Review: Savages

Savages by Don Winslow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I read this book, because I thought the movie was interesting (but not, particularly good) and I wanted to see how it was handled in text.*

The good news is that in terms of just the reader (or watchers) experience the book just works better. The manic, free floating text of the book works much better than the weird after-thought voice-over narration.**

On the other hand, I actually liked the story of the movie better. Showing the relationship between O and Elena was a nice touch, and the twist at the end was very cute.***

In the end, I think that neither of them are very good. Savages the book was an awful lot of fun to read, though.

*As a result this is kind of a simultaneous review of the book and the movie. Sorry.
** And when said voiceover uses the text directly it's much more awkward without the context of the rapid fire, all knowing adhd voice of the book.
*** Although it would have been better if I'd read the book first. Oh well. And while we're on the subject, I even think the movie got the ending wrong. It should have ended with Chon and Ben going to Indonesia without O, because that was what was set up from Elena telling her that they loved each other more. Of course, that couldn't have been the ending to the book, because none of that happened in the book.



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