Reviews with content warning for Death - El Padrino

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.

Content Warnings

sarah_joy's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

allseeinghelga's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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? No

5.0

Content Warnings

stephaniechoi725's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

virgohorror's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad 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

while this book is great for many reasons, don’t go in expecting the movie. puzo takes his time with this narrative, and often leads the reader into long, ponderous detours about side characters that can get pretty tiresome after a while. it’s a family saga in the most literal sense of the phrase, with all that entails. still, what’s good is fucking good. there’s a reason this is a classic.

Content Warnings

christiantseda's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

A literary classic and one of my personal favorites of all time, there isn’t much to dislike about this book. Characters are flawed and somehow still understandable, the story is cold and calculated while still being digestible, and multiple stories are told at once to keep the reader’s eyes glued to the page. The various characters, locations, and allegiances can get a little confusing starting out, but once you get past the first few chapters and you learn more of the story, Puzo’s novel is incredibly difficult to put down.

Content Warnings

ressicajicks's review against another edition

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dark reflective 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

5.0

Content Warnings

michajela1's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

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