Omerta

Mafia Don Strikes Back from the Grave

"Omerta: a Sicilian code of honor which forbids informing about crimes thought to be the affairs of the persons involved."

This definition is centered on an otherwise blank page right after the dedication in the book. But if the concept of omerta really had as crucial a role to play in Mr. Puzo's story as the title and the prominence of its definition suggest, I failed to see it.

Yet the story he does tell is potentially blood-stirring. Don Raymonde Aprile is a mafia don who has survived an FBI blitzkrieg campaign which brought down all but two of his contemporaries. He has kept his three children, Valerius, a colonel in the army, Marcantonio, a hotshot network TV executive, and Nicole, a hard-nosed lawyer, completely separate from his "business". Don Raymonde has a well-planned retirement from organized crime in mind, which he systematically sets out to achieve. He gets rid of his illegal assets and consolidates his wealth in a chain of private banks. Then he turns into a public benefactor.

But Don Aprile still has enemies. The FBI, in the form of one Agent Cilke, is still trying to nail him. Someone has ordered a hit on him, and hired the best marksmen for the job. They do their usual competent job. First blood has been drawn. There follows a string of other deaths, for Don Aprile had long ago taken out insurance for the protection of his family. The insurance was called Astorre Viola.

Mr. Puzo has used extremely broad brushstrokes to draw his characters in this book. Perhaps the most clearly drawn character is that of Don Raymonde Aprile, who dies much before even a quarter of the story is completed. Subsequently, all the other characters seem pale, flat, not-quite-real. Even Astorre Viola falls into this category.

Don Aprile accepted responsibility for Astorre on the death of his father, a mafia chief who's cosca, or clan, would dissolve without him at the helm. For a while, Astorre grows up with Don Aprile's own children, but is later sent off to Sicily to "learn the ropes", as it were, of the mafia business. Then he comes back to New York and sets up in the innocuous occupation of importing pasta from Italy.

Don Raymonde's children are not aware of Astorre's activities during the years he spent in Sicily and think him a lightweight. They learn differently, however, when he deals with the enemies of the Don's family to protect their lives and legacy.

The author's choice and handling of the third person omniscient point of view turns an inherently exciting theme decidedly trite and passionless. His voice seems patronizing, the style simple to the point of being simplistic.

This is Mr. Puzo's last book and, reportedly, he died just after finishing the manuscript. I suspect this was the first draft of the manuscript, because the book reads like little more than a beefed-up outline of the story it's supposed to tell.

Mario Puzo has written better books. Read, or re-read, The Godfather. Skip this one, unless you're stuck in an airport with a long flight ahead of you and no other option.