Reviews

Savages by Don Winslow

hippiepixie85's review against another edition

4.0

Ben, Chon, and O.... a dynamic trio, all very different in personality, and belief, but sharing something in common: their bond. They would do anything for each other, including taking on a Mexican drug cartel to rescue their precious O.

This is one of those books where the title describes it perfectly. When dealing with savages, one must sink to their level. You must become the savage. There is no other way.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I was rooting for the 3 stooges the entire time, pleading with them to be savages so they could all be together again.

The prose is dynamic, even reading more dramatically than I expected at moments. The dialogue is smart and witty, the inner monologues even more so.

If you're looking for something that's all around entertaining, and you're not afraid of a little graphic subject matter, this is for you.

nyxshadow's review against another edition

4.0

4.5

http://nyx-shadow.blogspot.fr/2012/11/savages-don-winslow.html

blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition

Gave it a shot, but it's just not my thing.

omg_pear's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

pidgevorg's review against another edition

4.0

Pretty much a Pulp Fiction wannabe... but I'm just one of those wannabes who thinks you can't have too much of that kind of thing. So it was derivative, so what. I still liked it. Sue me.

skiracechick's review against another edition

4.0

Highly captivating and engaging, although it goes quite a bit more into detail on certain things than really needed. Having seen the movie first and not too long ago, they actually coincide pretty closely. There is one crucial part at the end where they differ substantially, and the movie seemed to focus on aspects that were pretty brief in the book. If be willing to check out other books the author has written.

gregtrob's review against another edition

4.0

This was my first book by Winslow. I loved the action and the characters. It was well written and fast paced. My only complaint is the occasional switch from "standard novel writing" to that which you might find in a script - it was effective in setting the scene but was distracting at times.

thegreekie's review against another edition

3.0

Unfortunately, Savages is nowhere near the level of The Winter of Frankie Machine or The Power of the Dog, but it does appear to be Don Winslow's most read book by the simple virtue that there was a movie adaption. I liked the main characters well enough, but this book is a little bit on the short side and they lacked a bit of depth. Also, Winslow's doing some weird experimental writing style in this book and it sort of detracts from the overall enjoyment.

Plot (Story / Pacing / Ending): 4/5
Characters (Characters / Development): 4/5
Writing (Prose / Dialogue / Style): 2/5
Other (Enjoyment / Read Pace / Worldbuilding / Etc): 3/5

gr33nb00ks's review against another edition

4.0

I actually never even heard of this book until I saw a trailer for the movie. When I actually want t =os ee a movie that is based on the book, I totally want to read the book first, and i've very glad I did!
I really enjoyed the choppy sentences and hipster dialogue of the characters. It left a lot up to your own imagination/interpretation. I'd definitely check out more of Winslow's work as I felt Savages was an exciting read. 4 stars!

sstachelhaus's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75