“Danny Ryan watches the woman come out of the water like a vision emerging from his dreams of the sea. Except she’s real and she’s going to be trouble. Women that beautiful usually are.”
So begins “City on Fire”, the first book in an epic new trilogy signed by Don Winslow. There are so many words I want to use to describe this book, hoping they will convey exactly how it made me feel. It was exhilarating, fantastic, gritty, immersive, intricate… and so much more. My review will not contain spoilers, so you can read it without worry. All I will say is that you should prepare yourself for a story that echoes the Iliad, as well as Helen of Troy and the Trojan War.
My thoughts:
This was my first read from Don Winslow and it was amazing in every way! It’s not for nothing that it has been called “The Godfather” of our generation, as it offers everything you would want in crime fiction. Two criminal empires, a beautiful woman to ruin the peace between the Irish and the Italians, a bloody war, alliances destroyed… a city on fire! The best thing about the book is that it never stops delivering excitement, it feels like you are watching a fast-paced movie, or better yet, like you are there yourself, excited and maybe a bit scared to see what happens next.
Reading the first sentence in the book, I was hooked. Crime fiction is one of my preferred genres and I loved the backdrop of the story – Providence, Rhode Island. I have to admit that I rooted for some of the guys, including for the main character – Danny Ryan – because this is what a good author does. No matter what they do and how far they are willing to do, these characters are also given good traits, reminding the reader that we are all human. So, you keep reading, and you say to yourself – “wow, did they just do this or what?” – but the next second, you see them crying or having regrets, and you are like, “okay, so they do have a heart”. All of this is due to good writing, of course.
Throughout his story, the author skillfully takes us, his readers, through a wide range of classic themes, including honor, love, loyalty, and betrayal. Naturally, you are reminded not only of “The Godfather”, but also of “Casino” and “Goodfellas”. Don Winslow has created breathtakingly real characters, and I think this is the main reason why the book represents such an immersive reading experience. They have all these layers to discover, personal struggles that make them vulnerable, all the while they each contribute to the exciting climax. It’s fantastic to follow their journey and it should come as no surprise that you are literally dying to see what happens in the next book.
I will leave it up to you to discover the metaphorical Trojan horse, but I would also urge you to pay attention to how complex the family relationships are. Both Irish and Italian mobsters honor family above all, and they never forget to “repay” those who hurt them. It is often because of family that the blood-soaked war continues, but then again this is also what makes the book so interesting. A gang war sparked by a woman? Who knows? Maybe there are more complicated reasons behind this. The story never became boring or predictable, and it always took me to a new place, with the action going and going.
Verdict:
Crime fiction fans, you have to read this incredible book! As I read the last pages, I could not stop but think how the story will continue, imagining a hundred different possibilities. Don Winslow is an amazing writer and I am excited to read his other books. If someone would ask me to describe “City on Fire” in just a few words, I guess, in the end, I would stick with “utterly riveting”. It captured me from the first page and I devoured it in just two days, experiencing all the emotions and struggles of the characters in the story. Give it a try, I am sure you will enjoy it just as much.
Grab your copy from here!
Book Mockup: Harper Reach | HarperCollins International
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