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sandin954's review against another edition
5.0
Another great book from [a:Don Winslow|37795|Don Winslow|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1288036709p2/37795.jpg]. I loved the characters, thought the flashback scenes that filled out the past were well integrated, and was on the edge of my seat for the ending. Listened to the audio read by Dennis Boutsikaris who was just as good as the material.
clarkmj1's review against another edition
5.0
I’m a Winslow fan.
I haven’t read the throes in the border trilogy yet but based on two I’d say it was on its way to being the definitive trilogy epic for the war on drugs.
A Lord of the Rings for Cocaine
The Force I thought was deeply flawed. A good read. It flawed.
Going back to an earlier work I was pleased that his was Winslow at his best. A compelling protagonist and a good story.
When he doesn’t try too hard his writing has a Hemingwayesque plainness that is perfect for the job. That is Winslow at his best. Occasionally he tries to be too literary and I don’t think it’s a strong point.
Overall a strong recommendation.
I haven’t read the throes in the border trilogy yet but based on two I’d say it was on its way to being the definitive trilogy epic for the war on drugs.
A Lord of the Rings for Cocaine
The Force I thought was deeply flawed. A good read. It flawed.
Going back to an earlier work I was pleased that his was Winslow at his best. A compelling protagonist and a good story.
When he doesn’t try too hard his writing has a Hemingwayesque plainness that is perfect for the job. That is Winslow at his best. Occasionally he tries to be too literary and I don’t think it’s a strong point.
Overall a strong recommendation.
yoteach87's review
4.0
This is a good gangster/mafia book - and you know how much I love the organized crime subgenre.
It's a solid read that, while only a few pages over 300, feels like a much more robust story. Frankie Machine is a loveable gray-area character. I love reading about the hits, the friends becoming enemies, the enemies becoming friends. The twists and turns are commonplace in mafia books. Much like Winslow's other works, it is incredibly graphic, language is foul, and adult-time stuff is needlessly described.
I feel like with each finished book in this subgenre it gets harder and harder to find good gangster books. A quick Google search yields mostly steamy mafia romance book written by people with aliases that included two initials before an obviously fake last name (A. S. Steamy). At least I enjoyed my time with Frankie Machine.
It's a solid read that, while only a few pages over 300, feels like a much more robust story. Frankie Machine is a loveable gray-area character. I love reading about the hits, the friends becoming enemies, the enemies becoming friends. The twists and turns are commonplace in mafia books. Much like Winslow's other works, it is incredibly graphic, language is foul, and adult-time stuff is needlessly described.
I feel like with each finished book in this subgenre it gets harder and harder to find good gangster books. A quick Google search yields mostly steamy mafia romance book written by people with aliases that included two initials before an obviously fake last name (A. S. Steamy). At least I enjoyed my time with Frankie Machine.
togdon's review against another edition
4.0
Always love a good Don Winslow novel, and this one definitely hit the spot.
bookkoob17's review against another edition
1.0
Not good. Too much of the book is devoted to telling the full history of Frankie's time in the mob. Stories and details that don't matter to the current situation. Lots of generic mob story ideas. There were multiple typos (including spelling Dearborn as Deerborn) and a continuity error. Half way through the book I realized I've never before read something that was so clearly written for one specific audience - and it wasn't me.
dburley37's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book starts strong and ends strong. The first third of the book is all about character development. This was masterfully done. The heart of the book explains how the main character got to his present situation and then there is the climatic finale.
pauldaly's review against another edition
5.0
Marvelous, simply marvelous. Written with the requisite style and panache, but also with that rarest of rare qualities, heart. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
silverandbluedc's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ladydewinter's review against another edition
5.0
Well, Mr Winslow - I'm now officially a fan.
I loved "The Power of the Dog" when I read it last fall, and I'd been meaning to read more by him and finally got around to reading this one - the story of a retired Mafia hitman who's suddenly on someone's hitlist himself.
This is another brilliant book. What I love about Winslow's writing is that he manages to combine characters that feel real with a great, intriguing plot and some actual political background that is somewhat depressing (because as rotten as it all seems, you know it's true). He also has a way with words that puts him above all other writers of crime fiction I've read, maybe with the exception of David Peace. I have to admit I like Winslow better, though, because even though his style is different from most other writers - it has a special kind of flow, somehow - he's easier to read than Peace.
