Rating: 
Summary: Cliched and Uninspired
Review: While I can't be certain, I am fairly sure that Lehane is trying to write with the depth and imagination of Thomas Cook--both in Shutter Island and in his previous novel, Mystic River. Lehane can write coherently, but he really doesn't have anything to say. Mystic River was boring and Shutter Island "appears" to be somewhat exciting, but if you read carefully it is really quite dull. Just writing about a weird island where outrageously insane people are treated doesn't make a persuasive novel. I found the ending highly predictable. Lehane could have written this novel in one sentence: "There are crazy people in this world who are not amenable to medical treatment."
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best
Review: Unfortunately, Lehane follows his best book, Mystic River, with his weakest effort in Shutter Island. I won't give the plot away, only to say that the entire construct depends on the end, which is reminiscent of about a half-dozen movies I've seen recently. It is well-written, but lacks the visceral punch of Lehane's best work. While the ending isn't completely predictable, it has a been there, done that feel, and most of the "secrets" can be solved with a minimum of thought (I figured out the main "mystery" in the book nearly by accident). The book also reads very, VERY fast like a screenplay--sometimes it read more like something from Crichton or Grisham (that isn't a compliment). More disappointing is the lack of crisp, standout dialogue that marks Lehane's novels. It's a shame--at his best, Lehane's work sticks with you long after you're done reading (I've read and re-read portions of "Gone, Baby gone" more times than I can remember). But Shutter Island is more of a diversion than anything: quickly read, and more quickly forgotten. Don't mean to be too critical--His writing skill nearly brought my review to three stars, despite the fairly weak characters. His other books are excellent, and I look forward to his upcoming trilogy. But for me, this was a misfire.
Rating: 
Summary: TEN STARS!
Review: Lehane, long a favorite author of mine, has completely outdone himself with "Shutter Island." This was one of those rare books that avid readers pine for...the ones where the last page comes far too soon. Taking a dark and surprising twist on the standard mystery/thriller, "Shutter Island" lures you into its story, making you believe you're in for a pleasant and well-written mystery. Somewhere around 2/3's of the way through, you begin to realize that you've been taken to a place you never expected, like the middle of a creepy, dark woods, and left to fend for yourself. To say what this book is about would be to spoil it for anyone brave enough to venture in....so I'll leave it at: READ THIS NOW! You won't be sorry!
Rating: 
Summary: Well-written, but story is weak
Review: Mr. Lehane has chosen an interesting topic: insanity and cruel methods of treating it. Unfortunately, the story is flat and uninspired. The ending is supposed to be a big surprise, but,at least for me, the ending is a dud. I do not want to give away the plot, but one of the climactic scenes is ruined when the hero fails to kill his nemesis ( Dr. Cawley)when he could have simply hit him with his gun, even after it failed to shoot the doctor. I felt there was a lot of surface cleverness; I think Lehane wanted to create a Thomas Cook "deep" story, but he simply doesn't bring it off. Same thing happened with Mystic River, a totally overrated novel. Also, lithium is improperly described and manic-depressive disorder is equated with psycosis; a very few manic-depressives may be psycotic, but it is not normal. Finally, the main dr. wants talk therapy to prevail over surgery and drugs. This makes no sense since with severely mentally ill patients (like the ones on Shutter island) talk therapy is useless. A very disappointing book.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, man. Read it. A shocker and a surprise.
Review: Shutter Island came to me by accident; I ordered a different book, the bookstore sent this one, then discovered their mistake and told me to keep it anyway. So I read it - and became instantly engrossed, as well as an instant fan of Dennis Lehane.
The plot revolves around the investigation into the almost magical, surely impossible disappearance of a woman from a heavily guarded hospital for the criminally insane. Set in the milieu of the 50s, that decade of The American Dream, there's an inherent innocence at play in the background, a sense of truth, but something dark and maybe deadly is going on. Then comes the threat of a hurricane and a prison riot...
It'll keep you up all night, no lie.
Rating:
Summary: No Mystic River
Review: I loved Mystic River, but Shutter Island is no Mystic River. The book reads very quickly, but there's no depth to it, the way there was to Mystic River. The characters are one-dimensional (and given the fantastic set-up, they have to be). Bigger themes are raised but not really addresssed, unless it's in a lecture from one character to another. And finally, the twist at the end broke the narrative thread for me. It won't have me re-reading the book, looking to see how he did it. It simply let me down.
Rating:
Summary: Lehane Tangled Up in Twists
Review: Like his work in Mystic River, Lehane once again falls into the trap of the obvious twist in Shutter Island. With a plot conceit utilized in a recent Oscar-winning film, Lehane sets us up for the big, flip-the-script moment -- but for some reason we feel like we've already seen this before. Although Lehane's work always had cinematic qualities, it seems as if he's taking his writing cues more and more from Hollywood. Shutter Island showcases all of Lehane's strengths -- character, dialogue, morality plays -- but it also contains his weakness for sticking in a surprise ending, no matter how unsurpising it actually is.
Rating:
Summary: "Shutter Island" is awesome!
Review: Dennis Lehane has another hit on his hands with "Shutter Island." I read this novel in one sitting because I got hooked right from the first page. U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule are sent to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane to find escaped patient Rachael Solando, who is a murderess. They run into problems, however, like the hurricane that hits the island their first night there and they begin to find that a lot of strange things are going on in the hospital as well. However, nothing is as it seems at Ashecliffe, and that made the story even more intriguing. As a result, I found I had to keep reading to find out the real truth while also trying to figure out how it will end. My advice to anyone who chooses to read this novel is to NOT try to figure out the ending because the odds are that you won't. I really loved this story and highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of thrillers. Add it to your MUST READ list today!
Rating:
Summary: A Pulitzer and Booker Prize Winner for sure!
Review: It is difficult, no, near impossible, to believe that Dennis Lehane could continue to top his previous books, but Shutter Island is proof positive that Lehane is destined to be one of the English language's leading writers of this, or any other century. If you don't buy this book fast to ensure you get a first edition, you're going to be sorry. Above all Lehane is a master story teller, and Shutter Island is riveting. Combine this with Lehane's command of the language and ability to write exciting, vibrant and beautiful phrases, and sentences, and you begin to understand why this man is destined to become a National Treasure! If you like books, you'll love Shutter Island. Thank you Dennis Lehane!
Rating:
Summary: wow...wow...wow!
Review: Teddy and Chuck...Shutter Island...psychiatrists...
Dennis Lehane...you rock! That's all I'm going to say
right now.
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