City on fire is a fictional story of organized crime in Providence, Rhode Island, during the 1980s. John Murphy is the Irish king, and his family has been at odds with the Italians led by Pasco Ferri and then the Moretti family for many generations. Danny Ryan, married to Terri, John Murphy’s daughter, is an honorary member of the clan and is a protagonist in the story. Danny’s backstory is an integral part of the story, and his mother and father figure prominently in the plotline. Families, not only Danny’s but all the mob families and the outsiders, are important in the book’s plot and themes. Winslow has an excellent knack for engaging the reader in understanding that blood is thicker than water, and family and ethnic allegiances are paramount to survival in organized crime affiliations.
There is a lot of gang mentality, posturing, and killing, but the story’s emphasis is on blue-collar neighborhoods in Providence, where the blood wars and lives of crime prevail. There are allusions to Greek tragedy. For instance, Cassandra, Terri’s sister, was sexually assaulted, turned to addiction, and is now out of rehab and nurturing but a character that Winslow plans to further develop in the next installment of this trilogy. Madeleine, Danny’s mother, is almost portrayed as a goddess of love. Pam is introduced on the book’s first page as an indicator of impending disaster and somewhat reminiscent of Helen of Troy. The themes of abandonment, loyalty, betrayal, and friendship are dramatic, fiery, classic, and modern. I don’t usually appreciate books with so many murders. However, there was enough character development and tenderness within the families and gangs to intrigue me, especially since I am familiar with many of the areas of Rhode Island that Winslow mentions in this novel.