I also have to say kudos to the translator. Winslow uses a lot of slang, and Chris Hirte manages to translate most of that without it sounding ridiculous.
A great book, and highly recommended, especially to fans of The Sopranos. My vacation starts today, but I admit I am tempted to go to the bookstore I work at on Monday to get another book by Mr Winslow. I won't, though, because my to-read pile is high enough as it is.. I won't wait another couple of months until the next book, however.
I loved "The Power of the Dog" when I read it last fall, and I'd been meaning to read more by him and finally got around to reading this one - the story of a retired Mafia hitman who's suddenly on someone's hitlist himself.
This is another brilliant book. What I love about Winslow's writing is that he manages to combine characters that feel real with a great, intriguing plot and some actual political background that is somewhat depressing (because as rotten as it all seems, you know it's true). He also has a way with words that puts him above all other writers of crime fiction I've read, maybe with the exception of David Peace. I have to admit I like Winslow better, though, because even though his style is different from most other writers - it has a special kind of flow, somehow - he's easier to read than Peace.
I also have to say kudos to the translator. Winslow uses a lot of slang, and Chris Hirte manages to translate most of that without it sounding ridiculous.
A great book, and highly recommended, especially to fans of The Sopranos. My vacation starts today, but I admit I am tempted to go to the bookstore I work at on Monday to get another book by Mr Winslow. I won't, though, because my to-read pile is high enough as it is.. I won't wait another couple of months until the next book, however.
liantener's review against another edition
5.0
Me encantó la novela. Aunque el tema del asesino veterano y retirado que es obligado a matar nuevamente está bastante trillado, cuando se hace bien resulta muy atractivo. De hecho eso es lo que me llevó a leerlo.
Winslow de verdad sabe escribir sobre mafiosos y crimen. Los personajes son interesantes, singulares, de verdad originales, y puedes imaginártelos muy bien. Winslow aprovecha para mostrarnos como era la mafia de California desde los 60's hasta nuestros días. La estructura es muy buena, con buen equilibrio entre la historia en el presente y los flashbacks para conocer el pasado de Frank, pero sobre todo es un recurso para irnos dando información y a la vez mantenernos confundidos y pensando porqué están sucediendo las cosas. Al principio pensé que era una trampa, y que Winslow nos iba a dar la pista definitiva al final, pero la verdad es que las pistas están ahí, y al final sólo nos ayuda a juntarlas.
Pero lo mejor es el personaje de Frank "La Maquina" Machianno. Tiene todos los rasgos que hacen que amemos estos personajes: un asesino de buen corazón, con una ética a prueba de todo y las habilidades intactas a pesar de la edad. Winslow se las arregla para hacerlo creíble, aunque no hubiese estado de más explicarnos cómo logra hacer algunas de las cosas que hace.
Si les gustan este tipo de historias: el asesino solitario que puede con todos o la mafia, no se lo pueden perder.
Winslow de verdad sabe escribir sobre mafiosos y crimen. Los personajes son interesantes, singulares, de verdad originales, y puedes imaginártelos muy bien. Winslow aprovecha para mostrarnos como era la mafia de California desde los 60's hasta nuestros días. La estructura es muy buena, con buen equilibrio entre la historia en el presente y los flashbacks para conocer el pasado de Frank, pero sobre todo es un recurso para irnos dando información y a la vez mantenernos confundidos y pensando porqué están sucediendo las cosas. Al principio pensé que era una trampa, y que Winslow nos iba a dar la pista definitiva al final, pero la verdad es que las pistas están ahí, y al final sólo nos ayuda a juntarlas.
Pero lo mejor es el personaje de Frank "La Maquina" Machianno. Tiene todos los rasgos que hacen que amemos estos personajes: un asesino de buen corazón, con una ética a prueba de todo y las habilidades intactas a pesar de la edad. Winslow se las arregla para hacerlo creíble, aunque no hubiese estado de más explicarnos cómo logra hacer algunas de las cosas que hace.
Si les gustan este tipo de historias: el asesino solitario que puede con todos o la mafia, no se lo pueden perder.