I have been so long alone: CITY OF DREAMS.

City of Dreams by Don Winslow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the second book of Don Winslow's Danny Ryan series, we find Danny Ryan on the run, escaping everything that went down in Providence between the Irish and Italian mob families. He and his loyal crew make for the sunny shores of California--with Danny's elderly father, Marty, and young son, Ian, in tow. Before they know it, they are drawn into the world of Hollywood, and Danny finds himself in love with a famous actress playing a role in a movie based on his Dogtown experiences.

I fell in love with Don Winslow's books last year and adored the first book in this series, CITY ON FIRE. The second one was not quite what I was expecting, but it was certainly an interesting and fascinating read. While FIRE delved deep into the nuances of the mob world and Danny's ties to Dogtown, this novel meanders a bit, spending a lot of time in Hollywood and Las Vegas, as Danny attempts to start a new life, but cannot quite break free from his past. Central to this is the fact that two of his crew, Sean and Kevin, aka "the Altar Boys" stumble upon the fact that there is a movie being made based on the Italian and Irish mob families of Rhode Island--there's even someone playing Danny! As Sean and Kevin become move involved on set, eventually Danny must be as well, and soon he's dating an actress and splashed all over the papers. Not exactly the reclusive Danny Ryan we are used to!

This is a typical Winslow tome filled with a ton of characters--we still hear from a bunch of folks in Rhode Island--but the main focus is, of course, Danny and his new start. There's less focus on the intricacies of the mob world, but plenty of violence and gritty crime. We also learn a lot about the movie business and get more glimpses into the life of Danny's estranged mother. I felt the story bounced around a lot--both character-wise and plot-wise--but I stayed enthralled. Winslow is such a great storyteller, bringing to life his detailed worlds so well. Plus, watching Danny struggle with his conscience (how much does he want, or not want, to remain a part of the world he left behind) and grapple with exactly what he would do to hold his family (both real and crew) together is fascinating and extremely well-done. At his heart, he's a father, a son, and the leader of his crew.

There's excerpt at the end of DREAMS from the third book, and I cannot wait to read it. I also need to continue catching up on my Don Winslow backlist! 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from William Morrow and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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