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Summary: A new Dennis Lehane
Review: with a disturbingly moving tale of three childhood friends forced to face their past in a moment of grief. (please understand why I won't go into details of what happens in the book) If you're thinking that this book is along the Kenzie-Gennaro lines, you are wrong. This book is much darker and more thoughtful, but a wonderful read nonetheless.
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Summary: Dennis LeHane is one of the great storytellers of our time!
Review: This was the first LeHane book I've read (listened to) and I am very anxious to read more of his work. His characterizations are so subtle and so true. None of his characters is either predictable or one-dimensional. Each of the characters surprised me in one way or another. The plot was riveting, and I really couldn't predict the outcome. This book demonstrates the way our lives are entwined with others and how each decision we make effects many other people. Scott Brick's narration was superb! If you love a good suspense story you'll love this one!
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Summary: "Mystic" Mystery Writer Lehane's Got Me Mesmerized
Review: I couldn't put "Mystic River" down; this was my first time reading Dennis Lehane and I think his writing style is excellent; very "edge of your seat". I especially like the way Lehane describes his characters' innermost feelings and emotions, in some scenes so tender and endearing, it's hard to belive a man wrote the words. In others, so fierce and violent, you wonder where he got the ideas from! It's unique to the point that I was instantly "there" as he describes scenes and the characters' encounters with each other. A tragedy of immense proportions affects the life and family of the main character and, as the book propels you toward the climax, events and actions of his past, some totally unknown to any other living soul, collide with his present misfortune to bring him in closer touch with the person he truly is. "Twists" and gasping "Oh my God" occurred frequently as I read the book. If you're a dyed-in-the-wool mystery fan, I highly recommend "Mystic River." On May 11th I will be attending an author's luncheon with Lehane as one of the guest writers. I am so excited and looking forward to that. I hope to get "Mystic River" autographed by the author.
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Summary: Mystic River doesn't flow....
Review: Mystic River breaks new ground for Lehane. He leaves Kenzie and Gennaro behind and embarks on a new chilling tale. It's as dark as his previous books. A stranger approaches three boys, childhood friends, and one of them is abducted. The boy escapes four days later and never reveals the horror he endured. It seems to me that no one lets him face it. It's all just pushed under the rug. After this tragic event the boys lose touch. We come to these boys' years later, all grown up. One has become a local investigator, and the other two are related by marriage. They are brought together when one of the men's daughters has been killed. We see how they've learned to cope with the demons of the past and how it affects their decisions in the present. How something that was left to fester becomes out of control. We learn that things are not always as they seem on the surface. He is somewhat lengthy when getting to the point. The ending was rather flat. Lehane is a talented writer - the characters are good and the story is not bad for a first attempt away from a much-loved series. It's not one of his best but I'll read any new books by Dennis Lehane, however, I do look forward to another Kenzie/Gennaro story.
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Summary: Brilliant and exciting
Review: "Mystic River" is the first of Dennis Lehane's books I have read. I was intrigued after reading the positive reviews posted here, and I was not disappointed. Lehane writes with an intensity I have not experienced from other mystery writers. I was mesmerized by all aspects of this book. Plot was well developed and the characters were well drawn. As the novel resolves itself you know exactly where the character's intent comes from. I finished "Mystic River" about 2 weeks ago and I still cannot get it out of my mind. I will definitely follow up with some of Lehane's other works.
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Summary: As mystery goes, it's a 3, but . . .
Review: I know I may be going against a lot of other A+ reviews here. I'm definitely a Dennis Lehane fan. But as Mystic River goes, Dennis is struggling to tell a mystery or writing a literature. I read Lahane for his story telling in mystery and the wise cracks of Kenzie and the dark romance with Angie. For me, he spent way too much time in the characters and the mood of thing, and I was lost in the story. Maybe it's me, but reading 5-8 pages to get to a point is way too much for me. I'd forgotten what I was trying to know. But, I'm pretty sure, if I re-read the book as a literature, I may be able to enjoy all his effort in cultivating the mood and the characters and the neighborhoods a lot more. For now, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5, as mystery goes. I'm going right to "Darkness, take my hand", where Kenzie and Angie are still my favorite of his characters.
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Summary: I was crazy about this book
Review: I was skeptical when I found out this book was not a part of his Patrick series but I had to only read the first page to know I was going to adore this book. It grabbed me from the beginning and never let go. Fabulous!! There are many great authors but Mr. Lehane stands out. I never wanted this book to end. I fell for the characters and was consumed by the plot. I think it was his best book to date and I think that everytime he comes out with a new one. How does he keep doing it? I can't say enough about this book. It's dark and profound like all of his books and very moving. I was deeply touched by it and am amazed at the insight this author has. The only thing that was not my favorite was the ending. It just seemed to fall a bit flat after one heck of a story. I mean what was up with Jimmy's wife saying "We're strong and they are weak" as an answer to Jimmy's conscience bothering him over what he had just done? I liked the fact that he was struggling with his deed and her dismissing it like that seemed to go against the grain of the story somehow. It just ended a bit oddly but maybe I'm just mad it ended....
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Summary: Mystic River--A Stand-Out Stand-Alone
Review: As I began my recent book tour promoting my debut mystery novel, members of readers groups to whom I spoke often compared my work to that of Dennis Lehane. Having been a devoted reader of his Kenzie-Gennaro novels, I was extremely pleased with the comparison. Now having read MYSTIC RIVER, I couldn't be more pleased. MYSTIC RIVER is a masterpiece. While MYSTIC RIVER remains noirish like his previous books, this stand-alone novel marks a gigantic leap forward for Lehane's writing career. This book is the complex and densely-plotted story of three men who knew one another as boys. As a youth, Dave Boyle got into a car while his friends didn't. Upon his return, he was different and that difference destroyed his friendship with Sean Devine and Jimmy Marcus. As adults, Sean's a policeman, Jimmy's an ex-con, and Dave's struggling through life. Their lives are disrupted by the murder of Jimmy's daughter. Following the homicide, each man must confront a past he is not eager to face. Lehane works his story masterfully, showing once again why he is considered a true master of contemporary noir. I recommend MYSTIC RIVER highly, and I hope readers keep comparing my work to Lehane's.
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Summary: Dark and Disturbing
Review: From skimming the customer reviews, I can see that this is a "like it, or hate it" novel. It's a book about loss--almost every kind of loss possible. Loss of innocence and childhood, loss of friendship, loss of a child, a sibling, a mate, and loss of one's moral anchor. It's beautifully written, but as I read I found myself hoping that this story did not come from any dark place in Lehane's own soul. It's a somber book unlike his PI series which is leavened with humor. I like the theme it presents--that an event from the past echos down the years to change the lives of those involved forever, and in changing the people they would have become, the event also impacts upon the lives of everyone their lives touch. It's a sad and wise book. I recommend it.
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Summary: Soppy River
Review: Lehane's latest effort is a great disappointment. It is self-important, bloated and a waste of time. It lacks the wit and tang of his detective series and instead moves with a snail's pace through a neighborhood no one but a resident would find interesting.
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