Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

35 reviews

kate_has_book_thoughts's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Antisemitism, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, Cursing, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Deportation

tiernanhunter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and War

Minor: Cancer, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit

martine3's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Racism, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

emnzl's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Sexual violence

laileanah's review

adventurous informative lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

This is a better film than novel.
Also most definitely pulp fiction at its gory, nonsensical best.
The sexism and racism date this seriously.
It goes on too long and the mystery is simplistic.
This is not politics on the level of Game of Thrones but it did make a wonderful film.
Puzo wrote better novels.
This remains a classic.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism

peachmoni's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

soggygarlicknot's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Synopsis:

The Corleone Family is one of the most powerful Mafia families in New York, headed by the powerful Don Corleone, also known as the Godfather. When Don Corleone’s power is threatened by rival mafia families, he and his family must use all of the resources at their disposal to reclaim their position. 

 

Review:

 

Of course, most people know The Godfather as the classic 1972 film by Francis Ford Coppola but not everyone might know that the movie is based on the 1969 book of the same name by Mario Puzo. I started reading the book with a bit of skepticism. I am not someone who believes that the book is always better than the movie, and as a fan of the film, I was not sure that the book would live up to Coppola’s masterpiece. Fortunately, Puzo’s novel is entertaining and captivating source material.

 

One thing Puzo excels at is drawing the reader into the world of the Mafia and making the Corleone come alive. Don Corleone and his family commit countless heinous acts, but Puzo writes them in a way that compels the reader to root for them on some level. They are admirable, sympathetic, impressive, greedy, cruel, pitiful, honorable, terrifying, and deplorable: somehow, in Puzo’s story, these qualities co-exist rather than clash, resulting in a psychologically fascinating and entertaining story. 

 

The Godfather contains many instances of extreme misogyny and sexism. On the one hand, Puzo seems to adjust the level of sexism and objectification depending on each character’s point of view, suggesting that these deplorable perspectives belong to his characters rather than himself. On the other hand, one can detect a strong undercurrent of the male gaze that pervades the novel that threatens to tip the scale from “a story about sexist characters” to “a sexist story.” Similarly, some of the racist views expressed seem congruous with the characters who espouse them, but Puzo’s choice to include them is slightly distasteful since they are unnecessary for the story’s development. 

 

I did not find that my love for the movie prevented me from enjoying the book. The book encompasses a much wider cast of characters and perspectives than the movie, which remains tightly focused on the story of Michael Corleone’s role in the family dynamic. Puzo spends time exploring the lives of many people connected to the Corleone family, from the Don himself to the people who come to him for favors. All of these stories are well told and entertaining, although at times Puzo strays so much from the central story that it becomes slightly bizarre (anyone who has read the book will have surely puzzled over the part about Lucy Mancini’s surgical procedure). The book in no way detracts from the movie, and the movie does not detract from the book: on the contrary, they complement each other nicely. One does not need to read the book to appreciate the movie or vice versa.

 

The Godfather takes place in the years immediately following World War II, but it was a highly relevant story in 1969. The Mafia remained a powerful presence in the United States, especially in New York City, and newspapers reported frequently on their crimes. Trials of Mafia bosses were of particular interest. The Godfather played into this public fascination, and in doing so catapulted the story of the fictional Corleone family into the fabric of the national culture.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

blue_reader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

savniapte's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A masterclass of storytelling, but as the book progresses the casual racism and sexism pervades the modern senses of a reader who is reading a piece that was not written for their time. Most women have little to no autonomy and exist only as wives, mothers and mistresses. An example of the way men view their macho manliness that is incredibly toxic. A compelling story of revenge and deceit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Excrement, and Murder