The Godfather
Man, I had no idea how loyal of an adaptation Francis Ford Coppola's film was to this novel. Nearly every piece of dialogue in that movie came straight from the pages of this incredible book. Also, yes, I said incredible.
While I did have a few issues with the storytelling (I'll get into those later), I felt that Mario Puzo did a tremendous job at taking the reader on an extremely entertaining journey through the reign of the Corleone organized crime family.
The story begins with an introduction into an array of characters all connected through their shared need for the services of Don Vito Corleone. At the wedding of the Don's daughter, these characters all approach the "Godfather" to voice their requests. They are not disappointed. It's through these interactions that the world of the novel is established.
One of my favorite aspects of the Godfather is the fact that, despite its reputation as a quintessential crime drama, the novel's primary focus is on the tenets of leadership, relationships and family. It's because of this focus that the novel succeeds in connecting so well with its audience. While the various business and strategic portions of the book are interesting, it's the interpersonal drama and complicated relationships that draw the reader in.
"Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than the government. It is almost the equal of family" - Don Vito Corleone
Vito Corleone is set up as a man of authority. He's extremely intelligent, formidable and self-controlled. He approaches the operations of his Family as a master chess player: observant, patient and relentless. This approach and attitude precipitates his rise to the top of the New York City underworld.
Ironically enough, the majority of the novel showcases much of the seeming decline of the Corleone family. After the refusal of Sollozzo's offer, the future of the family is thrown into disarray. The Don is put out of action and the war of the five families ensues. It's through these turn of events that the main arc of the story takes shape. The Don must pass the baton to a worthy successor, but who will it be? How could anyone hope to lead the organization with as much tactical ability and might as the Godfather?
I mentioned before that I did have a few issues with Puzo's writing. The chief problem I encountered was the oftentimes jarring nonlinear storytelling. I have nothing against the writing choice in and of itself, but there are many instances (especially in the second half) in which Puzo would cut away from the drama and take the reader into a tangential anecdote concerning another character or less-interesting subplot. These instances didn't bother me as much early on, mostly due to the fact that Puzo was still introducing the reader to the world and cast of characters of The Godfather through exposition. However, by the latter half of the book, I found it frankly annoying when an entire chapter ended up being dedicated to the backstory of a character that literally makes two or three appearances in the novel. It just felt out of place and somewhat unnecessary.
Another slight criticism is Puzo's attitude towards women and African-Americans as presented in his writing. Defenders of the book would most likely argue that it ought to be read within the context of its publication date. Fair enough, but the speaker throughout this narrative constantly berates female characters. They are extremely one-note, lacking dimension or function within the story (other than lusting after men). Again, by the second half of this book, I found this pattern a bit annoying. Though Kay Adams and Lucy Mancini are given more to do in the story's plot, they are still introduced to the reader as women serving no real purpose besides satisfying the lusts of men. Similarly, Black characters (there aren't many) are presented as dull, of no consequence and purely self-destructive.
Besides those criticisms, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to purchasing a copy of my own. There are so many nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout this text. It was such a powerful and entertaining read. Would definitely recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction.
