What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedGomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Series · 2014
If you loved Gomorrah, start with Gomorrah (Roberto Saviano, 2007) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Gomorrah across media.
What hooked you in Gomorrah was the visceral exploration of how brutal power structures corrupt the loyalty and lives of individuals.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Gomorrah
Matteo Garrone · Film · 2008
Books on the same thread
The Godfather
Mario Puzo · Book · 1969
Shares 3 threads with Gomorrah: Loyalty, Betrayal, Violence.
Much like Gomorrah, this foundational text masterfully dissects the internal dynamics of a crime family, focusing on the heavy, often tragic weight of loyalty and power within the underworld.
Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia
John Dickie · Book · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Gomorrah: Violence, Organized Crime.
If the systemic grit of Gomorrah fascinated you, this historical deep dive provides the essential context behind the real criminal rituals and power structures that define organized crime culture.
The Shape of Water
Andrea Camilleri · Book · 2002
Shares a thread with Gomorrah: Moral Ambiguity.
This investigation into small-town corruption mirrors the bleak atmosphere of Gomorrah, highlighting how moral ambiguity and hidden secrets dictate the lives of those navigating a fractured, dangerous social landscape.
Homicide
David Simon · Book · 2007
Shares a thread with Gomorrah: Moral Ambiguity.
You will recognize the same unflinching focus on urban decay and institutional rot found in Gomorrah, as this narrative meticulously details the grim reality of violence within a city.
Films on the same thread
The Godfather
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1972
Shares 2 threads with Gomorrah: Violence, Betrayal.
This cinematic masterpiece mirrors the complex power struggles of Gomorrah, offering a definitive look at how individual ambition and family loyalty collide within the high-stakes world of mafia control.
GoodFellas
Martin Scorsese · Film · 1990
Shares 2 threads with Gomorrah: Organized Crime, Moral Ambiguity.
This film captures the same cycle of betrayal and rise-and-fall trajectories that defined Gomorrah, showing how the pursuit of the criminal life inevitably leads to personal and societal destruction.
City of God
Fernando Meirelles · Film · 2002
Explores: Poverty and Violence, Cycle of Crime, Lost Innocence.
This brutal depiction of children caught in a cycle of poverty and crime echoes the tragic loss of innocence seen throughout the power struggles in Gomorrah.
The Godfather Part II
Francis Ford Coppola · Film · 1974
Shares 3 threads with Gomorrah: Betrayal, Organized Crime, Loyalty.
Just as in Gomorrah, this continuation examines the long-term cost of family legacy and the erosion of morality when power is the only currency that truly matters in life.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
If you appreciate the sociological observation of crime in Gomorrah, this deep look into the dark history of provincial murders provides a similarly intense study of human tragedy.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
While tonally distinct, this examination of scandalous behavior and legal absurdity offers a cynical perspective on the same corruption and moral failures that permeate the world of Gomorrah.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the Gomorrah TV series based on the same book as the 2008 movie?
Yes, both the 2014 Gomorrah television series and the 2008 Gomorrah movie are adaptations of the 2007 non-fiction book by Roberto Saviano. While they share the same source material regarding the Camorra organization, they represent different creative interpretations of the original text.
What is the Gomorrah TV series about?
The Gomorrah TV series is a gritty crime drama that follows the Neapolitan Camorra organization. The plot centers on Ciro Di Marzo, the right-hand man to the crime boss Pietro Savastano, as he navigates the internal power struggles and brutal realities of the criminal clan.
Should I read the book Gomorrah before watching the series?
You do not need to read the 2007 book Gomorrah to understand the 2014 television series. The show functions as a standalone drama focusing on the narrative arc of characters like Ciro Di Marzo and Pietro Savastano, though the book provides historical context for the Camorra.
Is Gomorrah a fictional story or based on real events?
Gomorrah is based on the 2007 bestselling book by Roberto Saviano, which documents the operations of the real-life Camorra crime organization in Naples. The television series uses this factual foundation to build its narrative around the fictionalized experiences of characters like Ciro Di Marzo and Pietro Savastano.