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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
"A message on his flesh, which everyone in Mondragone and Formia would immediately understand."
I took a university course in 'Narrative Literary Journalism' styled around Truman Capote's approach to self-insertion and deep research into a particular story - lifting the lid if you will. It's fair to say that Gomorrah, a disentanglement and expose of Italian organised crime seen through all strata from Don to pusher, is Roberto Saviano's 'In Cold Blood'.
His description is vivid and narrative fluid, and there's a staggering attention to detail, particularly in sketching relationships between the web of figures driving the Neapolitan criminal economy. Yet where Capote was able to elicit character and emotive investment, Saviano sadly falls short. The laundry list of names and obituaries blurred into statistics and when depictions of gritty violence in Naples' concrete labyrinth landed, it didn't leave me feeling a loss that greater characterisation would create.
Which leads me to the opinion that this is the foundation of his life's work and one that is presumably fully realised through the famous TV adaptation, which I confess to not having seen yet. The pieces are all present in the chapters (particularly the early part on Chinese influence on inbound contraband, a baffling tale involving Angelina Jolie and later depiction of the international wing of the mafia), but the journalistic burden to pursue the unvarnished truth limits this book from realising what it might have been - that said, it's certainly to be admired as Saviano's life's work. And yes, he's still, fifteen years after publication, here.
I took a university course in 'Narrative Literary Journalism' styled around Truman Capote's approach to self-insertion and deep research into a particular story - lifting the lid if you will. It's fair to say that Gomorrah, a disentanglement and expose of Italian organised crime seen through all strata from Don to pusher, is Roberto Saviano's 'In Cold Blood'.
His description is vivid and narrative fluid, and there's a staggering attention to detail, particularly in sketching relationships between the web of figures driving the Neapolitan criminal economy. Yet where Capote was able to elicit character and emotive investment, Saviano sadly falls short. The laundry list of names and obituaries blurred into statistics and when depictions of gritty violence in Naples' concrete labyrinth landed, it didn't leave me feeling a loss that greater characterisation would create.
Which leads me to the opinion that this is the foundation of his life's work and one that is presumably fully realised through the famous TV adaptation, which I confess to not having seen yet. The pieces are all present in the chapters (particularly the early part on Chinese influence on inbound contraband, a baffling tale involving Angelina Jolie and later depiction of the international wing of the mafia), but the journalistic burden to pursue the unvarnished truth limits this book from realising what it might have been - that said, it's certainly to be admired as Saviano's life's work. And yes, he's still, fifteen years after publication, here.
Interessante reportage sulla Camorra, scritto da uno che ne sa e che ha vissuto in quei posti insanguinati. Consigliato, anche se ci vuole uno stomaco forte.
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I don't know what I'll be thinking when I finish this but damn it's a really great read. Depressing shit; corruption is just poisonous to people. Good God.
About how criminals have embraced globalization and free market to always make more money, causing always more violence and damage to the environment. Also how the author sees it and lives it in his home region. Try it, despite the subject it's very easy to read, and fascinating.
very courageous of Mr Saviano to publish this, my props for risking his life to expose the mafia. it's incredible how much he's experienced. the book gave some good insights into the mafia in general and can be quite interesting, unfortunately sometimes one can't find a real red thread and it's very difficult to read (most of the time). it is very dry and honestly made me fall asleep during reading more often than anything else ever had. even in the middle of the day. if the book had like half the page count it would have been a 3 star review. overall it was good but because reading was a real menance i can't give it more than 2 stars. sorry Robbe...
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Bloedstollend zou ik het niet noemen, maar het is wel een onthutsend relaas over hoe de Camorra in quasi elke industrie en leefdomein is verweven!