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nobiting33's review against another edition
5.0
I read Chapter 25 twice. Heart wrenching but I am on the edge of my seat and can’t put these books down.
daisyknox's review against another edition
5.0
In Gone, Baby, Gone, the master of the new noir, New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Shutter Island), vividly captures the complex beauty and darkness of working-class Boston. A gripping, deeply evocative thriller about the devastating secrets surrounding a little girl lost, featuring the popular detective team of Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, Gone, Baby, Gone was the basis for the critically acclaimed motion picture directed by Ben Affleck and starring Casey Affleck, Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman. See it on Amazon
Full disclosure: I have a real love/hate relationship with the fourth installment in the Kenzie and Gennaro series. It’s an excellent story, just like the others, but the things that happen in it make me angry because this story is that intense.
The movie has always bothered me too. It’s a cop out to make a movie based on the fourth book in a series since you can’t possibly give all of the necessary background. To be fair, I’m generally not a fan of any movie made from a favorite book – with the exception of Lady & The Tramp because adorable. Movies can never be as good as a book because so much is missing, even when they’re done extremely well, so I’ve never seen the critically-acclaimed film.
This story is dark and just keeps getting darker. It’s quite different from the others but is very heavy subject matter once again, so not for the faint of heart. A few scenes can only be described as pure nightmare fuel but it’s an excellent book. There are major developments in the Patrick-Angie relationship but there’s so much more happening.
When a four year old goes missing in their neighborhood, Patrick and Angie say there’s nothing they could do because the police are already on it. That’s accurate, but beyond that, they’ve been sticking lower-stakes cases after everything they’ve been through. Angie and Patrick have had enough trauma to last a lifetime and they’ve both come to terms with those experiences. They’re content and grateful to be happy for a change and understandably so. Why risk upsetting the balance of good in their lives, potentially sacrificing their own happiness and peace of mind?
They refuse the case and tell the woman to save her money but the girl’s aunt begs until they concede. Amanda McCready is a quiet girl with a neglectful, addicted single mother but has a loving aunt and uncle who want to save her. Helene McCready, Amanda’s mom, is awful in every way so this little girl’s life is a heartbreaking story. When the evidence suggests a connection to the Boston underworld, the MC’s have personal ties and believe they can help, so ultimately relent.
There’s a new cast of characters to meet when Angie and Patrick team up with the Boston PD detectives leading the case and quick friendships are formed. Bubba Rogowski plays an integral role in one of the most critical points of the story, which I love because Bubba is one of my all-time favorite characters. The depth of the characters and the complexity of their relationships is one of Lehane’s gifts and this book is no different. There are many twists and turns here but it’s perfectly crafted.
The suspense and emotion in this story are palpable. The ending will shock some readers who never saw it coming but even if it’s not a surprise, it’s extremely powerful. The line between good and evil is very fine here and we once again have a case that will change our heroes forever.
Full disclosure: I have a real love/hate relationship with the fourth installment in the Kenzie and Gennaro series. It’s an excellent story, just like the others, but the things that happen in it make me angry because this story is that intense.
The movie has always bothered me too. It’s a cop out to make a movie based on the fourth book in a series since you can’t possibly give all of the necessary background. To be fair, I’m generally not a fan of any movie made from a favorite book – with the exception of Lady & The Tramp because adorable. Movies can never be as good as a book because so much is missing, even when they’re done extremely well, so I’ve never seen the critically-acclaimed film.
This story is dark and just keeps getting darker. It’s quite different from the others but is very heavy subject matter once again, so not for the faint of heart. A few scenes can only be described as pure nightmare fuel but it’s an excellent book. There are major developments in the Patrick-Angie relationship but there’s so much more happening.
When a four year old goes missing in their neighborhood, Patrick and Angie say there’s nothing they could do because the police are already on it. That’s accurate, but beyond that, they’ve been sticking lower-stakes cases after everything they’ve been through. Angie and Patrick have had enough trauma to last a lifetime and they’ve both come to terms with those experiences. They’re content and grateful to be happy for a change and understandably so. Why risk upsetting the balance of good in their lives, potentially sacrificing their own happiness and peace of mind?
They refuse the case and tell the woman to save her money but the girl’s aunt begs until they concede. Amanda McCready is a quiet girl with a neglectful, addicted single mother but has a loving aunt and uncle who want to save her. Helene McCready, Amanda’s mom, is awful in every way so this little girl’s life is a heartbreaking story. When the evidence suggests a connection to the Boston underworld, the MC’s have personal ties and believe they can help, so ultimately relent.
There’s a new cast of characters to meet when Angie and Patrick team up with the Boston PD detectives leading the case and quick friendships are formed. Bubba Rogowski plays an integral role in one of the most critical points of the story, which I love because Bubba is one of my all-time favorite characters. The depth of the characters and the complexity of their relationships is one of Lehane’s gifts and this book is no different. There are many twists and turns here but it’s perfectly crafted.
The suspense and emotion in this story are palpable. The ending will shock some readers who never saw it coming but even if it’s not a surprise, it’s extremely powerful. The line between good and evil is very fine here and we once again have a case that will change our heroes forever.
egonzales74's review against another edition
3.0
kate read it and of course there is a movie on it. and heck it takes place in boston!
++++
ok so i read it.... it's a good book and i really can't wait to see the movie but gosh, it was really graphic. heavy topics of child abduction and molestation. it makes me scared to not let a child more than an arm's length from me.
i almost stopped reading because of this, but the style was a good pace and interesting so i finished it and glad i did.
now augo and i get to see the movie!
++++
ok so i read it.... it's a good book and i really can't wait to see the movie but gosh, it was really graphic. heavy topics of child abduction and molestation. it makes me scared to not let a child more than an arm's length from me.
i almost stopped reading because of this, but the style was a good pace and interesting so i finished it and glad i did.
now augo and i get to see the movie!
petealdin's review against another edition
4.0
Gritty, nasty, compelling. Much, much better than the movie.
sdudd's review against another edition
4.0
Once I got past the slow burn first half, this story took off. Any story of a missing child is dark but this one hits different.
bookedbymo_'s review against another edition
5.0
This is the book that made Lehane my favorite author. My favorite part about this book is that I immersed myself in the atmosphere of the novel's setting. I would find myself reading the book on the T waiting to get off at Park St. in the common or on a park bench on the Charles River.
The story itself beckons the question "what was the morally responsible thing for Kenzie and Gennaro to do?" This is a novel where you have to form your own opinion on what was right and what was wrong and if you can even determine that.
This book was adapted to the screen in the mid 2000's. It was Ben Affleck's directorial debut and made Casey Affleck's performance of Patrick Kenzie one of my favorite characters of the big screen. I recommend both the book and the movie.
The story itself beckons the question "what was the morally responsible thing for Kenzie and Gennaro to do?" This is a novel where you have to form your own opinion on what was right and what was wrong and if you can even determine that.
This book was adapted to the screen in the mid 2000's. It was Ben Affleck's directorial debut and made Casey Affleck's performance of Patrick Kenzie one of my favorite characters of the big screen. I recommend both the book and the movie.
readingwithmygoldens's review against another edition
3.0
Was pretty good. Had a lot of good moral discussions arise from the plot. Would be a good book for a book club.
zachport06's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
kristen1213's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
seanfischer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0