BOOK REVIEW

BOOK NAME: THE GODFATHER
AUTHOR: MARIO PUZO

‘The Godfather’ is a book about a mafia family-The Corleones of New York. It is set in the period from 1930’s to 1970’s, evident from the fact that the great depression of the 1930’s and the World War II (1939-45) are mentioned for reference.

The story is all about the Corleone family rising to power, facing crisis and reasserting their supremacy over all other mafia families over New York.

The Don a.k.a the Godfather- Vito Corleone is leading the family with the help of loyal men, committed to him, bound to him by friendship. He is no normal mafia guy, no blood-thirst, not the vendetta type. He is a calm but brute force who will do anything to gain the friendship of other people.

Everything goes fine until Sollozzo enters the scene. The Don is shot and injured. Its now left to his sons- Santino, Freddo and Michael to lead the family against several hostile forces. What happens to them forms the rest of the story.

The story is laced heavily with Italian and Sicilian names and words. But that’s the interesting part of the story. You will be awestruck by the power that is wielded by the characters in the story. Also the names of the other families-Tattaglias, Barzini, Zaluchi, Tramonti, Molinari, Panza, Forlenza, Stracci, Cuneo and Falcone make your jaws drop because of the power they weaved. A classic story, told in a masterly way.

You have to note the following characters (they got my attention!!)
Vito corleone (the don)
Santino (son 1)
Michael corleone (son 3)
Clemenza (capo régime 1-captain/commander)
Tessio (capo régime 2)
Tom Haegen (consigliore-councilor)
Kay Adams (wife of Michael)
Connie Corleone (daughter of the don)
Luca Brazi (right hand man of the don-he doesn’t survive long!!)
Rizzi Carlo (husband of Connie)
Jhonny fountane (godson of the don)
Nino (member of the family)
Sollozzo (a dangerous turk)
P.S: I MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOME!!!