Rating: 
Summary: Does Not Live Up To Hype
Review: Lehane's words are poetic and at times the writing is beautiful. This is a depressing story with sad characters. Don't bother reading if you're looking for a "fun" read. I, like others, found the ending unsatisfying. Also, the real killer was obvious by page 298. Not sure if I was suppose to know who dunnit but I'm sure any reasonbly alert person will figure it out. I liked Trooper Devines character the best and I'm guessing we'll see him in a future Lehane novel. All in all, not great but worth the read. If your looking for police procedurals read Michael Connely's brilliant "Bosch" books or even John Sandfords "prey" series.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting introduction to Lehane
Review: I really don't read mysteries, because I know that the killer in books like this is never the obvious choice (or else there wouldn't be any story to tell), so I find myself anticipating strange plot twists and turns. This book was no exception, and I had figured out what was going on about midway through the book. But Lehane is pretty incredible. Instead of tossing this book aside, as I generally do at this point, I was still on the hook. I had to keep reading because I wanted to find out how Dave showed up covered in blood if he wasn't involved in Katie's murder. I wanted to if what was implied actually happened when Dave was abducted as a child. I wanted to find out about the inexplicable hatred towards Brendan from Jimmy. Why was Sean suspended? (the answer to that last one was a let down).As well as this was written, and as gripping as the plot was, it failed at the end. The way everything wrapped up left me feeling like there was a lot more that needed to be said. It left me hating pretty much every character in the book. I couldn't tell if this was wrapped up because the book was getting long, or if Lehane was too much of a coward to make a decision about ending this story properly. This book was enjoyable, but the details gave away too much at the beginning of the story. The hooks to lead you to the end all but collapsed. None of these characters were remotely likeable, and it made it difficult to care when people got murdered and/or betrayed. There was too many easy ways out to make this book great, but it was too well written to make the book bad. I'm not itching to see the movie after reading this, but I would like to read another Lehane novel.
Rating: 
Summary: What an amazing novel!
Review: This novel really touched me more than any previous novel I've had a chance to read. It's such a gripping, well told story with such solid characters. Lehane does a great job of showing the emotions of the characters, but at the same time keeping it interesting and nicely paced. He brings together all of the elements necessary for a good novel: excellent characters, superb plot, intriguing setting, nice twists, along with an extraordinary style of writing. I would highly recommend this novel and say that you're missing out on a lot if you pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible haunting novel of suspense...
Review: Mystic River is an incredible tale of friendship, betrayal, and the psychological repercussions of events we may think we have left in the past - but in fact continue to haunt into the future. I found the book to be deeply moving and thought-provoking as well. Here are a few things that may help you make up your own mind if you are considering reading it (NO spoilers you wouldn't read about on the book jacket): Dennis Lahane steps away from his typical novel centering on a male-female detective team to write a story of three childhood friends growing up in a run-down part of Boston. The story begins with the main characters as 11-year old kids. A strange car pulls onto the street where they are hanging out and something happens to change to lives of the boys forever. Flash forward to present day, with the three characters now in their late 30's. One has become a cop, one is an ex-con, and the third is simply trying to live a "normal" existence while battling the demons of that horrid day when the boys were 11. One tragic night the ex-con's daughter is found dead, the cop is sent to investigate, and one of the three can't explain where all the blood on his clothes and in his car has come from. The story may seem straightforward, but not all is as it seems, and that is another thing that makes the book great. You get a glimpse into the lives of each of the three. You try to understand what they must be going through as the events unfold. You never see the end coming.
