ENTERTAINMENT

Omerta
By: Ryan Van G., Age 18, Mount Boucherie Secondary School, BC

The very moment I heard that Mario Puzo had died of heart and lung complications, I thought about the amazing legacy he had left in literature and movies. For those of you reading this who don’t know who Mr. Puzo is, he is the creator of the brilliant Godfather series and many other good mafia and crime related titles.

Being the genius who jump started America's fascination with the Mob could not have been an easier task, you see. He had to know a little something about the subject before he started writing about it. Indeed, Mario grew up as a young Italian boy in New York city, heart of the mob itself. Enough about the author. Let’s get right on to the book.

If you’re searching your brain trying to conjure up a meaning for Omerta then keep trying friend. The word is Sicilian slang for ‘Code of Silence’ amongst the mob. If you break Omerta then you are committing suicide. You see, this Mafia stuff is exciting, that’s why I love reading about it. I guarantee that if you read this book, you will come back for more. The plot constantly leaps around but lures you into any situation Puzo desires. Mario consistently uses character foils and flashbacks to create time warp effects. Keeping the reader glued to the pages. At 316 pages, an average reader tears through this book in a week or less. Mostly because all you can think about is Mafia once you get into it.

Some of the imagery that Puzo provides are very powerful, especially when a man’s forearms are presented to the supreme court judge by the Don in a sexual abuse case. And I’m talking just his forearms here people, now that’s painful.

Now that I’ve proved to everyone that I am a Mafia fan, and I’ve plugged Mr. Puzo’s final masterpiece enough, maybe I should let you all absorb the words you are reading.

Please go out and enjoy this book, as it will enlighten and invoke intelligence within you.