Although I have enjoyed other books on the list that +Daniel created so far, this is the first one that I am truly grateful that I have
read. One of the goals of such a list was to read things you normally would not
and this is one those books. I am not a fan of the crime genre in book or movie
form despite having read a few gems before. I find there is too much dross to
pour through to get to the good stuff. The
Godfather is a book I have been meaning to read since I saw the movie over
20 years ago. I regard the movie highly but do not get quite as excited as
those who claim it be the greatest film ever. The overhyped visual experience
with my distaste of the genre meant it stayed on the to do list.
What a pleasure to find a book that claims to be a modern
classic and deserves the moniker. While I am sure that from a purist literary
point of view there are more refined and technically better books this is story
telling at its finest. A masterpiece of structure, characterisation and
dialogue, I was hooked from the beginning. The story of the Corleone family was
a gripping tale that showed you inside a family that operates outside of a law
it fails to recognise as just. The skill in which Puzo spins his magic leaves
you sympathetic for a gallery of rogues, hookers, murderers and thieves whose
head is a narcissistic dictator broaching no dissent. You end up loving them
all.
Dickens is known for capturing a time and place and Puzo can
be considered in the same category as he deftly imagines post war America
finding its feet and explores the layers of power that make up any society. He
may do it from the perspective of what are essentially the criminals but the
journey explores the social structures that control destinies. He explores the
very nature of power itself.
For me one of the most impressive things about the read was
the language and dialogue that has not aged one iota. I find this to be extraordinary
as comparable works from the late sixties do not hold the command of language
that Puzo exhibits. Material from before this time tends to be full of
colloquialisms and Puzo demonstrates that they should be used sparingly.
Firstly because people do not speak like that all the time and secondly to
ensure longevity of the story. I
realised that many contemporary authors are unable to create such a compelling
read and so many are trying to recreate his efforts. I had a better
understanding as to why so many gangster themed movies and books are like the
Godfather.
It is not a template. It is the template.
In exploring power in such a male dominated world Puzo could
easily have maintained a misogynist approach and while we definitely are privy
to how men had the external appearance of control, he deftly explores the power
of women as much as men. His ability to explore sex as a weapon as well as a
binding tool is truly impressive with one of the most interesting chapters
essentially exploring the rebuilding of one character’s vagina.
A scenario that did not make the movie adaption.
In fact with the final scenes of the book you could argue
that the whole book was actually an exploration of the women in the family but
I am not giving away that spoiler. Puzo ensures his female characters have as
much depth and interest as the men.
Puzo’s dialogue is wonderful and is extensively used but I
never felt bored by it. His pattern is to explain a character in exposition but
may do this before you meet them in dialogue or some time after. Despite a
similar style to each book and chapter he constantly mixes up the time flow to
create different dynamics and dramatic punches that consistently surprise and
entertain. We move through a decade of change within the family as well as
visit the old country and the earlier life of Don Vito. I found the imagery and
story to stay in my head when I was not reading the book and even infiltrated
my dreams. The sign of a very good story.
The book has more detailed and nuance than any of the movies
and despite their brilliance the book is better. In fact some of the characters
are overdone in the movie versions. Brando makes Don Vito much more surly than
he truly is and the theatrical tone is amped up for the visual feast. Some
changes in the movie defeat some of the book’s folklore such as Michael not
wearing a hat when murdering two people. This is important for the process of
such events taking place but is removed from the movie so the viewer gets a
better look at the star when in fact the perpetrator is supposed to be hidden
from clear view. Small things I know but niggled away as I read the book.
He does not shy from the violence or sex scenes and both are
visceral and at times shocking. Partly because his writing style is so
absorbing creating a true page-turner so you are fully there when the action
occurs. There is no prudishness to the language or the tone of such events but
he manages to maintain whatever is appropriate to that scene. This means he is
capable of a number of styles and is not repetitive when describing similar
events with different characters. When it is Michael having sex it is a very
different scenario to Sal or Carlo and when Clemenza metes out the violence it
is very different to Luca Brasi. Every character is provided with a back-story
to help you understand how they reached their destiny.
I know not all 100 books will be as invigorating as this one
but it has ensured I face the task with renewed vigour. I have chosen a slower,
older and more humourist book for the next read. Deliberately moving to another
highway completely so the part of my brain that enjoyed such a violent
absorbing book can keep pulling me back in.
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