The Power of the Dog
By: Don Winslow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 68/100 Pages: 542
The Power of the Dog is an epic tale of the drug trade, weaving a fictional story framed by real-life events. Beginning in 1975 and ending in 2004, encompassing multiple lives of people caught up in cartels, federal government, the mob and mafia, prostitutes, priests, etc. Don Winslow crafted a drug traffic epic tale that is extremely engaging.
Much of the story is focused on Art Keller, a DEA agent and Mexican cartel kingpin Adan Barrera who begin as a friend and quickly become a foe in a 30-year war. There are several other secondary characters that are covered with almost all of their stories intersecting in some way. You see the rise of two men, one in the government and one in a drug cartel, how eerily similar the paths are, the unwinnable “war” on drugs and the tragedies that often befell those that are innocent. .
The novel is brutal and compelling, extremely well researched, and written. Winslow outlines the socioeconomic effect of the drug trade and its parallel war on drugs on our global culture. I highly recommend it, be prepared for violence. If you’re a fan of Sicario, Traffic, or The Godfather, or the shows Narcos or Ozarks, this book will satiate your appetite. This is a beautiful work of fiction that derives from the ugly truth.
Callahan Herrig 