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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Read this as soon as it came out last year and probably finished it in two days. Just a wicked fast pace with Winslow's unique voice and style - violence, intelligent and funny when you aren't expecting it. Really think he's the best crime writer out there right now.
There are no words to sufficiently describe Don Winslow's writing.
Savages is the third book by him that I read and each and every one of them holds a very special place in my heart.
In some aspects Savages carries the standard properties of a Winslow book. Every page hits the reader multiple times from the most unexpected angles, the plot and characters have a sense of greatness to them, the story is rich, the plot is complex, the book has real depth.
Savages deviates from the Winslow formula in some ways as well. It revolves around three kids which are written beautifully and to me it is a tale of love and loyalty. It's much smaller in scale compared to The Power of the Dog and The Force. The writing is flashy, edgy, witty, colorful and energetic. It's much less serious in style, though just because the style is lighter and funnier, it doesn't mean the plot is any less violent. It's faster paced than some of Winslow's bigger books and it is less reminiscent of his epic, heavier-moving storytelling.
Savages is a perfect book in its own right with its unique style that surpassed my expectations, overwhelmed me with its stylishness, kept me on edge all the time and satisfied me to my core.
I say it all the time: Don Winslow is an extraordinary man.
Savages is the third book by him that I read and each and every one of them holds a very special place in my heart.
In some aspects Savages carries the standard properties of a Winslow book. Every page hits the reader multiple times from the most unexpected angles, the plot and characters have a sense of greatness to them, the story is rich, the plot is complex, the book has real depth.
Savages deviates from the Winslow formula in some ways as well. It revolves around three kids which are written beautifully and to me it is a tale of love and loyalty. It's much smaller in scale compared to The Power of the Dog and The Force. The writing is flashy, edgy, witty, colorful and energetic. It's much less serious in style, though just because the style is lighter and funnier, it doesn't mean the plot is any less violent. It's faster paced than some of Winslow's bigger books and it is less reminiscent of his epic, heavier-moving storytelling.
Savages is a perfect book in its own right with its unique style that surpassed my expectations, overwhelmed me with its stylishness, kept me on edge all the time and satisfied me to my core.
I say it all the time: Don Winslow is an extraordinary man.
Holy shit. That was one intense ride. Don't know why I was resistant for so long!
Creo que leí este libro a una edad en la que no se suponía que debía leerlo
This book was much, much better than I expected. Winslow turned a simple plot into something completely interesting to read, specially with his fast-paced writing. His characters were super believable not only because of their decisions throughout the book, but also because of the consistency of those. Even Ben—who changed along the story—behaved "weirdly". I don't know how else to put this. They simply stood true to their nature. Savages was a pleasant and welcoming surprise!
I listened to this book on several road trips. Winslow's commentary on drug culture in both the US and Mexico was eye-opening. The characters range from a drug lord controlling trade in Mexico and two young guys with world wide potential and ambitions. When trafficking drugs get involved it makes for one crazy story. What does a savage look like, you'd be surprised.
I pursued this book because of the hype surrounding the movie (which I'm going to go see out of morbid curiosity). I’ve never read any of Don Winslow’s previous works and it doesn’t seem like I ever will (with one exception). I understand what he is trying to say with this story. I just don’t think it’s done well.
Savages is a story about friends Ben, Chon and (their shared lover) O who produce premium-grade pot so potent that the BC (Baja Cartel) takes notice. O gets kidnapped for leverage when Ben and Chon refuse the business deal. I feel like I’ve read this book before and seen the movie(s).
You’ve got your sex obsessed damsel in distress in O. I find she falls flat as a character. She is the glue for a love triangle I don’t care about and I wouldn’t care if Lado, an employee of the BC, dismembered her. At one point I actually start rooting for him to do it so that I can see some character development.
You’ve got your ex-marine one man killing machine in Chon, another flat character in this novel. Considering he is featured in most of the book I get the sense that I should care about (or like) this guy. There are only two times I’m intrigued by Chon: when he uses a GOOD WORD and the anecdote about his father and trust.
You’ve got your brains behind the business in sweet Ben. This is a character I like. I get to see him develop through his experiences. The Ben we see at the end of the novel is not the Ben we hear about/meet at the beginning. He is one of the reasons that I finished the book. I was interested and invested in his story.
But who really cares about this trio? I certainly don’t. In fact, I don’t even see how they’re connected. How did these three come to know one another? I don’t believe they have “love” for each other. Certainly Winslow shows me that they share lust and a “savage” physical relationship. I question throughout most of the book why Ben and Chon are even motivated by O's kidnapping. They are three separate entities in my mind until the very end of the book. Winslow is incapable of showing me a connection between these three vastly different characters until the last three pages.
You’ve got your “villains” in Elena and Lado. I like these characters. I’m more interested in their stories than the stupid love triangle, Chon and O. Once they were introduced I was less annoyed by the book. The writing itself was constantly interrupted by Winslow’s style choice making it impossible for me to become absorbed by the story. I call this “shattering the illusion”.
There is one piece of prose that I applaud Winslow for. “And it’s all fun and games until someone loses an I.” (Page. 210)
Savages is a story about friends Ben, Chon and (their shared lover) O who produce premium-grade pot so potent that the BC (Baja Cartel) takes notice. O gets kidnapped for leverage when Ben and Chon refuse the business deal. I feel like I’ve read this book before and seen the movie(s).
You’ve got your sex obsessed damsel in distress in O. I find she falls flat as a character. She is the glue for a love triangle I don’t care about and I wouldn’t care if Lado, an employee of the BC, dismembered her. At one point I actually start rooting for him to do it so that I can see some character development.
You’ve got your ex-marine one man killing machine in Chon, another flat character in this novel. Considering he is featured in most of the book I get the sense that I should care about (or like) this guy. There are only two times I’m intrigued by Chon: when he uses a GOOD WORD and the anecdote about his father and trust.
You’ve got your brains behind the business in sweet Ben. This is a character I like. I get to see him develop through his experiences. The Ben we see at the end of the novel is not the Ben we hear about/meet at the beginning. He is one of the reasons that I finished the book. I was interested and invested in his story.
But who really cares about this trio? I certainly don’t. In fact, I don’t even see how they’re connected. How did these three come to know one another? I don’t believe they have “love” for each other. Certainly Winslow shows me that they share lust and a “savage” physical relationship. I question throughout most of the book why Ben and Chon are even motivated by O's kidnapping. They are three separate entities in my mind until the very end of the book. Winslow is incapable of showing me a connection between these three vastly different characters until the last three pages.
You’ve got your “villains” in Elena and Lado. I like these characters. I’m more interested in their stories than the stupid love triangle, Chon and O. Once they were introduced I was less annoyed by the book. The writing itself was constantly interrupted by Winslow’s style choice making it impossible for me to become absorbed by the story. I call this “shattering the illusion”.
There is one piece of prose that I applaud Winslow for. “And it’s all fun and games until someone loses an I.” (Page. 210)
Once I got used to the writing style, I was hooked. This story got more intriguing with every page. The ending was completely unexpected. Loved it!