The Godfather Returns

by Mark Winegardner

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

When Random House announced that Winegardner, best known for the critically acclaimed mainstream saga Crooked River Burning and baseball novel The Veracruz Blues had been hired to write a fresh Godfather novel, eyebrows arched from coast to coast. But the decision was right: this is a phenomenally entertaining, psychologically rich saga that spans the entire Godfather years imagined in novel and film by Mario Puzo (the latter via his screenplays), filling in the blanks, fleshing out the characters, focusing primarily on the time (mid 1950s-early 60s) between when Puzo’s landmark novel ended and the film The Godfather II begins.

Few remember that Puzo began his career as a commercially failed but critically celebrated literary novelist. He wrote The Godfather with the aim of hitting bestseller lists, but his earlier training showed in that novel’s reach and complexity. Just so, Winegardner brings enormous talent to bear on this popular story and its immense cast of characters, deepening Puzo’s work at nearly every step. Fredo Corleone, hapless Mafia scion, emerges here as a more central, vigorous and conflicted character than in The Godfather or even the films, as do Tom Hagen (the Corleones’ adopted son and erstwhile consigliere) and Johnny Fontane, Puzo’s dig at Frank Sinatra. There are many new and newly fleshed out characters as well, from assorted Mob bosses (most notably Chicago’s Don Louie Russo, aka Fuckface, spiritual descendant of Al Capone, and Nick Geraci, a Corleone man destined to become the Corleones’ arch-enemy) to various Corleones (most notably the slain Sonny Corleone’s twin daughters). There are also sharply drawn cameos of, among others and by other names, JFK and RFK and, fleetingly, Andy Warhol. But at the center of the mesmerizing, sometimes dizzying Mob conspiracies and familial tensions is, of course, the Godfather, Michael Corleone—proper heir to Vito Corleone, the last capo di tutto capi: devious, brilliant, astonishing ruthless.

The book isn’t perfect—just nearly so. The enormity of Winegardner’s reimagining of Puzo’s epic can obscure the novel’s overarching storyline—Michael’s attempt to legitimize the Corleones’ businesses—and leads at times to an episodic feel. These, however, are quibbles in the face of a wholly absorbing novel that’s written beautifully, with great skill and passion. Godfather fans will love this tale; Puzo himself must be raising a celestial glass and shouting a hearty “Salut!” Let it be known that Winegardner, for his respect to the novel’s antecedents and for his accomplishment, shall henceforth be known as a Man of Honor. (Nov. 16)

Forecast: Random House plans major ad/promo for the book, including an 11-city author tour. This deserves, and is bound, to be a major bestseller.