Personal Review:
Though I didn’t think that the novel was written very well from a literary standpoint, it’s undeniable that The Godfather has an interesting and well formulated plot. Critics insist that Puzo glorifies the mafia in his novel, and I can see why. With so many deaths and so few tears shed, Puzo and his cold-blooded characters seem desensitized to rampant violence-and still, I find myself rooting for these criminals. In the simplest terms, the police are evil and the Corleones, loving. Their family ties are romanticized; they attack only those who harm their loved ones. And above all else, every Corleone man on the Corleone's is always levelheaded, irresistably strong, and constantly, inarguably cool.
Besides those highpoints, I have to say also that the novel was full of useless information. Full chapters flooded anecdotes, toils, and terrors of men who were hardly involved in the plot.
Overall, I’d vote for the movie over the book, though it was an honest and generally successful attempt by Puzo. I have gained much respect for him as an author; so, may his first grandchild be born masculine. :)
I thought many of your points were valid. Puzo does write with a simplistic style, gratuitous violence and extraneous subplots. I also agree that this is all redeemed by the fact that Puzo is able to effectively characterize his protagonists. Antiheroes are a common literary element and they are, generally, "cool" by default. You made an interesting parallel between the Corleones' simultaneous desensitization and romanticized outlook; they're hostile to others but loving of each other. It's also interesting to note that, in making the mafia the protagonist, Puzo, in essence, is critiquing the very nature of society and the institutions that are supposed to keep it moral and safe.
ReplyDeleteAlong with Dominick, I dare-say your review very relevant. There is much truth in the strong family ties between mobsters, heartlessness and desensitization in organized crime, and much useless information; however, i must disagree on your first presenting this novel to be a poor literary work.
ReplyDeleteWhile Puzo's style is obviously rudimentary in practically every selection, diction is not the only indicator of high literary merit. On the contrary, such masterful use of colloquialism and basic grammar shows just how adept in literary style Puzo is to utilize such tactics in "The Godfather".