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dave_peticolas's review against another edition
4.0
Great, fast-paced organized crime novel set in San Diego.
domino911's review against another edition
5.0
"It's a lot of work being me"
Frank Machianno is a worker, a businessman. He owns a bait shop on San Diego pier, supplies fish to the best local restaurants and has a property rental portfolio. Frank also enjoys the finer things in life. He has season tickets for the opera; he surfs, never missing 'Gentlemen's Hour'; he enjoys cooking in the kitchen he has designed to be just right. He loves his 'cucina'.
'"This is a quality-of-life issue"' and 'quality of life is doing the little things - doing then well, doing them right.'
And Frank is a stand-up guy, a 'sheriff' on the pier, who settles a dispute between a Vietnamese fisherman and a crossbow 'hunter' when the latter 'sees something in Frank's eyes that just makes him shut his mouth.'
Because Frank Macchianno was, in an earlier time, Frankie Machine, top hitman for the San Diego mob. And it appears that someone wants Frankie dead...
I've come late to Don Winslow. I read 'The Power of the Dog' and 'The Cartel', both big sprawling visceral, and brilliant, commentaries on the War on Drugs, and his latest, 'The Force', a stunning 'dirty cop' novel whose central character, and anti-Serpico, vehemently believes that he is the good guy. 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' makes it clear to me that Mr Winslow is the natural successor to Elmore Leonard.
In the first few chapters, we get a clear picture of who Frank Machianno is, and what his life is like. And then all hell breaks loose...
With sharp dialogue, succinct, even laconic, descriptions, flashbacks that serve the plot, Winslow tells a 'hunter becomes the hunted becomes the hunter' story which could easily be formulaic in lesser hands. The novel is reminiscent of the movies of William Friedkin, or perhaps Walter Hill -I'm thinking of the likes of 'The French Connection', 'To Live and Die in LA' or 'The Driver'.
I loved 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and, as when I discovered the novels of Elmore Leonard maybe 30 years ago, there are many novels to catch up on. And I'm going to read them all....
Frank Machianno is a worker, a businessman. He owns a bait shop on San Diego pier, supplies fish to the best local restaurants and has a property rental portfolio. Frank also enjoys the finer things in life. He has season tickets for the opera; he surfs, never missing 'Gentlemen's Hour'; he enjoys cooking in the kitchen he has designed to be just right. He loves his 'cucina'.
'"This is a quality-of-life issue"' and 'quality of life is doing the little things - doing then well, doing them right.'
And Frank is a stand-up guy, a 'sheriff' on the pier, who settles a dispute between a Vietnamese fisherman and a crossbow 'hunter' when the latter 'sees something in Frank's eyes that just makes him shut his mouth.'
Because Frank Macchianno was, in an earlier time, Frankie Machine, top hitman for the San Diego mob. And it appears that someone wants Frankie dead...
I've come late to Don Winslow. I read 'The Power of the Dog' and 'The Cartel', both big sprawling visceral, and brilliant, commentaries on the War on Drugs, and his latest, 'The Force', a stunning 'dirty cop' novel whose central character, and anti-Serpico, vehemently believes that he is the good guy. 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' makes it clear to me that Mr Winslow is the natural successor to Elmore Leonard.
In the first few chapters, we get a clear picture of who Frank Machianno is, and what his life is like. And then all hell breaks loose...
With sharp dialogue, succinct, even laconic, descriptions, flashbacks that serve the plot, Winslow tells a 'hunter becomes the hunted becomes the hunter' story which could easily be formulaic in lesser hands. The novel is reminiscent of the movies of William Friedkin, or perhaps Walter Hill -I'm thinking of the likes of 'The French Connection', 'To Live and Die in LA' or 'The Driver'.
I loved 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and, as when I discovered the novels of Elmore Leonard maybe 30 years ago, there are many novels to catch up on. And I'm going to read them all....
vicki_v_sanders's review against another edition
3.0
**trigger** gratuitous rape scene. Otherwise ok. I think he tried to include too much backstory and it got convoluted.
tfitoby's review against another edition
4.0
I was concerned about reading a second book by Winslow after [b:Savages|8008928|Savages|Don Winslow|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347970189s/8008928.jpg|12548735] was so good, fearful that he just wouldn't live up to that book and the hype surrounding him, but this book confirms that I am a scaredy cat for no good reason. I wish I could've reviewed this when I finished it, my mind was filled with superlatives, interesting comparisons and a strong analysis, however since that plane journey I have read 3 more books and spent my days walking around Sydney so my ideas are not as fresh.