Rating:
Summary: Old Friends are worth trusting
Review: Annotation: Three old friends Jimmy, Sean, and Dave were friends when they were young. Then one day Dave gets abducted and it changes his and their lives forever. Many years later after they have all grown one of Jimmy's daughters Katie is murdered and the boys meet again. Jimmy is a known criminal and he will do anything it takes to get revenge on his daughter murderer. Dave is being accused of murdering her and Sean is the investigator and they are trying to solve the murder before things get out of hand. Author Bio: Dennis Lehane lived in Boston for much of his life. He went to school in Florida to get a degree in teaching but ended up moving back to Boston to pursue a career in writing. While he was in college he wrote the first draft to his book A Drink Before the War (1994). Which later ended up to be a five book series A Drink Before the War (1994), In Darkness, Take My Hand (1996), Sacred (1997), Gone Baby Gone (1998), and In Prayers for Rain (1999). He later came up with Mystic River while he was writing In Prayers for Rain. Then in 2003 his book Mystic River was turned into a movie. Which won a Golden Coach award at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. His newest book Shutter Island (2003) was just released. It is something new from his pervious books. It is set in the past where as many of his other books take place in Boston. Since he has published his last novel he has published a short story called Running out of Dog which was published in The Best Mystery Short Stories of 1999 and The Best American Short Stories of the Century. Evaluation: I decided to read Mystic River after seeing previews for the movie. It really looked like something I would be interested in because I love mystery murder books. So I decided to see if it was as good as it looked. So I started reading it and it was one of the best books I have ever read. Then when I was about half way through the book the movie came out so I thought that since the book had been so good up to that point then I just had to see the movie. At first I was afraid I would ruin the book but actually it helped me get into the book more. I could actually visualize the characters, and the book goes into such detail that seeing the movie actually made the book even better. Dennis Lehane really knows what he is doing. You have to keep reading and reading because you just have to know what happens next for instance when Jimmy's Daughter Katie doesn't show up for her little sister First Communion and her family is worried about her then she ends up missing. It is a major battle trying to find her especially when they find her car crashed into the side of a curb. It actually feels like you are part of what is going on trying to find her body and what happened to her and after they find her trying to find out who her killer is and seeing how the 3 old friends are reunited. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good murder mystery. For me I just wanted the book to never end, and I hope if you read it, it is the same for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book--VERY FUNNY
Review: I thought this book was hilarious. The Character, Dave, is constantly cracking jokes. He is so funny. I was laughing to myself when the professer came by. I was sent out of the classroom for disrupting the class. Oh well, the book is excellent.
Rating:
Summary: A Serious Plot Inconsistency
Review: Mr. Lehane is clearly a gifted writer. I thoroughly enjoyed his style of prose. However, the basic premise of "Mystic River" is magically supported by a HUGE logical inconsistency. How in the world could O'Donnell or Boyle or any of the other suspects have plotted to murder Katie if her movements that night were clearly random? To have forced her off the road, using another car in what is clearly a narrow street, is improbable. Plus, there were no signs of a collision. To have waited for her at that particular spot is also an improbability. All indications point to a random act. And yet Powers, Devine, and all other Boston and MA State Police officials (infuriatingly) never think along these lines. Consequently, they pursue illogical dead-end after dead-end. In addition, a man as intelligent as Jimmy, also knowing the chain of events, would have easily deduced that Boyle couldn't have murdered Katie, even if he had followed her out of the bar. But then again, maybe I missed something. Just some thoughts. Thanks!
Rating:
Summary: A genre of its own
Review: This book truly functions on each and every level. This book uses mystery, drama, character developement, fantastic prose, and magnificent use of figurative language to convey a well developed story. The fact that all of the characters have their own vices and virtues really makes it stand apart from the traditional mystery, in that their respective qualities affect their decisions.
Rating: 
Summary: A sad but honest book
Review: "Mystic River" is a very good, solid piece of work. It is a murder mystery which seems to plod on and on until the final act throws all your opinions about who the killer is out the window, and does so with a grimy noir that shows the faults of all the characters in an unforgiving light. A great thing about this book is Lehane's ability to show the stark reality of his characters; there's no sugar-coating here, nor is there a happy ending where justice is served. This is a very powerful book, one to stay in your mind long after you're finished.
Rating: 
Summary: Just OK
Review: This book was just OK. To me, the plot was predictable, with none of the "twists & turns" that Lehane is supposedly so famous for. I wonder if this book would have received as much attention if it hadn't been made into a film ( which I have not seen). I stuck it out to the end, because it had received such laudatory reviews, but I was very disappointed.
| 
