Scan barcode
A review by rellimreads
Pronto by Elmore Leonard
4.0
I loved watching Justified and learned a few years later it was based on books. This has been hovering in my TBL for a while and I was so happy to jump in.
First, if you’re looking for lots of Raylan - set your expectations lower. While integral, he’s almost a secondary character and much of the story focuses on & is from Harry’s perspective. I did enjoy that Leonard wrote from various characters, it made for good world building without bland prose.
Harry is a bookie who is being set up for skimming and his “employer” is coming after him. On the run & skipping bail, he heads to Italy. He’s pursued by Raylan, his girlfriend, and numerous organized crime members. Add in backstabbing within the underworld ranks. This is part gangster, part procedural, and a fair bit of humor.
It’s hard to tell whether Raylan is truly good ol’ boy verging on slightly incompetent or if I’m assuming it’s an act because of watching 6 seasons of TV. Either way it works, and I’m looking forward to more of him and the series.
Narration:
Alexander Adams was a great choice for narrator. He has an older sounding voice fitting the characters, gives them appropriate accents, and has great delivery of Leonard’s humor. Easy listen.
CW:
This book is almost 30 years old and many of the characters are in their late 60s & 70s. Plus, most are sketchy people. It fits the characters/story, but be aware of the use of “colored” for Black people & other antiquated terms, several murders
First, if you’re looking for lots of Raylan - set your expectations lower. While integral, he’s almost a secondary character and much of the story focuses on & is from Harry’s perspective. I did enjoy that Leonard wrote from various characters, it made for good world building without bland prose.
Harry is a bookie who is being set up for skimming and his “employer” is coming after him. On the run & skipping bail, he heads to Italy. He’s pursued by Raylan, his girlfriend, and numerous organized crime members. Add in backstabbing within the underworld ranks. This is part gangster, part procedural, and a fair bit of humor.
It’s hard to tell whether Raylan is truly good ol’ boy verging on slightly incompetent or if I’m assuming it’s an act because of watching 6 seasons of TV. Either way it works, and I’m looking forward to more of him and the series.
Narration:
Alexander Adams was a great choice for narrator. He has an older sounding voice fitting the characters, gives them appropriate accents, and has great delivery of Leonard’s humor. Easy listen.
CW:
This book is almost 30 years old and many of the characters are in their late 60s & 70s. Plus, most are sketchy people. It fits the characters/story, but be aware of the use of “colored” for Black people & other antiquated terms, several murders