Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Novel
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize | Winner of the Joyce Carol Oates Prize | Finalist for the Kirkus Prize
“A blistering, hilarious, tragic novel that is simultaneously absurd and painfully real.” —The Miami Herald
Scarface meets Moby Dick in Say Hello to My Little Friend following a young man’s attempt to capitalize on his mother’s murky legacy—a story steeped in Miami’s marvelous and sinister magic.
Failed Pitbull impersonator Ismael Reyes—you can call him Izzy—might not be the Scarface type, but why should that keep him from trying? Growing up in Miami has shaped him into someone who dreams of being the King of the 305, with the money, power, and respect he assumes comes with it. After finding himself at the mercy of a cease-and-desist letter from Pitbull’s legal team and living in his aunt’s garage, Izzy embarks on an absurd quest to turn himself into a modern-day Tony Montana.
When Izzy’s efforts lead him to the tank that houses Lolita, a captive orca at the Miami Seaquarium, she proves just how powerful she and the water surrounding her really are—permeating everything from Miami’s sinking streets to Izzy’s memories to the very heart of the novel itself. What begins as Izzy’s story turns into a super-saturated fever dream as sprawling and surreal as the Magic City, one as sharp as an iguana’s claws, and as menacing as a killer whale’s teeth. As the truth surrounding Izzy’s boyhood escape from Cuba surfaces, the novel reckons with the forces of nature, with the limits and absence of love, and with the dangers of pursuing a tragic inheritance. “Blistering, hilarious, [and] tragic” (The Miami Herald), Say Hello to My Little Friend is Jennine Capó Crucet’s most daring, heartbreaking, and fearless book yet.
“A blistering, hilarious, tragic novel that is simultaneously absurd and painfully real.” —The Miami Herald
Scarface meets Moby Dick in Say Hello to My Little Friend following a young man’s attempt to capitalize on his mother’s murky legacy—a story steeped in Miami’s marvelous and sinister magic.
Failed Pitbull impersonator Ismael Reyes—you can call him Izzy—might not be the Scarface type, but why should that keep him from trying? Growing up in Miami has shaped him into someone who dreams of being the King of the 305, with the money, power, and respect he assumes comes with it. After finding himself at the mercy of a cease-and-desist letter from Pitbull’s legal team and living in his aunt’s garage, Izzy embarks on an absurd quest to turn himself into a modern-day Tony Montana.
When Izzy’s efforts lead him to the tank that houses Lolita, a captive orca at the Miami Seaquarium, she proves just how powerful she and the water surrounding her really are—permeating everything from Miami’s sinking streets to Izzy’s memories to the very heart of the novel itself. What begins as Izzy’s story turns into a super-saturated fever dream as sprawling and surreal as the Magic City, one as sharp as an iguana’s claws, and as menacing as a killer whale’s teeth. As the truth surrounding Izzy’s boyhood escape from Cuba surfaces, the novel reckons with the forces of nature, with the limits and absence of love, and with the dangers of pursuing a tragic inheritance. “Blistering, hilarious, [and] tragic” (The Miami Herald), Say Hello to My Little Friend is Jennine Capó Crucet’s most daring, heartbreaking, and fearless book yet.
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Community Reviews
Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Crucet is a book that caught me unaware recently. Ismael Reyes, or Izzy, spent his days as a Pitbull impersonator before he was issued a cease-and-desist letter from the performer’s legal team. This has Izzy feeling down on his luck and he decides to try and become the next Tony Montana, as in from Scarface. He goes about his plan while living with his aunt, who raised him. Along the way, he becomes obsessed with his past. His aunt and friends encourage him to let it go, but he cannot. We are also introduced to Lolita, a captive whale who lives at the Miami Seaquarium. She shares thoughts with us about her captivity and the world. This doesn’t make sense, but we trust the author anyway.
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was spectacular. I could see the water rising in Miami and feel the tension rising in the characters (all the characters were great, by the way). I genuinely felt like I was going along for the ride, but to where I did not know. The author’s words about the area made me remember visiting the Seaquarium and being near the ocean. There was a funny line about going on a date up to a “nice place” in Broward like Bahama Breeze, where I’ve been many times when I lived there. It’s just a feeling you get when an author can describe the places, the feel, and the vibe of the setting of the book you are reading or listening to. It’s so much better than just a random neighborhood. I KNEW it was Miami/Ft Lauderdale, I could smell, taste, see, and hear it. I appreciated the attention to detail. I also learned a lot about the movie Scarface from this book.
After much back and forth, I gave this book 5 stars. It is a wild, fun, and bittersweet ride. If you don’t know anything about Moby Dick or Scarface, don’t let that stop you from reading. It is not necessary to understand the book. When I finish a book and think about it for days or weeks after, I know it’s a 5-star read, and that was the case with Say Hello to My Little Friend.
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was spectacular. I could see the water rising in Miami and feel the tension rising in the characters (all the characters were great, by the way). I genuinely felt like I was going along for the ride, but to where I did not know. The author’s words about the area made me remember visiting the Seaquarium and being near the ocean. There was a funny line about going on a date up to a “nice place” in Broward like Bahama Breeze, where I’ve been many times when I lived there. It’s just a feeling you get when an author can describe the places, the feel, and the vibe of the setting of the book you are reading or listening to. It’s so much better than just a random neighborhood. I KNEW it was Miami/Ft Lauderdale, I could smell, taste, see, and hear it. I appreciated the attention to detail. I also learned a lot about the movie Scarface from this book.
After much back and forth, I gave this book 5 stars. It is a wild, fun, and bittersweet ride. If you don’t know anything about Moby Dick or Scarface, don’t let that stop you from reading. It is not necessary to understand the book. When I finish a book and think about it for days or weeks after, I know it’s a 5-star read, and that was the case with Say Hello to My Little Friend.
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