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thetiredmagician's review against another edition
2.0
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)
amywithbooks's review against another edition
5.0
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!
michellefleming33's review against another edition
2.0
This was just ok for me.
I have been on this kick lately, where I want to read the book before I see the movie. Well this is one of those times where the book is supposed to be better than the movie...I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm guessing it's better than this book.
Don't get me wrong; all the etymology was great and entertaining. But this was just not my cup of tea. Learning about the drug cartel and pot is just not what I wanted to read about.
I knew that the basis of the book had to deal with drugs, a kidnapping, and Mexicans. I did not know that would be the entire focus of the book.
So then why read it, if I knew what it was going to be about? Because I wanted to watch the movie, and at the end of it be able to say "the book was better." I have a feeling that in this case that won't happen.
The ending, or at least near the ending is where everything started to pick up. It got really intense, but then ended too quickly. There was so much backstabbing going on I couldn't keep up.
I felt the rest of the book could have been reduced or trimmed in the editing department. I wanted more action and less talk about selling drugs, describing drugs. I like the build up of the characters and getting to know them.
Bottomline: This book could have been better. Very imaginative with his diction and etymology.
I have been on this kick lately, where I want to read the book before I see the movie. Well this is one of those times where the book is supposed to be better than the movie...I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm guessing it's better than this book.
Don't get me wrong; all the etymology was great and entertaining. But this was just not my cup of tea. Learning about the drug cartel and pot is just not what I wanted to read about.
I knew that the basis of the book had to deal with drugs, a kidnapping, and Mexicans. I did not know that would be the entire focus of the book.
So then why read it, if I knew what it was going to be about? Because I wanted to watch the movie, and at the end of it be able to say "the book was better." I have a feeling that in this case that won't happen.
The ending, or at least near the ending is where everything started to pick up. It got really intense, but then ended too quickly. There was so much backstabbing going on I couldn't keep up.
I felt the rest of the book could have been reduced or trimmed in the editing department. I wanted more action and less talk about selling drugs, describing drugs. I like the build up of the characters and getting to know them.
Spoiler
These kind of endings piss me off. The way that the author leaves you hanging; look, you hooked me and stringed me along all this way, the least you could have done was given it to me straight. Did they all die or just Ben? I mean I understood that they all shot up 3 vials of morphine each, but I hate assuming at the end of novels. And no this is not a series, so he really does just leave you hanging with your own imagination. That's not how this story was supposed to end. He gave it to me straight throughout the ENTIRE book and this is the garbage you leave me with?? Thanks Don for the disappointment!Bottomline: This book could have been better. Very imaginative with his diction and etymology.
adamclane99's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
mrsfligs's review against another edition
4.0
THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE AUDIOBOOK
First things first, this is not a book for the faint-hearted or the easily offended. I listened to it on audio when I was walking my dogs and there were times when I felt myself blushing from what I was listening to … ON MY HEADPHONES! I kept thinking “If people only knew what I was listening to now, they’d be shocked.” This is some hard-core, graphic writing … and hearing it read out loud makes it seem even more so. (By the way, Michael Kramer has the perfect voice for the material … with a kind of WTF/seen it all, done it all attitude.) The basic story deals with a love triangle between two pot dealers and their girl and what happens when they run awry of a Mexican drug cartel and the girl gets kidnapped. The writing—despite its bluntness and graphic descriptions—was good and often very funny. But this is by no means a “feel good” book. And if people in SoCal are really like the characters in this book, then I’m staying the hell away.
First things first, this is not a book for the faint-hearted or the easily offended. I listened to it on audio when I was walking my dogs and there were times when I felt myself blushing from what I was listening to … ON MY HEADPHONES! I kept thinking “If people only knew what I was listening to now, they’d be shocked.” This is some hard-core, graphic writing … and hearing it read out loud makes it seem even more so. (By the way, Michael Kramer has the perfect voice for the material … with a kind of WTF/seen it all, done it all attitude.) The basic story deals with a love triangle between two pot dealers and their girl and what happens when they run awry of a Mexican drug cartel and the girl gets kidnapped. The writing—despite its bluntness and graphic descriptions—was good and often very funny. But this is by no means a “feel good” book. And if people in SoCal are really like the characters in this book, then I’m staying the hell away.
chanelmeadows's review against another edition
4.0
I read this a while ago. I don't recall not liking it but I do recall I found several quotes I enjoyed so I'm rating it a 4 though I think 3.5 is probably more accurate. Super easy read.
onofreshoots's review
2.0
Maybe I've been reading too much Don Winslow--and most of them being relatively recent releases--, but this one definitely didn't do it for me. I felt like the snark and tone were not as well executed as his works in, for example, the Power of the Dog series. I also didn't find the characters as well developed as in other novels; I've even seen these three appear in Broken and I liked them better in that work. Oh well. They can't all be hits.
mariewithabook's review against another edition
5.0
God this book was good, better than I expected! It was so fast-paced even if it took me a long time to read it(which is weird, i know, but i didn't want it to end) and so funny and i love Don Winslow's writing style!!!! The characters are lovable even if they are fucked up in the head. I also loved that the book and the movie was practically the same. But loved the movie ending better than the book. Overall, still a 5/5 'cause you know, it's AMAZING.
scottapeshot's review against another edition
2.0
Page-turning prose, but stomach-turning plot. Banal, pointless, trying too hard to be stylish.