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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Having picked up this book only because I loved the movie so much, I couldn’t help but compare the two. For me, this was a rare case of the movie being far better. The iconic roles of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, soundtrack, and strategic storyline of the film are the factors that (in my opinion) made it the masterpiece it is. None of this could be captured in the book as well as I hoped.
It was undeniably engaging for the most part, although went off on tangents too often which tended to get confusing as the author strayed from the plot so often. In the film, Francis Ford Coppola made a good choice in cutting out most of these unnecessary scenes, as they added nothing to the story and only expanded upon characters of little importance. The movie had a clear and interesting storyline that made its 3 hours fly by, however the book diverged from the main storyline so often it dragged the story along. Another aspect of the movie that really stood out to me was the decline of Michael Corleone’s morals, which the book hardly showed at all. However, one of my favorite moments of the book was the closing line, "Then with a profound and deeply willed desire to believe, to be heard, as she had done everyday since the murder of Carlo Rizzi, she said the necessary prayers for the soul of Michael Corleone" (Puzo 428). Another similar line that captures this haunting realization that the family legacy has become inescapable for Michael is "He reminded her of the statues in Rome, statues of those Roman emperors of antiquity, who, by divine right, held the power of life and death over their fellow men" (Puzo 419).
Besides the storyline, I found it extremely difficult to read due to the explicit misogyny and racism. In the book its hard to separate characters from author, and it felt uncomfortable reading alot of this book due to this. Mario Puzo expanded so much on this its hard to believe he was simply narrating from the characters perspective and not projecting his own views upon the story.
Overall, this book was not made for me. It's not a genre I particularly care about or enjoy, but as I loved the movie I thought I’d give it a try. It's well written and captures the complexity of loyalty and family well but other elements of it made it hard to read and enjoy.
It was undeniably engaging for the most part, although went off on tangents too often which tended to get confusing as the author strayed from the plot so often. In the film, Francis Ford Coppola made a good choice in cutting out most of these unnecessary scenes, as they added nothing to the story and only expanded upon characters of little importance. The movie had a clear and interesting storyline that made its 3 hours fly by, however the book diverged from the main storyline so often it dragged the story along. Another aspect of the movie that really stood out to me was the decline of Michael Corleone’s morals, which the book hardly showed at all. However, one of my favorite moments of the book was the closing line, "Then with a profound and deeply willed desire to believe, to be heard, as she had done everyday since the murder of Carlo Rizzi, she said the necessary prayers for the soul of Michael Corleone" (Puzo 428). Another similar line that captures this haunting realization that the family legacy has become inescapable for Michael is "He reminded her of the statues in Rome, statues of those Roman emperors of antiquity, who, by divine right, held the power of life and death over their fellow men" (Puzo 419).
Besides the storyline, I found it extremely difficult to read due to the explicit misogyny and racism. In the book its hard to separate characters from author, and it felt uncomfortable reading alot of this book due to this. Mario Puzo expanded so much on this its hard to believe he was simply narrating from the characters perspective and not projecting his own views upon the story.
Overall, this book was not made for me. It's not a genre I particularly care about or enjoy, but as I loved the movie I thought I’d give it a try. It's well written and captures the complexity of loyalty and family well but other elements of it made it hard to read and enjoy.
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
An Italian-American family saga across ten years, centering around the transformation of a rebellious younger son into a ruthless leader.
I normally hate sagas; they tend to be too loosely plotted for me. But this was great, centering on Michael Corleone, so the plot arc felt solid. The details and worldbuilding were superb, the characters rich, and the storytelling well arranged. There was quite a bit of dancing around in time, POV, and location, but it always felt controlled and deliberate.
I recommend this for fans of the movie and fans of crime novels in general.
I normally hate sagas; they tend to be too loosely plotted for me. But this was great, centering on Michael Corleone, so the plot arc felt solid. The details and worldbuilding were superb, the characters rich, and the storytelling well arranged. There was quite a bit of dancing around in time, POV, and location, but it always felt controlled and deliberate.
I recommend this for fans of the movie and fans of crime novels in general.
I hate to say this, but 80% of the ‘extra stuff’, the stuff that isn’t in the movie... I didn’t like. I wanted so much more background on Vito, Michael, Sonny and Fredo, but instead got trashy stories about Johnny Fontane, and Lucy Fantini, which I didn’t like those side stories at all.
medium-paced
This revelation never goes down well with people when I tell them that I've never watched The Godfather. People just can't seem to believe it.
But I always said I'd rather read the book and after many many years I've finally read it.....and what an amazing book it is.
This really is essential reading for any one that enjoys books. The writing is fantastic, always able to portray how respectful these people are but always letting you know just how dangerous they are too.
Again, essential reading for anyone and one of the best books I've read this year for sure
But I always said I'd rather read the book and after many many years I've finally read it.....and what an amazing book it is.
This really is essential reading for any one that enjoys books. The writing is fantastic, always able to portray how respectful these people are but always letting you know just how dangerous they are too.
Again, essential reading for anyone and one of the best books I've read this year for sure
An astonishing epic. As profound on an interpersonal level as it is as an action-oriented thriller. Puzo's prose is both easy to read and complex. The character work is strong and the pacing is excellent (except for one chapter out in Las Vegas, which felt unnecessary).
An iconic piece of literature. One I would recommend to everyone.
An iconic piece of literature. One I would recommend to everyone.
This was a very fast pacing, unputdownable and nerve-wracking thriller.
Very good. The movie seems better, probably because it has become such an iconic part of American popular culture and partly because the book has so many digressions from the basic it that seem genuinely unnecessary. Nevertheless, Puzo's novel is a quick read and is very entertaining. Recommended.