it off.

Vegas is an eighteen-year-old street hustler on the cusp of running things in the hood Ceazia (pronounced C-Asia) is into the life of fancy cars, fine clothes, expensive wining and dining and thugs that can afford her the lifestyle to which she feels she is entitled. The two meet and she is immediately captivated by his raw but alluring demeanor. She decides to see what he's about. After spending the night in a hotel with Vegas, discovering a pocket full of money and an ID revealing his true age, Ceazia still decides to pursue a relationship with him. She is living the life of her dreams, which sadly is dictated by money and the ghetto power it brings. Her friends even begin to exhibit jealous behavior toward her because she's come up while they remain hustlers who try to out hustle the game before getting hustled. One friend in particular Meikell, is a worrisome thorn that provides interesting dynamics in the story.

Life couldn't be going any better for Vegas and Ceazia until the tables turn. Living by the code of the streets means always keeping watch on the back door and not becoming complacent with being on top of the heap. While Vegas made sure that his girl wanted for nothing and she likewise hooked him up, comfort bred laziness to the rules of the game. While the relationship remained strong for years, the unfretted arm of the law worked its hand in and snatched Vegas away. This was the beginning of the end. It's interesting to see just how quickly one can ascend and fall.

A Gangster's Girl was too short for my reading taste, however the story was complete with no stone unturned. Although not my usual genre, I thought the writing was well done, and the story wonderfully told. Great job Urban Books. I think this book truly characterizes your focus on the drama and grit of inner city life while featuring edgy and exciting new voices-writers who tell it like it is. I look forward to reading more from Chunichi.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read, December 8, 2004

By 

Andrea Cameron "urban book lover" (Queens, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Gangster's Girl (Paperback)

I have to admit. From the beginning of the book it didnt catch my attention as fast as other books have, but once I got into it, i could not put it down. I finished into in 2 days. It is a great read. I cant w8 until Chunichi writes the sequel to it, "Married To The Game". Im sure tha will be just as good.