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Summary: The best mafiabook that I ever read!
Review: This book shows you the life of mafia from the side, which you never knew about, unless you are a member of it. A group called "mafia", without feelings and with own traditions and laws is not the only thing the story is about. It is a story about a family, with his own history and problems. And you can be for the short time a member of them. Realistic, suspenceful, it will fastinate you from the first to the last page, unless you are policeman
Rating: 
Summary: Great novel; I have just one criticism:
Review: The book seems to drift in the second half. The section focusing on Lucy, Jules, and Johnny Fontaine just seems a little out of place to me. It's true that those characters connect to plot developments in the second half of the book, but the refocusing away from the Corleones seems to go on too long and in too much detail. Perhaps I just need to read the book a second time to understand why Puzo did this.But there's just no denying the gripping nature of this story. Puzo's narrative is so convincing that it seems to be a description of real people and events. How accurate a picture is this story? I have no idea. But it makes for a great read.
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Summary: A classic?
Review: The Godfather has had an indelible effect on present day popular culture. The book and novel have spawned an entire new genre of films and literature. However, after reading the novel, I must say that the movie is far superior (which i have only said once before - Shawshank Redemption.)The book is decent, but it drags considerably in the second half. The first 150 pages are intoxicating, the rest are only passable. Moreover, the movie basically follows the novel word for word, even using the same phrases that the novel uses. I have always argued that movies cannot capture the complex nature of characters in novels. However, Coppolla captured the essence of the characters magnifcently. If you have seen the movie, there really is no reason to read the book, other than some minor stories concerning Johnny Fontaine and Lucy Mancini. In the end, a decent novel, but nowhere near the hype or expectation.
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Summary: The life and crimes of a New York "family"
Review: Last March, while cleaning out our garage, I discovered my old, dog-eared, tattered mass market paperback copy of "The Godfather." In the three decades since I first read what was then a controversial book that got mixed reviews, I had only managed to read "The Godfather" once. So, over the course of three nights last spring, I journeyed back to 1946 and re-lived the life and crimes of Don Vito Corleone, that fictional Mafia chieftain trying to bring his "family" into the post-World War II world as a legitimate enterprise. When I first read "The Godfather" in 1971, I didn't like it very much. I didn't think it was particularly well written; I thought Puzo's style was simplistic and "ham-fisted." My second reading of "The Godfather" certainly changed my opinion of the book! I don't know what caused my opinion to change... maybe repeated viewings of the movie did it, or possibly a much more mature taste in, and understanding of, what makes for excellence in literary fiction. I now understand that what I once saw as a "ham-fisted" style is really Puzo's deliberate means of narrating his story in the tough street language of New York, in the harsh, raw criminal culture he so vividly portrays. I now think "The Godfather" is a genuinely good book. Hey, its MUCH better than "good;" its one heckuva great read!! "The Godfather" is a sprawling novel with, ironically, a very tight plot. What I didn't see the first time I read it, but now fully appreciate, is just how masterfully Puzo takes complex little sub-plots (like Sonny Corleone's inability to control his temper; Connie Corleone's domestic squabbles with her loser husband Carlo Rizzi; and Michael Corleone's relationship with, and subsequent marriage to Kay Adams), interweaves them into the whole cloth of the book, and then, at the last minute, makes all of them part of the cataclysmic "grand finale" of the book. Now, THAT, folks, is powerful writing!! Read and enjoy!!
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Summary: An Average Mafia Book, Nothing Special
Review: This book was pretty good. However, I would not read it again as once was definately enough. I would not say the "Godfather" is a classic either, by any means. It was just an average book that was pretty good...If you are looking for a suspenseful book in the mafia genre, then this may be the book for you. Just don't go into it expecting a classic. A classic is something more on the level of "The Count of Monte Cristo" or "The Fountainhead".
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books i've ever read
Review: I am not a big reader, but i when i started reading this book i coudn't put it down. I am a busy guy, but I made time for this book. It is easy to read and keeps you in suspense. It shows you an in depth look on the life and philosophy of a mafia family. It is a brilliant masterpiece. Five stars for sure!
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Summary: His classic is his best and his masterpiece!
Review: Still keeps me thinking about what the mafia life is like!
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Summary: "So, how do I say NO?"
Review: A little over a month ago I read a book written by Pope John Paul II. I thought to myself when I finished, "I couldn't possibly review the Pope. How do you critique the Pope? How could anyone critique the Pope? It would be sacreligious." The next book I read after the Pope's book was this one, "The Godfather." Imagine going from the Pope to The Godfather?!? Talk about opposite sides of the spectrum. And yet, again, as I finished reading "The Godfather," I thought to myself, "How could I possibly review 'The Godfather'? Again, it feels almost sacreligious, but in a different way. How could one be so bold, given its enormous popularity that seems to go on forever?" It is perplexing. "The Godfather" is probably the most famous mob story ever written. Definitely it was this book...it was Mario Puzo who open the literary door to this fascinating and yet sometimes chilling world. All I can say is it is a fantastic story. The kind of book that you can't put down. But, one thing I was pleasantly surprised to realize as I got into the first few chapters was how thorough of a writter Puzo was. Everything is explained in great detail. You can't become confused about what is going on. Puzo makes that impossible. And if you think you won't understand all the references to Italian customs and living, don't worry. Puzo tells you what everything means, where everything originated from, and how it developed into what it was during the time period of "The Godfather." A must read for everyone, but most especially an Italian!!!!
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Summary: Mr. Puzo tells it like it is (or was)
Review: This book is well-written and enjoyable to read. I read it years ago, when it was first published, before the movie came out. The story seemed realistic, but I wasn't sure. But my father, who had a friend who was a "made man" (I don't know what they called it then)in the early 40's on Long Island asked this friend how true a story The Godfather was, and his friend smiled and said, "It's pretty much how it is." Exciting story to read, horrifying to think it could be true.
Rating:
Summary: No one writes better than Mario
Review: Mario Puzo -IMO- was one of the best storytellers out there in the history of the printed word. His stories are concise but informative and his characters are well developed. Even the bit players in the supporting cast of this novel have a story that makes the reader care about them. I was particularly interested in the character development of Lucy Mancini -who- if you recall -in the film version- was a peripheral character that Sonny Corleone boffed on the side. The book supplied Lucy with a background and another boyfriend following Sonny's untimely demise as well a rather interesting peculiarity which I won't divulge here. There is also better insight into Johnny Fontane's character. Although well developed in the flick, the novel does a much better job of giving depth to Fontane's life & career. If you enjoyed the movie by the same name then read this book. You won't be sorry.
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