The title is a good indicator of the power and subtlety of this book, its double meaning highlighted as you take a ride with Frankie Machine, a 62 year old retired hitman, through his life of crime. Using this as a framing story is an enjoyable concept and provides you with the action you might expect from a book about post-Vietnam gangsters as well as a constant sense of nostalgia from a man approaching the end of his life.
And as I said before it is subtle with it, there's nothing worse than a book that waxes lyrical about times past and constantly makes the point that "things are about to change" or "life was so much better then, why don't we all just give up on enjoying the present," Frankie has fond memories but he accepts the changes and makes them work for him.
Don Winslow can really write, he makes what could be generic ideas in to something fresh and readable, his books are not really about the crime or the kills like most authors using the genre today but about the people and the effect the lifestyle has on them, he doesn't revel in the brutality yet he is aware that it exists. It's a great book by a great writer.
The title is a good indicator of the power and subtlety of this book, its double meaning highlighted as you take a ride with Frankie Machine, a 62 year old retired hitman, through his life of crime. Using this as a framing story is an enjoyable concept and provides you with the action you might expect from a book about post-Vietnam gangsters as well as a constant sense of nostalgia from a man approaching the end of his life.
And as I said before it is subtle with it, there's nothing worse than a book that waxes lyrical about times past and constantly makes the point that "things are about to change" or "life was so much better then, why don't we all just give up on enjoying the present," Frankie has fond memories but he accepts the changes and makes them work for him.
Don Winslow can really write, he makes what could be generic ideas in to something fresh and readable, his books are not really about the crime or the kills like most authors using the genre today but about the people and the effect the lifestyle has on them, he doesn't revel in the brutality yet he is aware that it exists. It's a great book by a great writer.
blafferty's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read with everything I was looking for. Mob stuff, a crime mystery, a lone hit man just trying to mind his own business - this book has everything. The back-in-the-day alternating with current events thing doesn't work for everyone, but it seems to work fine here. As much as I wanted to get on with the story, the flashbacks really fleshed out the main character and I started to get just as wrapped up in those stories as I was in the current one. Not sure how I felt about the second ending - kind of liked the first one just fine. I'll have to think about it.
baxtervallens's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
eller82's review against another edition
4.0
Ein Mafiosi in seinen alten Tagen, der aufzeigt dass das Mafialeben wie eine Achterbahnfahrt sein kann bei der man nie weiß wo und wie man aussteigt. Und irgendwie ist man dabei immer auf der Jagd, den Unterschied macht nur die Tatsache ob man der Jäger oder der gejagte ist.
Das Buch ist wunderbar bildhaft dargestellt mit einem Charakter bei dem man mitfiebert und bei dem man mit hofft das er am Ende noch irgendwie heil aus der Sache raus kommt
Das Buch ist wunderbar bildhaft dargestellt mit einem Charakter bei dem man mitfiebert und bei dem man mit hofft das er am Ende noch irgendwie heil aus der Sache raus kommt
page51's review against another edition
3.0
Before the first chapter is over and Frankie gets to his little bait shop by the beach we like him already. What's not to like? So I did, and was quite put down by discovering that he is a retired mafia hitman - in simple words, a murderer - who never did time for his crimes and is now sharing the peaceful autumn of his days with his friends, his ex wife, daughter and mistress. Rosy, lovely, perfect.
But there wouldn't be a book if nothing went wrong, and so of course something does. Frank must run for his life, and numerous flashbacks slowly reveal why.
I liked how the book started, light, almost humorous, different, but then it turned into a thriller like many others, with the twist at the end that was hard not to expect. Not quite my kind of book, and I was ready to give it two stars but for one saving grace.
I am reading this book in December 2017, and Frank's rant about the government being the real organised crime, the only difference that it's better organised, couldn't be better timed (think Trump and his tax reform). I laughed out laud. Thank you Frankie, the third star is for this alone.
Don't think I will be reading anything else by that author. Wasn't all that bad, just not my kind.
But there wouldn't be a book if nothing went wrong, and so of course something does. Frank must run for his life, and numerous flashbacks slowly reveal why.
I liked how the book started, light, almost humorous, different, but then it turned into a thriller like many others, with the twist at the end that was hard not to expect. Not quite my kind of book, and I was ready to give it two stars but for one saving grace.
I am reading this book in December 2017, and Frank's rant about the government being the real organised crime, the only difference that it's better organised, couldn't be better timed (think Trump and his tax reform). I laughed out laud. Thank you Frankie, the third star is for this alone.
Don't think I will be reading anything else by that author. Wasn't all that bad, just not my kind.
auth's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0