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craftyfairy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The prose is pulpy at best. Very typical of books in this time I feel, but I don't think that's an excuse. Surely not an excuse for making the book as long as it was. Took me the same amount of time to read this as any graham Greene book from the same time, and I know Mr Greene wouldn't be caught dead describing olive oil as "olive-colored oil".
Characters were unlovable but also not very fascinating. I wanted the book to be about our main character Don Vito Corleone, and yet it took a couple hundred pages to even hear a bit of backstory. When
The author has a terrible habit of jumping forward to an upsetting or surprising event, then working backwards to show how it happened. Sometimes he wouldn't even show what happened, just intimating that something bad HAD happened. Very soap opera esque, and also tiresome. I found myself wishing he would just tell the story plainly without trying so hard. Ending was shit, although I could see that coming.
Of course, as to be expected, the author has written this book to include a substantial amount of bigotry of all kinds, across gender and sex, race, religion, and even to gingers. Is this a reflection of how mafiosos would genuinely feel and behave at this time period? Maybe, but in some spots the bigotry seems so vivid and gratuitous, it is as if the author revels in it. Particularly, Puzo spends a lot of time describing domestic violence against women, body/sex shaming of women, assault of women, and any degrading descriptions of sex worker women imaginable. In one memorable scene, Puzo describes a labiaplasty of a girl who is unwanted by most men because she has what is clinically described by the doctor character as "having a big box". Her surgery story is told exclusively from his perspective as he is her boyfriend and crafts the perfect experience for himself with her body. And what does this all have to do with Mafia????? These are acquaintances of side characters for God sake.
I don't know how to conclude this review but I fear I have already written more than it deserves.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Classism
_viv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Violence
jpolito's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, and Abortion
greenan26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Abortion
shadannn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
somebodys_fool's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
meilanon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Body shaming, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, and Medical content
soliasz's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Sometimes I feel that the author did not bother with the idea of killing your darlings, and chose to include so much unnecessary content that muddied the story.
But, I do admire Puzo's prose, simple, yet descriptive and captivating. I also have to give it another inch because of the fantastic and revered movie that sprang from it. The movie is great, but the book? Slightly underwhelming and dissapointing. I believe this is one of the very few cases that the movie is better then the book. If you're a fan of the series, perhaps you would get something out of it, but otherwise, you'd be better off watching, or rewatching the movie.
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Sexism, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
soph_mills's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
thefluffyowl's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder