Fourth, the writing was bland. Winegardner couldn’t even say Mike crossed the road without twisting it around and making it more confusing that it needed to be. Puzo’s language was colorful, but always simple enough to understand in one reading. Winegardner’s writing style confused the hell out of me and made me want to stop at the end of the chapter because it was too confusing and boring to keep reading.
ABSO-EFFIN'-LUTELY!!!!
I too had to read and reread passages just to figure out what the hell this guy was talking about. For example, the flashback to Mike's initiation ceremony, Fredo's detention in Detroit or Windsor, Sonny's twins at college (oh, this was the worst), Geraci in the airplane, Johnny delivering the money to Mike (WHAT OUTBURST??? WHEN IS A STAREDOWN AN OUTBURST?????)
I mean there is absolutely no FLOW to this narrative whatsoever; but I guess I'm glued to it with a freeway-accident-gawker's interest. It seems like this guy was more influenced by Tarentino (who, at least, scrambles narrative and sequence in such a way that you're still along for the ride) than Puzo.
