September - October 2004
 A Gangster’s Girl
by Chunichi
Today’s street fiction typically chronicles the fast life of the streets detailing 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. 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.
Reviewed by Joan Burke Stanford |
