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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand the hype, though the writing felt a little too snark over substance in the first 2/3. The mystery generally stumped me, though I felt that was partially due to the overwhelming amount of characters and descriptions.
This book HAD me until the very end. Incredibly well orchestrated and suspenseful while still feeling human and connected. A great book for mystery lovers and personable fiction fans alike.
mysterious
medium-paced
The book beat the shit out of me by the end. Just pummeled me. Haven't been this depressed from a book since Khalid Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. This novel is dark, messed up, and will leave you gutted, and there is no happier ever after. It left me roiling in a fury at the injustice.
Spectacular prose, powerful writing, and exemplary character development. Dennis Lehane displays his skill in manipulation, making me fall in love with a character only to despise their guts at the end. The female characters were surprisingly well-written, and the family drama was knotted with realism. There's a big dose of testosterone unfolding in the lives of the lower middle class in this tale. The themes had a flare of George Pelecanos but darker.
This novel has an unmatched rawness and could have easily been 5 stars, but it had some big issues:
1-Overwrought style (too many unnecessary words, the novel could have been 15% shorter easily)
2- Sluggish pacing, bogged down, and barely moving at times. Had to take so many breaks, and it was exhausting to read on top of the heavy subject matter.
3-The Epilogue???? Bro, it's an epilogue, and you kept babbling non-stop...we expected some denouement, but there wasn't any. Just massive blocs that didn't do much
Despite my long rant, I'd be willing to read another Lehane book that is similar to Mystic River, so if you have any recommendations, do share.
Spectacular prose, powerful writing, and exemplary character development. Dennis Lehane displays his skill in manipulation, making me fall in love with a character only to despise their guts at the end. The female characters were surprisingly well-written, and the family drama was knotted with realism. There's a big dose of testosterone unfolding in the lives of the lower middle class in this tale. The themes had a flare of George Pelecanos but darker.
This novel has an unmatched rawness and could have easily been 5 stars, but it had some big issues:
1-Overwrought style (too many unnecessary words, the novel could have been 15% shorter easily)
2- Sluggish pacing, bogged down, and barely moving at times. Had to take so many breaks, and it was exhausting to read on top of the heavy subject matter.
3-The Epilogue???? Bro, it's an epilogue, and you kept babbling non-stop...we expected some denouement, but there wasn't any. Just massive blocs that didn't do much
Despite my long rant, I'd be willing to read another Lehane book that is similar to Mystic River, so if you have any recommendations, do share.
Dennis Lehane is just the master, especially of heart-breaking realities.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced