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危魏慰蟿蔚喂谓蠈 螤慰蟿维渭喂
螌蟿伪谓 萎蟿伪谓 蟺伪喂未喂维, 慰 危慰谓, 慰 韦味委渭喂 魏伪喂 慰 螡蟿苇喂尾 萎蟿伪谓 蠁委位慰喂. 螆谓伪蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟿蟻蔚喂蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼, 蠈渭蠅蟼, 渭蟺萎魏蔚 渭喂伪 渭苇蟻伪 蟽' 苇谓伪 蟺蔚蟻伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈 伪蠀蟿慰魏委谓畏蟿慰. 螝伪喂 蟿蠈蟿蔚 魏维蟿喂 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻蠈 苇尾伪位蔚 蟿苇位慰蟼 蟽蟿畏 蠁喂位委伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 蟽畏渭维未蔚蠄蔚 纬喂伪 蟺维谓蟿伪 蟿喂蟼 味蠅苇蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼...
螘委魏慰蟽喂 蟺苇谓蟿蔚 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 伪蟻纬蠈蟿蔚蟻伪, 慰 危慰谓 蔚委谓伪喂 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 蟿慰蠀 蟿渭萎渭伪蟿慰蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰魏蟿慰谓喂蠋谓. 螣 韦味委渭喂 渭蔚 渭蔚蟻喂魏维 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蠁蠀位伪魏萎 蟺委蟽蠅 蟿慰蠀, 未喂伪蟿畏蟻蔚委 苇谓伪 渭喂魏蟻蠈 魏伪蠁苇 魏喂 伪蟺慰蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂 蟿伪 渭蟺位蔚尉委渭伪蟿伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 谓蠈渭慰. 螝喂 慰 螡蟿苇喂尾, 魏位蔚喂蟽渭苇谓慰蟼 蟽蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀, 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 魏蟻伪蟿萎蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 纬维渭慰 蟿慰蠀 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未伪委渭慰谓苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 蠀蟺蠈 苇位蔚纬蠂慰...
韦委蟺慰蟿蔚 未蔚谓 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀谓未蔚苇蔚喂 蟺喂伪 -蠅蟼 蟿畏 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 蟺慰蠀 蔚尉伪蠁伪谓委味蔚蟿伪喂 畏 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 韦味委渭喂. 螣 危慰谓 伪谓伪位伪渭尾维谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 苇蟻蔚蠀谓伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蔚谓蟿慰蟺喂蟽渭蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠉谓蟿慰渭伪 蟺蟻慰魏蠉蟺蟿蔚喂 蠈蟿喂 慰 螡蟿苇喂尾 委蟽蠅蟼 谓伪 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰蟼 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿畏谓 蔚委未蔚 蔚魏蔚委谓慰 蟿慰 渭慰喂蟻伪委慰 尾蟻维未蠀...
螣喂 未蟻蠈渭慰喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂伪蟽蟿伪蠀蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿伪喂 尉伪谓维, 渭' 苇谓伪谓 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺蔚蟻委蟺位慰魏慰 魏伪喂 渭慰喂蟻伪委慰. 螕喂伪蟿委 畏 伪谓伪味萎蟿畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟿喂 蟽蠀谓苇尾畏 蟽蟿畏谓 螝苇喂蟿喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂蠂维味蔚喂 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 魏伪胃萎魏慰谓 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪蠁慰蟽委蠅蟽畏, 蟿畏谓 伪纬维蟺畏 魏伪喂 蟿畏 未委蠄伪 纬喂伪 蔚魏未委魏畏蟽畏. 螝伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓伪纬魏维味蔚喂 谓伪 尉伪谓伪纬蠀蟻委蟽慰蠀谓 蟽' 苇谓伪谓 魏蠈蟽渭慰 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 '胃蔚位伪谓 谓' 伪蠁萎蟽慰蠀谓 蟺委蟽蠅 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 蟺维谓蟿伪, 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委蟽慰蠀谓 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 蟿畏 尾委伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟻蠈谓蟿慰蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 蔚蠁喂维位蟿蔚蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻蔚位胃蠈谓...
螘委魏慰蟽喂 蟺苇谓蟿蔚 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 伪蟻纬蠈蟿蔚蟻伪, 慰 危慰谓 蔚委谓伪喂 谓蟿蔚蟿苇魏蟿喂尾 蟿慰蠀 蟿渭萎渭伪蟿慰蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰魏蟿慰谓喂蠋谓. 螣 韦味委渭喂 渭蔚 渭蔚蟻喂魏维 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蠁蠀位伪魏萎 蟺委蟽蠅 蟿慰蠀, 未喂伪蟿畏蟻蔚委 苇谓伪 渭喂魏蟻蠈 魏伪蠁苇 魏喂 伪蟺慰蠁蔚蠉纬蔚喂 蟿伪 渭蟺位蔚尉委渭伪蟿伪 渭蔚 蟿慰 谓蠈渭慰. 螝喂 慰 螡蟿苇喂尾, 魏位蔚喂蟽渭苇谓慰蟼 蟽蟿慰谓 蔚伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰蠀, 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蔚委 谓伪 魏蟻伪蟿萎蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 纬维渭慰 蟿慰蠀 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未伪委渭慰谓苇蟼 蟿慰蠀 蠀蟺蠈 苇位蔚纬蠂慰...
韦委蟺慰蟿蔚 未蔚谓 蟿慰蠀蟼 蟽蠀谓未蔚苇蔚喂 蟺喂伪 -蠅蟼 蟿畏 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 蟺慰蠀 蔚尉伪蠁伪谓委味蔚蟿伪喂 畏 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 韦味委渭喂. 螣 危慰谓 伪谓伪位伪渭尾维谓蔚喂 蟿畏谓 苇蟻蔚蠀谓伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蔚谓蟿慰蟺喂蟽渭蠈 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟽蠉谓蟿慰渭伪 蟺蟻慰魏蠉蟺蟿蔚喂 蠈蟿喂 慰 螡蟿苇喂尾 委蟽蠅蟼 谓伪 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰蟼 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟿畏谓 蔚委未蔚 蔚魏蔚委谓慰 蟿慰 渭慰喂蟻伪委慰 尾蟻维未蠀...
螣喂 未蟻蠈渭慰喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂伪蟽蟿伪蠀蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿伪喂 尉伪谓维, 渭' 苇谓伪谓 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰 蟺蔚蟻委蟺位慰魏慰 魏伪喂 渭慰喂蟻伪委慰. 螕喂伪蟿委 畏 伪谓伪味萎蟿畏蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟿喂 蟽蠀谓苇尾畏 蟽蟿畏谓 螝苇喂蟿喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 未喂蠂维味蔚喂 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 魏伪胃萎魏慰谓 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪蠁慰蟽委蠅蟽畏, 蟿畏谓 伪纬维蟺畏 魏伪喂 蟿畏 未委蠄伪 纬喂伪 蔚魏未委魏畏蟽畏. 螝伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓伪纬魏维味蔚喂 谓伪 尉伪谓伪纬蠀蟻委蟽慰蠀谓 蟽' 苇谓伪谓 魏蠈蟽渭慰 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 '胃蔚位伪谓 谓' 伪蠁萎蟽慰蠀谓 蟺委蟽蠅 蟿慰蠀蟼 纬喂伪 蟺维谓蟿伪, 纬喂伪 谓伪 伪谓蟿喂渭蔚蟿蠅蟺委蟽慰蠀谓 蠈蠂喂 渭蠈谓慰 蟿畏 尾委伪 蟿慰蠀 蟺伪蟻蠈谓蟿慰蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿慰蠀蟼 蔚蠁喂维位蟿蔚蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟺伪蟻蔚位胃蠈谓...
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
3,822 people are currently reading
111k people want to read
About the author
Dennis Lehane
83听books14k听followersDennis Lehane (born Aug 4th, 1966) is an American author. He has written several novels, including the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award winning film, also called Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon (Lehane can be briefly seen waving from a car in the parade scene at the end of the film). The novel was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystere de la Critique.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,646 reviews
January 10, 2024
I wanted to start the year with a 5* rating and I am so happy to share this amazing dark novel with you. It is masterpiece as a mystery novel but also as pure literature. I鈥檝e wanted to read Lehane since I鈥檝e seen the amazing movie with Leo di Caprio, called Shutter Island. It is made after the book with the same name and I was sure that I would love the author鈥檚 writing, if the book was anything like the movie. I finally chose to start with his other most popular novel, which also got two movies, Mystic River,
Three young boys, Jimmy, Dave and Sean, are playing on the streets. Two men who pretend to be cops take Dave away in their car. The others do not get in the car. The kid escapes four days later but he is no longer himself. Years after that event, Jimmy鈥檚 daughter is killed and in in the same night Dave comes home with someone else鈥檚 blood on his shirt. Sean is now a cop and is the person investigating the crime. The three former friends meet again but in totally different circumstances.
Yes, at first glance it is a very well-crafted murder mystery but it is so much more. It is a novel about life in the poor neighborhoods of Boston, about trauma, about love, lost, redemption and rage. The writing was really exquisite and the author was an excellent creator of characters, especially damaged ones. All the characters in this novel were complex, had real thoughts, aspirations and hurts. I could really feel what they were feeling and was able to understand them and their actions. One scene where Jimmy mourns his daughter will remain forever in my heart as one of the most harrowing and true passages about loss.
Mystic river is dark, suspenseful and yes, sometimes depressing but also tender and compassionate. It deserves all the prizes it got and more.
Three young boys, Jimmy, Dave and Sean, are playing on the streets. Two men who pretend to be cops take Dave away in their car. The others do not get in the car. The kid escapes four days later but he is no longer himself. Years after that event, Jimmy鈥檚 daughter is killed and in in the same night Dave comes home with someone else鈥檚 blood on his shirt. Sean is now a cop and is the person investigating the crime. The three former friends meet again but in totally different circumstances.
Yes, at first glance it is a very well-crafted murder mystery but it is so much more. It is a novel about life in the poor neighborhoods of Boston, about trauma, about love, lost, redemption and rage. The writing was really exquisite and the author was an excellent creator of characters, especially damaged ones. All the characters in this novel were complex, had real thoughts, aspirations and hurts. I could really feel what they were feeling and was able to understand them and their actions. One scene where Jimmy mourns his daughter will remain forever in my heart as one of the most harrowing and true passages about loss.
Mystic river is dark, suspenseful and yes, sometimes depressing but also tender and compassionate. It deserves all the prizes it got and more.
November 14, 2013
Once upon a time, three boys were fighting in the street when two men claiming to be plainclothes cops show up. One kid gets in the car, the others stay put, and their lives will never be the same. Decades later, Dave Boyle, the kid who got into the car, is accused of killing the daughter of Jimmy Marcus, one of the other boys, and the third boy has grown up to be Sean Devine, the cop in charge of the case. Did Boyle do it? And if he didn't, can Sean find the real killer?
Yeah, 2013 was supposed to be the year of for me. It probably would have been had I not discovered . However, I'm back aboard the Lehane Train now and quite pleased.
While Mystic River is normally classified as a thriller, it's so much more than that, an exploration of growing up and what a traumatic childhood event can blossom into. Mystic River is the tale of three Boston boys who grew up to be very different Boston men. Dave Boyle has drifted from job to job, never quite managing to bury his abduction experience. Jimmy Marcus is a former career criminal who has gone straight and become a family man. And Sean Devine is a cop with a wife he hasn't seen in over a year and a child he's not sure is his.
From the beginning, Lehane kept the waters sufficiently muddy to hold my interest. While I knew I was supposed to assume Dave Boyle killed Katie Marcus, Lehane had me changing my opinion quite a few times. None of the three leads are very simple characters. Dave's got his childhood baggage but still tries to be the best husband and father he can be. Jimmy was once a criminal and is still a hard man but is a loving family man. Sean is a supercop but his marriage is in ruins and he's coming off a suspension for something very petty.
Once Sean is on the case, the book becomes very hard to put down, like it's been duct-taped to your hands. The mystery, unlike a lot of them these days, is solvable and I guessed who the killer was about 75% of the way through, even though I got the motive wrong.
The writing is everything I came to expect from the Kenzie and Gennaro series and then some. I think this is the book where Dennis Lehane went from "Good Thriller Writer" to simply "Great Writer."
Five stars. I suppose I'll track down the movie now.
Yeah, 2013 was supposed to be the year of for me. It probably would have been had I not discovered . However, I'm back aboard the Lehane Train now and quite pleased.
While Mystic River is normally classified as a thriller, it's so much more than that, an exploration of growing up and what a traumatic childhood event can blossom into. Mystic River is the tale of three Boston boys who grew up to be very different Boston men. Dave Boyle has drifted from job to job, never quite managing to bury his abduction experience. Jimmy Marcus is a former career criminal who has gone straight and become a family man. And Sean Devine is a cop with a wife he hasn't seen in over a year and a child he's not sure is his.
From the beginning, Lehane kept the waters sufficiently muddy to hold my interest. While I knew I was supposed to assume Dave Boyle killed Katie Marcus, Lehane had me changing my opinion quite a few times. None of the three leads are very simple characters. Dave's got his childhood baggage but still tries to be the best husband and father he can be. Jimmy was once a criminal and is still a hard man but is a loving family man. Sean is a supercop but his marriage is in ruins and he's coming off a suspension for something very petty.
Once Sean is on the case, the book becomes very hard to put down, like it's been duct-taped to your hands. The mystery, unlike a lot of them these days, is solvable and I guessed who the killer was about 75% of the way through, even though I got the motive wrong.
The writing is everything I came to expect from the Kenzie and Gennaro series and then some. I think this is the book where Dennis Lehane went from "Good Thriller Writer" to simply "Great Writer."
Five stars. I suppose I'll track down the movie now.
May 9, 2019
Intense, stunning, and shocking.
And I always wanted to know what was going on in Jimmy's head after the last stunt that he pulled. Movies would never tell us that, and that's why books are always better...
And I always wanted to know what was going on in Jimmy's head after the last stunt that he pulled. Movies would never tell us that, and that's why books are always better...
April 1, 2022
Mystic River, Dennis Lehane
Mystic River is a novel by Dennis Lehane that was published in 2001. The Mystic River is not only a psychological, terrifying, and stressful novel, but also an epic one, describing love, loyalty, camaraderie, faith, and family. The story of this book is about people whose past has invariably affected their future, and who find themselves in dark situations, which exposes them to their inner and hidden selves.
The novel revolves around three boys who grow up as friends in Boston: Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus. When the story opens, we see Dave abducted by child molesters while he, Sean, and Jimmy are horsing around on a neighborhood street. Dave escapes and returns home days later, emotionally shattered by his experience.
The book then moves forward 25 years: Sean has become a homicide detective, Jimmy is an ex-convict who currently owns a convenience store, and Dave is a shell of a man. Jimmy's daughter disappears and is found brutally murdered in a city park, and that same night, Dave comes home to his wife, covered in blood. Sean is assigned to investigate the murder, and the three childhood friends are caught up in each other's lives again.
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趩讴蹖丿賴: (賴賳诏丕賲蹖 讴賴 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘趩賴 亘賵丿賳丿貙 芦卮丕賳禄貙 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 賵 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 亘丕 賴賲丿蹖诏乇 丿賵爻鬲 卮丿賳丿貨 丕賲丕 爻倬爻 賲丕卮蹖賳 睾乇蹖亘賴鈥� 丕蹖 丕夭 乇丕賴 乇爻蹖丿貨 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 亘趩賴鈥� 賴丕 爻賵丕乇 賲丕卮蹖賳 卮丿貙 賵 丿賵 鬲丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賳卮丿賳丿貨 賵 爻倬爻 乇賵蹖丿丕丿 丿賴卮鬲賳丕讴蹖 丕賮鬲丕丿貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丿賵爻鬲蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿丕丿貙 賵 丌賳 爻賴 倬爻乇 乇丕貙 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖卮賴 丿蹖诏乇 讴乇丿貨 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 倬賳噩 爻丕賱 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 乇賵夭: 芦卮丕賳禄 蹖讴 讴丕乇丌诏丕賴 倬賱蹖爻 丕爻鬲貨 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 蹖讴 夭賳丿丕賳蹖 倬蹖卮蹖賳 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 氐丕丨亘 蹖讴 亘賯丕賱蹖 卮丿賴貙 賵 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 亘乇丕蹖 賳诏賴丿丕卮鬲 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 丿賵乇 賳诏丕賴 丿丕卮鬲賳 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖 丿乇賵賳卮貙 丿爻鬲 賵 倬丕 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 讴丕乇賴丕蹖 丿賴卮鬲賳丕讴 賵丕賲蹖鈥屫ж必� 丌賳诏丕賴 讴賴 噩爻丿 丿禺鬲乇 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬跇賵賴卮 芦卮丕賳禄貙 讴賴 賲兀賲賵乇 乇爻蹖丿诏蹖 亘賴 丌賳 倬乇賵賳丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 爻乇卮丕禺 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴爻蹖 讴賴 倬蹖卮蹖賳賴 蹖 噩賳丕蹖蹖 丕卮貙 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 爻賵蹖 丕賳鬲賯丕賲貙 賵 丕噩乇丕蹖 卮禺氐蹖 毓丿丕賱鬲 爻賵賯 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 賵 丨丕賱丕 丕蹖賳 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿乇 卮亘 讴卮鬲賴 卮丿賳 丿禺鬲乇 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄貙 亘丕 賱亘丕爻 爻乇丕爻乇 禺賵賳鈥� 丌賱賵丿 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 賲蹖鈥屫必池� 賵 ...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 16/02/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 10/01/1401賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Mystic River is a novel by Dennis Lehane that was published in 2001. The Mystic River is not only a psychological, terrifying, and stressful novel, but also an epic one, describing love, loyalty, camaraderie, faith, and family. The story of this book is about people whose past has invariably affected their future, and who find themselves in dark situations, which exposes them to their inner and hidden selves.
The novel revolves around three boys who grow up as friends in Boston: Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus. When the story opens, we see Dave abducted by child molesters while he, Sean, and Jimmy are horsing around on a neighborhood street. Dave escapes and returns home days later, emotionally shattered by his experience.
The book then moves forward 25 years: Sean has become a homicide detective, Jimmy is an ex-convict who currently owns a convenience store, and Dave is a shell of a man. Jimmy's daughter disappears and is found brutally murdered in a city park, and that same night, Dave comes home to his wife, covered in blood. Sean is assigned to investigate the murder, and the three childhood friends are caught up in each other's lives again.
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 丿賵丕夭丿賴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱2016賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 乇賵丿禺丕賳賴 賲蹖爻鬲蹖讴貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丿賳蹖爻 賱蹖賴丕賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲 賳丕丿乇 乇蹖丕丨蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳 賲賵爻爻賴 賮乇賴賳诏蹖 - 賴賳乇蹖 噩賴丕賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 爻丕賱鈥忊€€忊€忊€忊€忊€�1394貨 丿乇560氐貨 卮丕亘讴9786006732459貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴21賲
讴鬲丕亘 芦乇賵丿禺丕賳賴 賲蹖爻鬲蹖讴禄 賳賴 鬲賳賴丕 蹖讴 乇賲丕賳 乇賵丕賳鈥屫促嗀ж池з嗁囏� 賴乇丕爻鈥屫з嗂屫藏� 賵 倬乇鬲賳卮貙 亘賱讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丨賲丕爻蹖貙 丿乇 賵氐賮 毓卮賯貙 賵賮丕丿丕乇蹖貙 乇賮丕賯鬲貙 丕蹖賲丕賳 賵 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賳蹖夭 賴爻鬲貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 丌丿賲鈥屬囏й屰� 爻鬲 讴賴 亘诏匕卮鬲賴鈥� 賴丕貙 亘賴 诏賵賳賴 蹖 鬲睾蹖蹖乇賳丕倬匕蹖乇蹖貙 亘乇 丌蹖賳丿賴鈥� 卮丕賳 鬲兀孬蹖乇 诏匕丕卮鬲賴貙 賵 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿乇 賲賵賯毓蹖鬲鈥屬囏й� 鬲丕乇蹖讴蹖 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖讴賳賳丿貙 讴賴 丌賳鈥屬囏� 乇丕 亘丕 禺賵丿 丿乇賵賳蹖 賵 倬賳賴丕賳鈥屫簇з嗀� 賲賵丕噩賴 賲蹖鈥屫池ж藏�
趩讴蹖丿賴: (賴賳诏丕賲蹖 讴賴 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘趩賴 亘賵丿賳丿貙 芦卮丕賳禄貙 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 賵 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 亘丕 賴賲丿蹖诏乇 丿賵爻鬲 卮丿賳丿貨 丕賲丕 爻倬爻 賲丕卮蹖賳 睾乇蹖亘賴鈥� 丕蹖 丕夭 乇丕賴 乇爻蹖丿貨 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 亘趩賴鈥� 賴丕 爻賵丕乇 賲丕卮蹖賳 卮丿貙 賵 丿賵 鬲丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賳卮丿賳丿貨 賵 爻倬爻 乇賵蹖丿丕丿 丿賴卮鬲賳丕讴蹖 丕賮鬲丕丿貨 乇賵蹖丿丕丿蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丿賵爻鬲蹖 丌賳鈥屬囏� 倬丕蹖丕賳 丿丕丿貙 賵 丌賳 爻賴 倬爻乇 乇丕貙 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖卮賴 丿蹖诏乇 讴乇丿貨 亘蹖爻鬲 賵 倬賳噩 爻丕賱 倬爻 丕夭 丌賳 乇賵夭: 芦卮丕賳禄 蹖讴 讴丕乇丌诏丕賴 倬賱蹖爻 丕爻鬲貨 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 蹖讴 夭賳丿丕賳蹖 倬蹖卮蹖賳 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 氐丕丨亘 蹖讴 亘賯丕賱蹖 卮丿賴貙 賵 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 亘乇丕蹖 賳诏賴丿丕卮鬲 夭賳丿诏蹖 賵 丿賵乇 賳诏丕賴 丿丕卮鬲賳 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖 丿乇賵賳卮貙 丿爻鬲 賵 倬丕 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖蹖 讴賴 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 讴丕乇賴丕蹖 丿賴卮鬲賳丕讴 賵丕賲蹖鈥屫ж必� 丌賳诏丕賴 讴賴 噩爻丿 丿禺鬲乇 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 倬跇賵賴卮 芦卮丕賳禄貙 讴賴 賲兀賲賵乇 乇爻蹖丿诏蹖 亘賴 丌賳 倬乇賵賳丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 丕賵 乇丕 亘丕 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄 爻乇卮丕禺 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 讴爻蹖 讴賴 倬蹖卮蹖賳賴 蹖 噩賳丕蹖蹖 丕卮貙 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 爻賵蹖 丕賳鬲賯丕賲貙 賵 丕噩乇丕蹖 卮禺氐蹖 毓丿丕賱鬲 爻賵賯 賲蹖鈥屫囏� 賵 丨丕賱丕 丕蹖賳 芦丿賽蹖賵禄 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 丿乇 卮亘 讴卮鬲賴 卮丿賳 丿禺鬲乇 芦噩蹖賲蹖禄貙 亘丕 賱亘丕爻 爻乇丕爻乇 禺賵賳鈥� 丌賱賵丿 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 賲蹖鈥屫必池� 賵 ...)貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 16/02/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 10/01/1401賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
February 18, 2020
I bought a hardback copy of Mystic River when it first came out, and I鈥檝e been recommending it to everyone I know who has the slightest interest in crime fiction ever since. Oddly enough, it鈥檚 been almost 20 years since I first read the book, and I鈥檇 never revisited it until now. I love it, but there鈥檚 just so much Lehane-style depression that a fella can take.
In a working class Boston neighborhood during the mid-鈥�70s,three young boys encounter a couple of child molesters pretending to be cops. One of the kids, Dave Boyle, ends up being taken by them and endures several days of abuse before managing to escape. Twenty-five years later Dave still lives in the same old neighborhood with his wife and son. Jimmy Marcus didn鈥檛 get in the car with Dave. He went on to become the leader of a crew of thieves, but a stretch in prison and caring for his young daughter, Katie, set Jimmy straight. Now he runs a corner grocery store in the neighborhood. Sean Devine also avoided the pedophiles, and he鈥檚 grown up to be a homicide investigator for the state police while trying to cope with his crumbling marriage.
When Jimmy鈥檚 daughter Katie is brutally murdered, it鈥檚 a shock to the neighborhood. As Sean investigates the crime Jimmy has to deal with his grief. Dave was one of the last people to see Katie alive when she was out at a bar with some girlfriends, and he had no reason to hurt her. Yet, his wife Celeste knows that he came home late that night covered in blood鈥�
A recurring theme that Lehane explores is the damage done by crime and violence, and that鈥檚 the thing that lingers over this book and makes it great. Jimmy is convinced that something in his own past was the reason Katie was killed even as he spent years trying to be 鈥榞ood鈥�. Sean鈥檚 career as a policeman has made him misanthropic, thinking that the world is filled with stupid people killing each for stupid reasons, and it鈥檚 soured his personal life. Both of them are also haunted by how close they came to sharing Dave鈥檚 fate, and Dave himself refuses to talk about what happened to him even as many who know what happened consider him 鈥榙amaged goods鈥�.
Lehane takes all of these factors and adds a few more like what gentrification was doing to their old neighborhood to create one of the ultimate character driven pieces of crime fiction. The ultimate resolution and what happens both because of Dave getting in that car as a young boy and Katie鈥檚 murder seem like tragedies that beget more tragedies in a long string of unintended consequences.
Considering the ending and reading this now, nearly 20 years after it was first published, made me think that there could be another story by now. If Lehane went back now and told us what happened next, I鈥檇 want to read that book.
In a working class Boston neighborhood during the mid-鈥�70s,three young boys encounter a couple of child molesters pretending to be cops. One of the kids, Dave Boyle, ends up being taken by them and endures several days of abuse before managing to escape. Twenty-five years later Dave still lives in the same old neighborhood with his wife and son. Jimmy Marcus didn鈥檛 get in the car with Dave. He went on to become the leader of a crew of thieves, but a stretch in prison and caring for his young daughter, Katie, set Jimmy straight. Now he runs a corner grocery store in the neighborhood. Sean Devine also avoided the pedophiles, and he鈥檚 grown up to be a homicide investigator for the state police while trying to cope with his crumbling marriage.
When Jimmy鈥檚 daughter Katie is brutally murdered, it鈥檚 a shock to the neighborhood. As Sean investigates the crime Jimmy has to deal with his grief. Dave was one of the last people to see Katie alive when she was out at a bar with some girlfriends, and he had no reason to hurt her. Yet, his wife Celeste knows that he came home late that night covered in blood鈥�
A recurring theme that Lehane explores is the damage done by crime and violence, and that鈥檚 the thing that lingers over this book and makes it great. Jimmy is convinced that something in his own past was the reason Katie was killed even as he spent years trying to be 鈥榞ood鈥�. Sean鈥檚 career as a policeman has made him misanthropic, thinking that the world is filled with stupid people killing each for stupid reasons, and it鈥檚 soured his personal life. Both of them are also haunted by how close they came to sharing Dave鈥檚 fate, and Dave himself refuses to talk about what happened to him even as many who know what happened consider him 鈥榙amaged goods鈥�.
Lehane takes all of these factors and adds a few more like what gentrification was doing to their old neighborhood to create one of the ultimate character driven pieces of crime fiction. The ultimate resolution and what happens both because of Dave getting in that car as a young boy and Katie鈥檚 murder seem like tragedies that beget more tragedies in a long string of unintended consequences.
Considering the ending and reading this now, nearly 20 years after it was first published, made me think that there could be another story by now. If Lehane went back now and told us what happened next, I鈥檇 want to read that book.
August 7, 2024
After Sean Penn won the Oscar for best actor, Tim Robbins for best actor in a supporting role and Clint Eastwood was nominated for best director, plus many more nominations for those involved in the filming, I knew I needed to watch this movie. And I eventually did, quite a few years ago. It was great.
After that, I knew I would eventually read the novel. And I have. It is great.
Hats off to Dennis Lehane, an author who can dodge and weave around his storyline, giving us his complex characters bit by bit, flaw by flaw, strength by strength, and soul by soul.
Impressive.
After that, I knew I would eventually read the novel. And I have. It is great.
Hats off to Dennis Lehane, an author who can dodge and weave around his storyline, giving us his complex characters bit by bit, flaw by flaw, strength by strength, and soul by soul.
Impressive.
January 4, 2013
Just before picking this book up - my first Lehane (it won't be my last) - I came across a quote by him illuminating the working-class, blue-collar nature of noir:
In Greek tragedy, they fall from great heights. In noir, they fall from the curb.I love this quote. It slices right to the heart of who we are reading about, and even why we are reading about them.
In Mystic River, Lehane is shooting from both barrels; he intuitively knows who he is writing about and where -- the gritty, depressed, working-class neighborhoods of South Boston and the largely white, blue-collar families who live there. These are residents bound to one another when not by blood, then by loyalties forged from childhood friendships and the kinship that comes from growing up in the same neighborhood. A shared history, a sense of community, no matter how co-dependent, damaging or predatory.
Lehane's characters are so vivid and three-dimensional they sigh and bleed across the pages. But you won't love them. They are beyond flawed, and you could even argue beyond redemption. Lehane is not writing about beauty and love or hope and healing. Lehane is painting a portrait of despair and guilt. His characters are damaged goods in many ways, with painful histories that have consumed them with a slow-burning rage.
The love Jimmy Marcus has for his eldest daughter Katie is primal, almost animalistic in its fierceness. When a savage beating and shooting violently rips her away from him, Jimmy vows to see her killer brought to justice, one way or another. Who could have killed Katie Marcus? Nineteen years old, sweet and non-threatening, a good friend, a loving sister, working part-time in her father's neighborhood corner store. When Jimmy's childhood friend Sean is brought in to lead the investigation, there are more questions than answers to be found. It doesn't take long however, before Sean and his senior partner Whitey begin looking hard at Dave Boyle - another childhood friend from the neighborhood with dark secrets of his own.
The handling of the mystery here, the construction, the pacing, the clues and final reveal, it's all flawlessly done. My only regret reading this novel is that I had seen the film first. While already knowing who killed Katie did not diminish my enjoyment, I can only imagine the sheer thrill this book delivers at the moment of climax if you didn't know.
I found the women in this story to be at least as interesting as the men, if not more so.
This is a story that starts with tragedy and ends tragically. It is immensely engrossing and immeasurably rewarding. I did not just love it, I lived it.
A word on the audiobook:
There is an abridged version available out there with a very poor reader. Avoid that one. I listened to the unabridged version and it is fantastic. The reader's voice is strong and he carries the Boston accent nicely without it overpowering the story.
May 12, 2020
5鈽�
鈥淔our in the morning, and she was more awake than she鈥檇 been in years. She was Christmas-morning-when-you鈥檙e-eight kind of awake. Her blood was caffeine. Your whole life, you wished for something like this. You told yourself you didn鈥檛, but you did. To be involved in a drama.鈥�
The story isn鈥檛 about her, though, it鈥檚 about them, and she knows them. Jimmy, Sean, and Davey. The boys. They grew up together, from different parts of town. But at eleven, boys are rough and tumble, and who cares where you live? You all play in the street, and when a car comes along with a couple of big guys in it who say they鈥檙e cops, who are you to question them? One of you gets in when told to, while the other two back off.
Davey Boyle went for the ride, and no, they weren鈥檛 cops. Davey escaped after four days of abuse (which is never described, only referred to), and is now a seemingly quiet, pleasant man with an uneventful life. He had a rough childhood in the Flats, but he鈥檚 doing okay. He was a baseball star in high school and is now married with a young son.
Jimmy Marcus also grew up in the Flats, was a happy-go-lucky hoodlum who got a little rougher over the years. He is now an ex-con, running a corner store and determined to go straight. He鈥檚 a widower with a second wife who is the only daughter of the eleven kids in the well-named Savage family.
鈥淲hen they were kids, they had no individuality to the outside world. They were just the Savages, a brood, a pack, a collection of limbs and armpits and knees and tangled hair that seemed to move in a cloud of dust like the Tasmanian Devil. You saw the cloud coming your way, you stepped aside, hoped they鈥檇 find someone else to f*ck up before they reached you, or simply whirl on by, lost in the obsession of their own grimy psychoses.鈥�
The third boy, now a local cop (a real one), did not live in the Flats, but on the Point, the nicer part of town. Sean Devine is separated, unhappily, achingly so. He hasn鈥檛 kept in touch with Jimmy and Davey, but of course he knows Jimmy鈥檚 criminal record.
All three are still haunted by the men and the car that took Davey away. Davey, of course, but Sean and Jimmy are as well. What would have happened if? Could we have stopped it? We watched them drive him away.
The blurb gives the crux of the story, which I think is a bit of a spoiler, so I鈥檒l just say that the writing is terrific, the people are real, and the tension and plot make it hard to put down. Some books do make me keep thinking 鈥榡ust one more chapter. . . 鈥� This is one. So I鈥檒l just add a few quotes that gave me a good sense of the story and the characters.
This shows Jimmy鈥檚 early ambivalence, choosing between friendship and what he thinks he can get away with. When they were kids, he picked up Sean鈥檚 baseball glove just as he walked out of Sean鈥檚 house, but held it so nobody could see it.
鈥淛immy took the glove and he felt bad about it. Sean would miss it. Jimmy took the glove and he felt good about it. Sean would miss it.鈥�
Sean came from the Point and could afford the loss. Jimmy came from the Flats and was entitled to fend for himself however he could.
This is one of the men who stopped the boys in the road.
鈥淗e looked like a cop鈥攂lond crew cut, red face, white shirt, black-and-gold nylon tie, the heft of his gut dropping over his belt buckle like a stack of pancakes. The other one looked sick.鈥�
This is another pair of brothers who live in the Flats.
鈥淭he brothers grew up crammed and mangy and irate in a bedroom the size of a Japanese radio beside the el tracks that used to hover over the Flats, blotting out the sun, before they got torn down when Brendan was a kid.鈥�
Suspecting the worst, but not wanting to admit it, feels like this. You know. You just know.
鈥淵ou felt it in your soul, no place else. You felt the truth there sometimes鈥攂eyond logic鈥攁nd you were usually right if it was a type of truth that was the exact kind you didn鈥檛 want to face, weren鈥檛 sure you could. That鈥檚 what you tried to ignore, why you went to psychiatrists and spent too long in bars and numbed your brain in front of TV tubes鈥攖o hide from hard, ugly truths your soul recognized long before your mind caught up.鈥�
This is one of my favourite books. No question, I just know.
鈥淔our in the morning, and she was more awake than she鈥檇 been in years. She was Christmas-morning-when-you鈥檙e-eight kind of awake. Her blood was caffeine. Your whole life, you wished for something like this. You told yourself you didn鈥檛, but you did. To be involved in a drama.鈥�
The story isn鈥檛 about her, though, it鈥檚 about them, and she knows them. Jimmy, Sean, and Davey. The boys. They grew up together, from different parts of town. But at eleven, boys are rough and tumble, and who cares where you live? You all play in the street, and when a car comes along with a couple of big guys in it who say they鈥檙e cops, who are you to question them? One of you gets in when told to, while the other two back off.
Davey Boyle went for the ride, and no, they weren鈥檛 cops. Davey escaped after four days of abuse (which is never described, only referred to), and is now a seemingly quiet, pleasant man with an uneventful life. He had a rough childhood in the Flats, but he鈥檚 doing okay. He was a baseball star in high school and is now married with a young son.
Jimmy Marcus also grew up in the Flats, was a happy-go-lucky hoodlum who got a little rougher over the years. He is now an ex-con, running a corner store and determined to go straight. He鈥檚 a widower with a second wife who is the only daughter of the eleven kids in the well-named Savage family.
鈥淲hen they were kids, they had no individuality to the outside world. They were just the Savages, a brood, a pack, a collection of limbs and armpits and knees and tangled hair that seemed to move in a cloud of dust like the Tasmanian Devil. You saw the cloud coming your way, you stepped aside, hoped they鈥檇 find someone else to f*ck up before they reached you, or simply whirl on by, lost in the obsession of their own grimy psychoses.鈥�
The third boy, now a local cop (a real one), did not live in the Flats, but on the Point, the nicer part of town. Sean Devine is separated, unhappily, achingly so. He hasn鈥檛 kept in touch with Jimmy and Davey, but of course he knows Jimmy鈥檚 criminal record.
All three are still haunted by the men and the car that took Davey away. Davey, of course, but Sean and Jimmy are as well. What would have happened if? Could we have stopped it? We watched them drive him away.
The blurb gives the crux of the story, which I think is a bit of a spoiler, so I鈥檒l just say that the writing is terrific, the people are real, and the tension and plot make it hard to put down. Some books do make me keep thinking 鈥榡ust one more chapter. . . 鈥� This is one. So I鈥檒l just add a few quotes that gave me a good sense of the story and the characters.
This shows Jimmy鈥檚 early ambivalence, choosing between friendship and what he thinks he can get away with. When they were kids, he picked up Sean鈥檚 baseball glove just as he walked out of Sean鈥檚 house, but held it so nobody could see it.
鈥淛immy took the glove and he felt bad about it. Sean would miss it. Jimmy took the glove and he felt good about it. Sean would miss it.鈥�
Sean came from the Point and could afford the loss. Jimmy came from the Flats and was entitled to fend for himself however he could.
This is one of the men who stopped the boys in the road.
鈥淗e looked like a cop鈥攂lond crew cut, red face, white shirt, black-and-gold nylon tie, the heft of his gut dropping over his belt buckle like a stack of pancakes. The other one looked sick.鈥�
This is another pair of brothers who live in the Flats.
鈥淭he brothers grew up crammed and mangy and irate in a bedroom the size of a Japanese radio beside the el tracks that used to hover over the Flats, blotting out the sun, before they got torn down when Brendan was a kid.鈥�
Suspecting the worst, but not wanting to admit it, feels like this. You know. You just know.
鈥淵ou felt it in your soul, no place else. You felt the truth there sometimes鈥攂eyond logic鈥攁nd you were usually right if it was a type of truth that was the exact kind you didn鈥檛 want to face, weren鈥檛 sure you could. That鈥檚 what you tried to ignore, why you went to psychiatrists and spent too long in bars and numbed your brain in front of TV tubes鈥攖o hide from hard, ugly truths your soul recognized long before your mind caught up.鈥�
This is one of my favourite books. No question, I just know.
November 19, 2024
Every adult human being has the chance to choose a personally favored path of life (considering it isn't predeterminated by illnesses, accidents etc.), but the general direction this path heads towards will usually already be marked during childhood: This might be the idea which provoked Dennis Lehane to write about the abysms of humanity and the fateful consequences one single deed might release to weigh heavily upon your conscience for the rest of your life - even if it is something as simple as not entering a certain car while you are a kid.
Lehane might be more well-known because of the successful movie adaption with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley of his 2003 thriller , but when it comes to exploring human minds in their deepest psychological profundities, Mystic River is where the author truly shines. This novel (which has also been adapted into a movie starring Tim Robbins, Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon) focuses on three young childhood friends - Sean, Jimmy and Dave - whose friendship was changed forever when one of the boys was pulled into a strange car and had to go through something which could not be worse as an incisive childhood experience. About twenty years later, they have all grown into men with their own more or less intact families (although you might as well scratch the "more or" part). The story gets going when one of the friend's daughters is brutally murdered, another one of them starts to investigate the case as a police detective and the third friend soon turns into one of the suspects himself - with very strong evidence pointing towards him.
This is no easy thriller to get through; with his elaborate descriptions of a Boston crime scene and the complex plot twists and dynamics between the relationships, Lehane keeps the intellectual niveau on a high level throughout the entire course of the novel as he explores failing marriages, bursting families and shocking revelations. As he did with "Shutter Island", he once again managed to challenge my personal perception of what human minds can be capable of. It might be fiction, but the author managed to write it in such a convincing way as if it was a nightmare come true.
Dennis Lehane refrains from fast pace and instead relies on extensively detailed descriptions, painting a vivid picture filled with a dark atmosphere. This made it sometimes easy to put the book down again, yet all the time the book included enough potential to prompt the reader to return to reading. You may call the novel a classic 'whodunnit' tale, but it's more than that - so much more. The mystery/thriller genre is a very difficult one for an author to emerge out of the masses of authors who claim to glue their readers' eyes to their books, and yet many readers keep returning to this genre out of the hope to hold a true masterpiece in their hands one day. Mystic River might not be a masterpiece, but it's still everything you can possibly look for as a reader of crime fiction.
It wasn't my first Lehane novel, and it definitely won't be my last either.
Lehane might be more well-known because of the successful movie adaption with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley of his 2003 thriller , but when it comes to exploring human minds in their deepest psychological profundities, Mystic River is where the author truly shines. This novel (which has also been adapted into a movie starring Tim Robbins, Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon) focuses on three young childhood friends - Sean, Jimmy and Dave - whose friendship was changed forever when one of the boys was pulled into a strange car and had to go through something which could not be worse as an incisive childhood experience. About twenty years later, they have all grown into men with their own more or less intact families (although you might as well scratch the "more or" part). The story gets going when one of the friend's daughters is brutally murdered, another one of them starts to investigate the case as a police detective and the third friend soon turns into one of the suspects himself - with very strong evidence pointing towards him.
This is no easy thriller to get through; with his elaborate descriptions of a Boston crime scene and the complex plot twists and dynamics between the relationships, Lehane keeps the intellectual niveau on a high level throughout the entire course of the novel as he explores failing marriages, bursting families and shocking revelations. As he did with "Shutter Island", he once again managed to challenge my personal perception of what human minds can be capable of. It might be fiction, but the author managed to write it in such a convincing way as if it was a nightmare come true.
Dennis Lehane refrains from fast pace and instead relies on extensively detailed descriptions, painting a vivid picture filled with a dark atmosphere. This made it sometimes easy to put the book down again, yet all the time the book included enough potential to prompt the reader to return to reading. You may call the novel a classic 'whodunnit' tale, but it's more than that - so much more. The mystery/thriller genre is a very difficult one for an author to emerge out of the masses of authors who claim to glue their readers' eyes to their books, and yet many readers keep returning to this genre out of the hope to hold a true masterpiece in their hands one day. Mystic River might not be a masterpiece, but it's still everything you can possibly look for as a reader of crime fiction.
It wasn't my first Lehane novel, and it definitely won't be my last either.
May 23, 2020
鈥淛immy knelt down by the river and plunged his hands in it, oily and polluted. . . We bury our sins here. We wash them clean.鈥�
I have now within a month listened to what I have heard from 欧宝娱乐 friends are the three best novels from Dennis Lehane, Since We Fell, Shutter Island, and Mystic River. At this point, I have seen two film adaptations of his books that I liked very much, Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone. I haven鈥檛 read any of his other books (yet), but this one, based on a quick look at the range of them, is pretty much a masterpiece. I thought it was a great movie, seen more than a decade ago, but it is also a very great book, with real depth and passion, a story of tragic loss. Yes, it's a thriller, a mystery, but sometimes works rise above their genres, of course, to be great literature. Shutter Island is very good, a kind of homage to forties noir films; Since We Fell deals with upper-middle-class yuppie types, and both are well-written page-turners. But Mystic River would seem to be Lehane鈥檚 real territory, focused as it is on working-class folks from the East Buckingham neighborhood of Boston that Lehane clearly knows very, very well. In the other two books there is nothing approaching the depth of character and knowledge that he lovingly devotes to this Irish Catholic neighborhood, nothing like the compassion he has for each and every one of these people.
I might talk in a lightly spoiler-ish way about some of the early parts of the book鈥攏ot the ending, promise鈥攂ecause I figure thousands of you have read this or seen it by now.
The novel revolves around three boys who grow up as friends, Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus. When the story opens, we see Dave abducted by two child molesters posing as cops, while he, Sean, and Jimmy are horsing around on a neighborhood street. Fast forward 25 years and Sean is a depressed cop with marital issues, Jimmy is a an ex-con on a second marriage, and Dave is pretty much an empty shell of a guy, trying to keep his marriage together and the demons at bay. When Jimmy's daughter is murdered, Sean is assigned to the case. His investigation has him confront Jimmy, who wants to take the law into his own hands: Hey, it鈥檚 my daughter! And then there is Dave, who came home the night Jimmy's daughter died covered in someone else's blood.
We think we know a lot at this point, but we are going to have unravel a lot of history before we are through (more than 400 pages, but it actually reads quickly, as it is so well-written and what happens is engaging), some of the stories entertwined.
鈥淚'm just saying there are threads, okay? Threads in our lives. You pull one, and everything else gets affected.鈥�
This is largely a man鈥檚 story, with loyalty and friendship central: 鈥淎t that moment, Dave would have lifted a house for Jimmy, held it up to his chest until Jimmy told him where to put it down鈥�
but women鈥攕trong, tough, loyal鈥攁lso play very central roles who say things such :
鈥淟ife isn't happily ever after. . . It's work.鈥�
鈥淪he was his wife, mother, best friend, sister, lover, and priest.鈥�
Decisions women make are central to what happens. The healing love of family鈥攖he love of children鈥攊s an important part of this community and this novel. But is it enough to make up for the past?
Mystic River is a majestic but also intensely character-driven thriller that explores how a group of friends in a community can survive who are fiercely loyal, yet hampered by ignorance, lies, self-deception, betrayal and loss.
鈥淲hat did we line up for? Where did we expect to go? And why were we never as happy as we thought we'd be once we got there?鈥�
There鈥檚 an image, near the end, of a parade, in the midst of much anguish and turmoil, and a funeral:
鈥淚t was a beautiful day. A great day for a parade.鈥�
The parade functions just as a block party at the beginning of the book had served as a similar ritual moment of healing when Dave Boyle had come home from his nightmare abduction. Or is it a ritual that masks the truth, that hides real feelings? The parade follows a funeral, another moment of a communal moment of healing, we can only hope. Hours in a bar with family and friends, that鈥檚 another kind of healing ritual here. But as with the love of family and friends, is any social ritual enough to make up for the weight of the past?
I loved this book and immediately re-ordered the film to see again.
I have now within a month listened to what I have heard from 欧宝娱乐 friends are the three best novels from Dennis Lehane, Since We Fell, Shutter Island, and Mystic River. At this point, I have seen two film adaptations of his books that I liked very much, Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone. I haven鈥檛 read any of his other books (yet), but this one, based on a quick look at the range of them, is pretty much a masterpiece. I thought it was a great movie, seen more than a decade ago, but it is also a very great book, with real depth and passion, a story of tragic loss. Yes, it's a thriller, a mystery, but sometimes works rise above their genres, of course, to be great literature. Shutter Island is very good, a kind of homage to forties noir films; Since We Fell deals with upper-middle-class yuppie types, and both are well-written page-turners. But Mystic River would seem to be Lehane鈥檚 real territory, focused as it is on working-class folks from the East Buckingham neighborhood of Boston that Lehane clearly knows very, very well. In the other two books there is nothing approaching the depth of character and knowledge that he lovingly devotes to this Irish Catholic neighborhood, nothing like the compassion he has for each and every one of these people.
I might talk in a lightly spoiler-ish way about some of the early parts of the book鈥攏ot the ending, promise鈥攂ecause I figure thousands of you have read this or seen it by now.
The novel revolves around three boys who grow up as friends, Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus. When the story opens, we see Dave abducted by two child molesters posing as cops, while he, Sean, and Jimmy are horsing around on a neighborhood street. Fast forward 25 years and Sean is a depressed cop with marital issues, Jimmy is a an ex-con on a second marriage, and Dave is pretty much an empty shell of a guy, trying to keep his marriage together and the demons at bay. When Jimmy's daughter is murdered, Sean is assigned to the case. His investigation has him confront Jimmy, who wants to take the law into his own hands: Hey, it鈥檚 my daughter! And then there is Dave, who came home the night Jimmy's daughter died covered in someone else's blood.
We think we know a lot at this point, but we are going to have unravel a lot of history before we are through (more than 400 pages, but it actually reads quickly, as it is so well-written and what happens is engaging), some of the stories entertwined.
鈥淚'm just saying there are threads, okay? Threads in our lives. You pull one, and everything else gets affected.鈥�
This is largely a man鈥檚 story, with loyalty and friendship central: 鈥淎t that moment, Dave would have lifted a house for Jimmy, held it up to his chest until Jimmy told him where to put it down鈥�
but women鈥攕trong, tough, loyal鈥攁lso play very central roles who say things such :
鈥淟ife isn't happily ever after. . . It's work.鈥�
鈥淪he was his wife, mother, best friend, sister, lover, and priest.鈥�
Decisions women make are central to what happens. The healing love of family鈥攖he love of children鈥攊s an important part of this community and this novel. But is it enough to make up for the past?
Mystic River is a majestic but also intensely character-driven thriller that explores how a group of friends in a community can survive who are fiercely loyal, yet hampered by ignorance, lies, self-deception, betrayal and loss.
鈥淲hat did we line up for? Where did we expect to go? And why were we never as happy as we thought we'd be once we got there?鈥�
There鈥檚 an image, near the end, of a parade, in the midst of much anguish and turmoil, and a funeral:
鈥淚t was a beautiful day. A great day for a parade.鈥�
The parade functions just as a block party at the beginning of the book had served as a similar ritual moment of healing when Dave Boyle had come home from his nightmare abduction. Or is it a ritual that masks the truth, that hides real feelings? The parade follows a funeral, another moment of a communal moment of healing, we can only hope. Hours in a bar with family and friends, that鈥檚 another kind of healing ritual here. But as with the love of family and friends, is any social ritual enough to make up for the weight of the past?
I loved this book and immediately re-ordered the film to see again.
November 4, 2021
"I'm just saying there are threads, okay? Threads in our lives. You pull one, and everything else gets affected."
Mystic River is a great mystery, but it is so much more than that. It is a compelling plot-driven story with such well-written and fleshed out characters that it is pretty much just as equally a character-driven story. It is about consequences, family, friendship, and loyalty. Lehane's writing game is strong. Not a spoiler because the synopsis tells you that Jimmy's daughter is murdered, but when Jimmy finds out about his daughter, his reaction is so visceral, I could feel it and my heart broke for him.
I had already seen the movie years ago which was also fantastic, but I wish I would have read the book first. I was absorbed in this gripping story from start to finish and highly recommend it. 5 stars.
Mystic River is a great mystery, but it is so much more than that. It is a compelling plot-driven story with such well-written and fleshed out characters that it is pretty much just as equally a character-driven story. It is about consequences, family, friendship, and loyalty. Lehane's writing game is strong. Not a spoiler because the synopsis tells you that Jimmy's daughter is murdered, but when Jimmy finds out about his daughter, his reaction is so visceral, I could feel it and my heart broke for him.
I had already seen the movie years ago which was also fantastic, but I wish I would have read the book first. I was absorbed in this gripping story from start to finish and highly recommend it. 5 stars.
March 2, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish. Dennis Lehane did a great job of creating a suspenseful story centered around a dark atmosphere. The story was a suspense, crime, and mystery novel that was multilayered with haunting psychological ambiance. There were multiple lines crossed that included childhood friends and the associated loyalty that can linger as we become adults, loyalty to immediate family and friends as adults, alignment of one's personal code of values & beliefs, faith, vengeance, and grieving with the pain of loss.
Another unique aspect I enjoyed was the presentation of the characters, their flaws, and the dialogue and interweaving inner monologue that pushed the story along. The neighborhood and physical setting also acted as heavy influence to the story: a blue-collar, Irish-American, middle-to-low income Boston suburb often portrayed as raw, unforgiving, and hard-knock. I definitely got vibes of movies like The Departed, The Fighter, The Town in terms of a gritty visual. I plan to watch the movie on Netflix this weekend. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-written and moving suspense novel. Thanks!
August 24, 2019
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Genre:
Mystery + Thriller
Synopsis:
Three boys who are friends having a fight. A strange car pulls right there. One of the boys gets into the car, the two others don鈥檛. Something bad happens that changes the three boys forever. After 25 years from this incident, a murder happens that connects all the three now men together. What happens next does not bring anything other than misery and sorrow.
Book Structure:
The book consists of four parts and 26 chapters over 401 pages. The story is told from a third person鈥檚 perspective.
My Thoughts:
I have watched the movie adaptation which is directed by Clint Eastwood when it was released many years ago. I loved the movie very much. The story and the performances are extremely good. The movie was nominated for many Academy Awards including best picture and won the best actor and best supporting actor awards. It was time for me to read the book which I had on my shelf for some time.
鈥淗appiness comes in moments, & then it's gone until the next time. Could be years. But sadness settles it.鈥�
I went into this book knowing the story and having an idea about the thriller side of it. One would think this might affect my enjoyment of the story because this is a thriller and depends a lot on the mystery and the twists, but honestly, that did not happen. The writing style of Dennis Lehane totally hooked me. The characters are so well written. There are many layers of the characters that I don鈥檛 remember being present in the movie that the story was focusing on. I will have to rewatch the film again to make a more comprehensive comparison. All the main characters here are unforgettable, Jimmy, Dave, Sean, Annabeth, and Celeste. You will not have any favorites though because they are all flawed. You will question every single one of them for things they did or will do.
鈥淭here are threads in our lives. You pull one, and everything else gets affected.鈥�
The story moves fast, there was no slightest feel of boredom that I felt while reading. There were times that I felt some heartache with these characters because of the pain they were going through. Dennis Lehane has shown us in this book several clear contrasts like how two different wives reacted differently to the crimes committed by their husbands. Both Celeste & Annabeth were wives yet their reactions were very different. There is a point that Annabeth criticizes Celeste by questioning what kind of a wife she is!
I can鈥檛 recommend enough this book. It is a 5.0 star book for me. Read it and watch the movie adaptation. Both are excellent.
鈥淭here is no street with mute stones and no house without echoes. 鈥擥贸ngora鈥�
November 17, 2024
Dave was abducted by some pedophiles as a kid. Jimmy and Sean were lucky not facing the same fate. Now Katie, Jimmy's daughter is murdered. Who did it and why? See the former friends come together again. Are they still friends? There is a shadow hanging over each character... the author did an outright brilliant job describing his characters and moving the plot slowly forward like the mystic river he is referring to in his book. You're drawn into this neighborhood and look forward what really happened here. A modern classic among murder mysteries. Top pick and highly recommended!
May 1, 2018
I鈥檓 picky with thrillers: I like them ambiguous, complicated and thought-provoking. It鈥檚 not enough to keep me on the edge of my couch cushion, turning the pages frantically; I want to feel the world and the characters鈥� reality as I work towards the d茅nouement. Everyone seems to love 鈥淢ystic River鈥�, and I avoided it for a while because it is labeled as a thriller, and I was afraid it would be too ham-fisted for me. But I found a used copy at a thrift store and figured I didn鈥檛 have much to lose for a dollar鈥�
Well, apologies, Mr. Lehane: you are not a thriller writer, you are a literature author. I鈥檓 sorry I misjudged you.
This book is not cheap and fast entertainment: it鈥檚 a hard story about people life gave a good beating to, and who are trying to carry on as best as they can despite all the damage that weighs on them. In its weird, dark way, it鈥檚 actually incredibly compassionate, which I hadn鈥檛 really expected. Lehane understands that we carry our parents and our childhoods along with us all the time, and he integrated that into his character development flawlessly. It is also an interesting portrait of the way some trauma keeps on rippling through our lives and makes us see and interpret things very differently than we would have if we didn鈥檛 have these ripples coursing through us constantly.
Sean, Jimmy and Dave grow up in the 70鈥檚, in a working-class area of Boston. Sean is the thoughtful kind, but he is nevertheless attracted to Jimmy鈥檚 wild and unpredictable personality, as where Dave is mostly along for the ride, happy to bask in the glow of his friendship with Jimmy. One day, as they are rough-housing in the street, two men dressed as plainclothes policemen drive by, stop the fight and make Dave get in the backseat, to take him home and tell his mother he鈥檚 been fighting. Dave makes his way back to his mother four days later, irreparably changed by this horrible event. But life will never really be the same for Sean and Jimmy neither, as all three of them will be haunted by that fate-defining moment, when one boy got in a stranger鈥檚 car and two boys didn鈥檛.
Forward twenty five years later: Sean is a police detective nursing the wounds of a broken marriage, Jimmy is a reformed crook who now owns a corner store and does his best to be a family man, while Dave hops from job to job, trying to keep his marriage together and his past buried. They haven鈥檛 really been in touch: Jimmy and Dave鈥檚 wives are cousins but not close friends, and Sean moved to a different part of Boston. But they are brought back together when tragedy strikes again: Jimmy鈥檚 19 year-old daughter Katie is brutally murdered on the night she was planning to run away to Vegas with her boyfriend.
Jimmy鈥檚 reaction to his daughter鈥檚 death is feral: his grief festers into rage in the blink of an eye, and the instincts honed during his criminal years rear their ugly heads. What he goes through has the heartbreaking intensity of a Greek play or Russian tragedy: family, death, madness, revenge and guilt all mixed together in a horrible, de-humanizing cocktail.
The red herring 鈥� that may or may not be one, is also perfectly played because it will make the uninformed reader flip-flop between what he thinks happened a few times before the truth comes out. And the conclusion is as somber as it is satisfying.
I had seen the movie over ten years ago, so I vaguely remembered some parts of the plot, but not enough to ruin the book, because Denis Lehane can write! He is obviously no stranger to the gritty reality of poor blue-collar families from South Boston, and he uses it to noir perfection to communicate the despair and anger of his characters. The way he describes people whose suffering has hardened them to the point where they simply cannot empathize anymore is chilling.
An incredible book that shouldn鈥檛 be judged by where it鈥檚 shelved at the store: a dark and excellent novel.
Well, apologies, Mr. Lehane: you are not a thriller writer, you are a literature author. I鈥檓 sorry I misjudged you.
This book is not cheap and fast entertainment: it鈥檚 a hard story about people life gave a good beating to, and who are trying to carry on as best as they can despite all the damage that weighs on them. In its weird, dark way, it鈥檚 actually incredibly compassionate, which I hadn鈥檛 really expected. Lehane understands that we carry our parents and our childhoods along with us all the time, and he integrated that into his character development flawlessly. It is also an interesting portrait of the way some trauma keeps on rippling through our lives and makes us see and interpret things very differently than we would have if we didn鈥檛 have these ripples coursing through us constantly.
Sean, Jimmy and Dave grow up in the 70鈥檚, in a working-class area of Boston. Sean is the thoughtful kind, but he is nevertheless attracted to Jimmy鈥檚 wild and unpredictable personality, as where Dave is mostly along for the ride, happy to bask in the glow of his friendship with Jimmy. One day, as they are rough-housing in the street, two men dressed as plainclothes policemen drive by, stop the fight and make Dave get in the backseat, to take him home and tell his mother he鈥檚 been fighting. Dave makes his way back to his mother four days later, irreparably changed by this horrible event. But life will never really be the same for Sean and Jimmy neither, as all three of them will be haunted by that fate-defining moment, when one boy got in a stranger鈥檚 car and two boys didn鈥檛.
Forward twenty five years later: Sean is a police detective nursing the wounds of a broken marriage, Jimmy is a reformed crook who now owns a corner store and does his best to be a family man, while Dave hops from job to job, trying to keep his marriage together and his past buried. They haven鈥檛 really been in touch: Jimmy and Dave鈥檚 wives are cousins but not close friends, and Sean moved to a different part of Boston. But they are brought back together when tragedy strikes again: Jimmy鈥檚 19 year-old daughter Katie is brutally murdered on the night she was planning to run away to Vegas with her boyfriend.
Jimmy鈥檚 reaction to his daughter鈥檚 death is feral: his grief festers into rage in the blink of an eye, and the instincts honed during his criminal years rear their ugly heads. What he goes through has the heartbreaking intensity of a Greek play or Russian tragedy: family, death, madness, revenge and guilt all mixed together in a horrible, de-humanizing cocktail.
The red herring 鈥� that may or may not be one, is also perfectly played because it will make the uninformed reader flip-flop between what he thinks happened a few times before the truth comes out. And the conclusion is as somber as it is satisfying.
I had seen the movie over ten years ago, so I vaguely remembered some parts of the plot, but not enough to ruin the book, because Denis Lehane can write! He is obviously no stranger to the gritty reality of poor blue-collar families from South Boston, and he uses it to noir perfection to communicate the despair and anger of his characters. The way he describes people whose suffering has hardened them to the point where they simply cannot empathize anymore is chilling.
An incredible book that shouldn鈥檛 be judged by where it鈥檚 shelved at the store: a dark and excellent novel.
September 15, 2015
I read this masterpiece a while ago before I joined 欧宝娱乐 and I've been contemplating posting a review because it's on the top of my favorites list. But for a while I wasn't sure I could say anything that could do justice to this remarkable book. Not only is it Dennis Lehane's greatest book (and that's saying a lot), this modern tragedy sets the standard for all contemporary crime dramas and thrillers. It's one of the only books that I would consider near perfect and I would recommend it to anyone. It's the novel that stuck with me the longest after reading it, and if I was forced to name a top favorite book, this would probably be it. This gush of praise might not be much of a review...but hey, just go read it.
February 28, 2017
Find all of my reviews at:
鈥淲e bury our sins here. We wash them clean.鈥�
Mystic River was another selection of mine for the (already completed) Read to Reel challenge at my local library. Although I鈥檝e owned this book for years, for whatever reason it remained on the 鈥渉ysterectomy shelves鈥� untouched until the librarian forced my hand. Amazingly, I have also been able to avoid ever seeing the movie that was released 10+ years ago due to my dislike for Clint Eastwood鈥檚 directing . . . . .
Ahhhhh save it, Clint!
The story here is about Sean, Jimmy and Dave. Twenty-five years ago they were rough-housing in the street when two men claiming to be cops pulled up in an unmarked police cruiser. Sean and Jimmy went home, Dave got in the car with the men and managed to find his way back four days later . . . .
Fast-forward to the present where Sean is a detective with a wife (and possible daughter) who have split on him, Jimmy is an ex-con turned family man who owns and operates the corner store and Dave is someone who presents a good front, but whose past torments him more than anyone could ever imagine. When Jimmy鈥檚 daughter is brutally murdered in a local park the three former friends find their lives intertwined once again and all the demons buried so long ago come boiling to the surface.
Like all of the other Dennis Lehane鈥檚 I鈥檝e read, this one was a real wicked pissa. If you ever need an excuse for putting your head in the oven, Lehane is an author who will deliver them in spades. Mystic River is categorized as a 鈥淢ystery/Thriller鈥� like all of the author鈥檚 other works, but that sells this novel so short. While there is most assuredly a mystery to solve, I believe most readers will find that aspect of the book takes second fiddle to the character study of these three families. It鈥檚 quite easy to see the red herring and, for people who gravitate toward the thriller or crime genres, it鈥檚 pretty simple to see the end well before you ever reach it. And if your brain works like mine and 100% refuses to acknowledge the casting decisions made by the pros, but instead replaces them with . . . .
A story like Mystic River can only end one way.
If you like 鈥榚m dark, look no further. Lehane is a master of this art and proves once again that . . . .
鈥淚 think anyone鈥檚 capable of anything.鈥�
All the stars.
(And if you want to continue on a downward spiral of superbads happening that eff up kids鈥� lives forever, look no further than sleepers.)
Book # I lost count in the Library Winter Reading Challenge
鈥淲e bury our sins here. We wash them clean.鈥�
Mystic River was another selection of mine for the (already completed) Read to Reel challenge at my local library. Although I鈥檝e owned this book for years, for whatever reason it remained on the 鈥渉ysterectomy shelves鈥� untouched until the librarian forced my hand. Amazingly, I have also been able to avoid ever seeing the movie that was released 10+ years ago due to my dislike for Clint Eastwood鈥檚 directing . . . . .
Ahhhhh save it, Clint!
The story here is about Sean, Jimmy and Dave. Twenty-five years ago they were rough-housing in the street when two men claiming to be cops pulled up in an unmarked police cruiser. Sean and Jimmy went home, Dave got in the car with the men and managed to find his way back four days later . . . .
Fast-forward to the present where Sean is a detective with a wife (and possible daughter) who have split on him, Jimmy is an ex-con turned family man who owns and operates the corner store and Dave is someone who presents a good front, but whose past torments him more than anyone could ever imagine. When Jimmy鈥檚 daughter is brutally murdered in a local park the three former friends find their lives intertwined once again and all the demons buried so long ago come boiling to the surface.
Like all of the other Dennis Lehane鈥檚 I鈥檝e read, this one was a real wicked pissa. If you ever need an excuse for putting your head in the oven, Lehane is an author who will deliver them in spades. Mystic River is categorized as a 鈥淢ystery/Thriller鈥� like all of the author鈥檚 other works, but that sells this novel so short. While there is most assuredly a mystery to solve, I believe most readers will find that aspect of the book takes second fiddle to the character study of these three families. It鈥檚 quite easy to see the red herring and, for people who gravitate toward the thriller or crime genres, it鈥檚 pretty simple to see the end well before you ever reach it. And if your brain works like mine and 100% refuses to acknowledge the casting decisions made by the pros, but instead replaces them with . . . .
A story like Mystic River can only end one way.
If you like 鈥榚m dark, look no further. Lehane is a master of this art and proves once again that . . . .
鈥淚 think anyone鈥檚 capable of anything.鈥�
All the stars.
(And if you want to continue on a downward spiral of superbads happening that eff up kids鈥� lives forever, look no further than sleepers.)
Book # I lost count in the Library Winter Reading Challenge
July 23, 2024
After finishing this Sunday night, I realized Mystic River is a novel that stays with you for hours, days and months later.
While walking around the park that evening, I was thinking about the overall journey that each character goes through in this book. I was gripped with my thoughts and trying to understand the life decisions that Sean, Dave and Jimmy go through.
鉁旓笍 Was his life always going to be tragic?
鉁旓笍 Did he always know how to sort and understand others鈥� intentions?
鉁旓笍 Was he always going to be this type of man regardless of life challenges and tragedy?
鉁旓笍 Did this one moment in time physically, mentally and emotionally change each character in a completely different trajectory than what they could have been?
Mystic River was more than a murder mystery. It鈥檚 a look into human suffering, motivations and evil that can reside buried in someone for years.
And if those circumstances are just right, that evil gets mixed together, left to simmer and just explodes one day.
Dennis Lehane wrote a masterpiece. At least to me he did.
When you pick up a book, this is what reading is supposed to be like. It's a complete immersion of pacing, plot, and atmosphere that clings to the mind days after you've closed it.
While walking around the park that evening, I was thinking about the overall journey that each character goes through in this book. I was gripped with my thoughts and trying to understand the life decisions that Sean, Dave and Jimmy go through.
鉁旓笍 Was his life always going to be tragic?
鉁旓笍 Did he always know how to sort and understand others鈥� intentions?
鉁旓笍 Was he always going to be this type of man regardless of life challenges and tragedy?
鉁旓笍 Did this one moment in time physically, mentally and emotionally change each character in a completely different trajectory than what they could have been?
Mystic River was more than a murder mystery. It鈥檚 a look into human suffering, motivations and evil that can reside buried in someone for years.
And if those circumstances are just right, that evil gets mixed together, left to simmer and just explodes one day.
Dennis Lehane wrote a masterpiece. At least to me he did.
When you pick up a book, this is what reading is supposed to be like. It's a complete immersion of pacing, plot, and atmosphere that clings to the mind days after you've closed it.
April 11, 2017
Three young boys. Three young lives. A car with two scoundrels in the road. Silence.
Many years later, a murder of someone's daughter. Life had a story to tell. Friendship broke out in different voices.
I'm not going to say much about this book. An excellent, gritty, somber, literary, psycho-thriller. The murder mystery denied me more sleep! I wanted to cry for all of them. Still do.
To Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle: - I can never forget, or give up on you. Friendship does not work that way. Sad that the ending of the book interrupted our story.
This should have been a buddie-read. Oy! I need someone to discuss the ending with. Unusual, unique, thought-provoking.
You do not read this book to escape reality. In fact, you're thrown right into it with no way out, or Plan B, in sight. A slice of life dished out in no uncertain terms.
Many years later, a murder of someone's daughter. Life had a story to tell. Friendship broke out in different voices.
I'm not going to say much about this book. An excellent, gritty, somber, literary, psycho-thriller. The murder mystery denied me more sleep! I wanted to cry for all of them. Still do.
To Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle: - I can never forget, or give up on you. Friendship does not work that way. Sad that the ending of the book interrupted our story.
This should have been a buddie-read. Oy! I need someone to discuss the ending with. Unusual, unique, thought-provoking.
You do not read this book to escape reality. In fact, you're thrown right into it with no way out, or Plan B, in sight. A slice of life dished out in no uncertain terms.
He couldn't remember much of the specifics鈥� just a few details, unconnected鈥攁nd he had a sense that there hadn't been much of a narrative flow in the first place. Still, the raw texture of it had sunk like razor points into the back of his skull, left him feeling skittish all morning.Mark my words, this quote is prophetic. :-)
March 6, 2017
Extremely well written. This author can do more for character development in one or two pages than others try in 30. There was not one moment of let down or disbelief. This is a very good, gritty, tough and tragic mystery. Has to be on a top 10 (of all time) list somewhere. ;-)
December 17, 2014
Writing this review as I sit here watching Sean Penn discover the brutal death of his daughter, kicking myself once again because this is another book I should of read a long time ago. Just glad in a way that I also hadn't seen the film and blown a powerfully compelling ending that managed to stay just out of my grasp until two pages before the big reveal.
听
Mystic River is a riveting character driven crime thriller about three boys, one abducted and forever scarred with what he endured, all grown up but with distinctly different futures. Shaped by circumstance, three very different characters, surviving life with wildly opposing ideals but nonetheless each one totally gripping.
听
Jimmy Marcus's daughter goes out one night and never makes it home, tragically killed, devastation closely follows and the hunt for a killer that cleverly shifts focus leaving deep consequences in its wake.
"I know in my soul I contributed to my child鈥檚 death. I can feel it. But I don鈥檛 know how."
听
Sean Devine, now a detective and hauled back to his old neighbourhood to investigate the murder, old friends, old memories and lies occupy his thoughts, the truth just out of reach.
'Sean felt a sudden lurch in the morning, a shifting in the softness of it.'
听
And Dave Boyle, abducted as a child, both an intense sadness and madness, never far away, following him round hand in hand with a wretched betrayal.
'And he鈥檇 grown up into this tall, smart, handsome guy with a voice you could listen to all night and eyes that seemed to peel you away in layers.'
听
Top marks for an absolutely gripping plot, powerful and compelling characters, and delightful prose. One of the best, simple as.
听
I don鈥檛 normally swear in my reviews but this deserves a fucking big round of applause and I鈥檒l be visiting Mr Lehane鈥檚 back catalogue very soon and the film is nowhere near as good as the read IMHO.
Also posted at
听
Mystic River is a riveting character driven crime thriller about three boys, one abducted and forever scarred with what he endured, all grown up but with distinctly different futures. Shaped by circumstance, three very different characters, surviving life with wildly opposing ideals but nonetheless each one totally gripping.
听
Jimmy Marcus's daughter goes out one night and never makes it home, tragically killed, devastation closely follows and the hunt for a killer that cleverly shifts focus leaving deep consequences in its wake.
"I know in my soul I contributed to my child鈥檚 death. I can feel it. But I don鈥檛 know how."
听
Sean Devine, now a detective and hauled back to his old neighbourhood to investigate the murder, old friends, old memories and lies occupy his thoughts, the truth just out of reach.
'Sean felt a sudden lurch in the morning, a shifting in the softness of it.'
听
And Dave Boyle, abducted as a child, both an intense sadness and madness, never far away, following him round hand in hand with a wretched betrayal.
'And he鈥檇 grown up into this tall, smart, handsome guy with a voice you could listen to all night and eyes that seemed to peel you away in layers.'
听
Top marks for an absolutely gripping plot, powerful and compelling characters, and delightful prose. One of the best, simple as.
听
I don鈥檛 normally swear in my reviews but this deserves a fucking big round of applause and I鈥檒l be visiting Mr Lehane鈥檚 back catalogue very soon and the film is nowhere near as good as the read IMHO.
Also posted at
October 18, 2018
If one approaches 鈥淢ystic River鈥� with the same mindset that one would approach a conventional 鈥渢hriller鈥�, one is apt to be a tad disappointed. Because what Dennis Lehane does here is to masterfully use the structure of the genre to explore deep psychological and moral issues.
Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus and Dave Boyle are kids playing and growing up together in the small town of East Buckingham in the US. Sean, being from the blue collar neighbourhood of the Point, is socially a cut above Jimmy and Dave who live in the 鈥淔lats鈥� 鈥� Dave is even more underprivileged because he does not have a father and his mother is a bit crazy. But as children, such differences do not affect them 鈥� until one day, Dave is kidnapped by child molesters right from in front of their eyes. He returns, scarred by his experience, and is further traumatised by the social stigma he faces. It also ends the friendship between the three kids, and they move their different ways.
However, they meet twenty-five years down the line. Now Jimmy is an ex-convict with a wife and three daughters. Dave is a one-time baseball hero with a wife and son, but who is still battling his ghosts. And Sean is a policeman whose wife has just left him. The reason for their meeting? Jimmy鈥檚 daughter Katie is murdered, Sean is assigned to the case, and Dave is one of the suspects 鈥� because he came back home, covered in somebody else鈥檚 blood, the night Katie died.
As events proceed to their tragic conclusion, the three former friends realise that they can never outrun their karma.
***
Have you ever wondered how much randomness affects our lives? For example, if Hitler had become successful as a painter, he probably would have never created the Nazi party. If Gandhi had not been chucked out from the first class compartment in South Africa, he may not have joined the freedom movement. If some random bit of mould had not dropped into Alexander Fleming鈥檚 bacterial cultures, we probably would not have discovered penicillin.
Similarly, one random event in three boys鈥� life spreads its tentacles far down the line so as to twist their lives beyond recognition. Even though cause and effect is explicit only in the case of Dave, the author gives the impression that the lives of Sean and Jimmy as well have been impacted by that cursed afternoon; maybe even Jimmy鈥檚 life of crime (the karma of which came back, according to him) also had a start that day? As well as Sean鈥檚 failure to connect with his wife and the collapse of his marriage?
The karma in this tale is random 鈥� it does not have the focussed energy of 鈥渏ust desserts鈥� usually found in such literature. Karma here is a loose cannon, running berserk, letting go at random intervals; those in the line of fire get it. This is the collective karma of a people who have created a society where wolves in human clothing like those who took Dave can grow. A karma which is much, much more brutal than the people whom it affects.
For ultimately, this novel, I felt, is an indictment of America; a 鈥渕ystic river鈥� whose cavernous depths are populated with corpses of age-old sins: sins which are submerged but unforgotten.
Because old sins have long shadows.
Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus and Dave Boyle are kids playing and growing up together in the small town of East Buckingham in the US. Sean, being from the blue collar neighbourhood of the Point, is socially a cut above Jimmy and Dave who live in the 鈥淔lats鈥� 鈥� Dave is even more underprivileged because he does not have a father and his mother is a bit crazy. But as children, such differences do not affect them 鈥� until one day, Dave is kidnapped by child molesters right from in front of their eyes. He returns, scarred by his experience, and is further traumatised by the social stigma he faces. It also ends the friendship between the three kids, and they move their different ways.
However, they meet twenty-five years down the line. Now Jimmy is an ex-convict with a wife and three daughters. Dave is a one-time baseball hero with a wife and son, but who is still battling his ghosts. And Sean is a policeman whose wife has just left him. The reason for their meeting? Jimmy鈥檚 daughter Katie is murdered, Sean is assigned to the case, and Dave is one of the suspects 鈥� because he came back home, covered in somebody else鈥檚 blood, the night Katie died.
As events proceed to their tragic conclusion, the three former friends realise that they can never outrun their karma.
***
Have you ever wondered how much randomness affects our lives? For example, if Hitler had become successful as a painter, he probably would have never created the Nazi party. If Gandhi had not been chucked out from the first class compartment in South Africa, he may not have joined the freedom movement. If some random bit of mould had not dropped into Alexander Fleming鈥檚 bacterial cultures, we probably would not have discovered penicillin.
Similarly, one random event in three boys鈥� life spreads its tentacles far down the line so as to twist their lives beyond recognition. Even though cause and effect is explicit only in the case of Dave, the author gives the impression that the lives of Sean and Jimmy as well have been impacted by that cursed afternoon; maybe even Jimmy鈥檚 life of crime (the karma of which came back, according to him) also had a start that day? As well as Sean鈥檚 failure to connect with his wife and the collapse of his marriage?
The karma in this tale is random 鈥� it does not have the focussed energy of 鈥渏ust desserts鈥� usually found in such literature. Karma here is a loose cannon, running berserk, letting go at random intervals; those in the line of fire get it. This is the collective karma of a people who have created a society where wolves in human clothing like those who took Dave can grow. A karma which is much, much more brutal than the people whom it affects.
For ultimately, this novel, I felt, is an indictment of America; a 鈥渕ystic river鈥� whose cavernous depths are populated with corpses of age-old sins: sins which are submerged but unforgotten.
Because old sins have long shadows.
December 11, 2021
I'm not sure why it took me so long to read this book, but now that I have, I want to see the film adaptation, too! It's an intense story from start to finish, told from different POVs, which worked really well to create suspense. This method also allowed Lehane to make each of the characters seem very fleshed out and real. You could feel Jimmy's anguish and Dave's confusion, and this made an almost exhausting read, because I got so sucked into the emotions of the characters. The story itself isn't the most original, but the way it is told makes it outstanding. The writing is taut and polished and the setting drawn out so well I felt I was walking those streets beside the characters. I already know I'll be thinking about this book for some time to come. Definitely recommended!
April 29, 2024
隆颁丑补辫别补耻! Me quito el sombrero ante Lehane, Mystic River es una novela brillante.
Del autor previamente hab铆a le铆do 'Golpe de Gracia' hace apenas un mes y fue amor a primera vista, novela que disfrut茅 mucho. El cuerpo me ped铆a leer m谩s de 茅l y que mejor que una de sus novelas m谩s famosas. La pel铆cula la vi hace tantos a帽os que apenas recordaba nada, me he podido sumergir en sus p谩ginas con la mente totalmente en blanco.
Obviamente no puedo hablar mucho de la obra de Lehane habiendo le铆do solo dos novelas, pero al menos estas dos tienen mucho paralelismos, la premisa es muy similar. Podr铆a decir: Lehane se repite, pero no, lo que quiero es m谩s de esto.
Estamos en los barrios humildes de Boston, tres ni帽os, Jimmy, Sean y Dave est谩n jugando en la calle cuando se les acerca un coche. Ese d铆a, ese momento, marcar谩 el resto de sus vidas. A帽os despu茅s, ya adultos, otro acontecimiento los vuelve a juntar.
El argumento de la novela en s铆 es algo que podemos encontrar en infinidad de otras del g茅nero; un asesinato y la posterior b煤squeda del asesino. Pero Lehane nos lleva mucho m谩s all谩 que la simple investigaci贸n. Aqu铆 es todo mucho m谩s complejo, todos los personajes son magistrales, tanto los principales como los secundarios. Sentimos su soledad, su culpa, las mierdas que llevan a帽os arrastrando y tambi茅n al amor hacia los suyos.
El autor se toma su tiempo en presentarte a los personajes con un ritmo pausado, personalmente no tengo problema con esto, si me resulta interesante y conecto con el estilo narrativo, que as铆 es en este caso, me da igual el n煤mero de p谩ginas que sean, ya habr谩 tiempo de llegar a la chicha. Hay autores con los que te sientes c贸modo y a gusto que da igual lo que te est茅n contando, te sumerges y ya no sales.
En cierto momento la novela coge m谩s ritmo, como lector te pones m谩s tenso y de ah铆 ya cuesta abajo y sin control hasta el final. Mientras escribo esto solo pienso: Joder, si con decir que es un novel贸n me ahorro toda la parrafada.
La ambientaci贸n es muy oscura, todo est谩 envuelto es familias desestructuradas, brotes de violencia, alcoholismo y un largo etc茅tera Lehane reflexiona sobre este tema cuando todo esto lo vives en la infancia, las probabilidades de que te dejen secuelas son muy altas.
Poco m谩s que a帽adir sobre est谩 obra maestra ya archiconocida. 5猸� bien merecidas. Ir谩n cayendo m谩s novelas de este magnifico autor, me parece que al 2024 lo voy a llamar 'A帽o Lehane'.
Del autor previamente hab铆a le铆do 'Golpe de Gracia' hace apenas un mes y fue amor a primera vista, novela que disfrut茅 mucho. El cuerpo me ped铆a leer m谩s de 茅l y que mejor que una de sus novelas m谩s famosas. La pel铆cula la vi hace tantos a帽os que apenas recordaba nada, me he podido sumergir en sus p谩ginas con la mente totalmente en blanco.
Obviamente no puedo hablar mucho de la obra de Lehane habiendo le铆do solo dos novelas, pero al menos estas dos tienen mucho paralelismos, la premisa es muy similar. Podr铆a decir: Lehane se repite, pero no, lo que quiero es m谩s de esto.
Estamos en los barrios humildes de Boston, tres ni帽os, Jimmy, Sean y Dave est谩n jugando en la calle cuando se les acerca un coche. Ese d铆a, ese momento, marcar谩 el resto de sus vidas. A帽os despu茅s, ya adultos, otro acontecimiento los vuelve a juntar.
El argumento de la novela en s铆 es algo que podemos encontrar en infinidad de otras del g茅nero; un asesinato y la posterior b煤squeda del asesino. Pero Lehane nos lleva mucho m谩s all谩 que la simple investigaci贸n. Aqu铆 es todo mucho m谩s complejo, todos los personajes son magistrales, tanto los principales como los secundarios. Sentimos su soledad, su culpa, las mierdas que llevan a帽os arrastrando y tambi茅n al amor hacia los suyos.
El autor se toma su tiempo en presentarte a los personajes con un ritmo pausado, personalmente no tengo problema con esto, si me resulta interesante y conecto con el estilo narrativo, que as铆 es en este caso, me da igual el n煤mero de p谩ginas que sean, ya habr谩 tiempo de llegar a la chicha. Hay autores con los que te sientes c贸modo y a gusto que da igual lo que te est茅n contando, te sumerges y ya no sales.
En cierto momento la novela coge m谩s ritmo, como lector te pones m谩s tenso y de ah铆 ya cuesta abajo y sin control hasta el final. Mientras escribo esto solo pienso: Joder, si con decir que es un novel贸n me ahorro toda la parrafada.
La ambientaci贸n es muy oscura, todo est谩 envuelto es familias desestructuradas, brotes de violencia, alcoholismo y un largo etc茅tera Lehane reflexiona sobre este tema cuando todo esto lo vives en la infancia, las probabilidades de que te dejen secuelas son muy altas.
Poco m谩s que a帽adir sobre est谩 obra maestra ya archiconocida. 5猸� bien merecidas. Ir谩n cayendo m谩s novelas de este magnifico autor, me parece que al 2024 lo voy a llamar 'A帽o Lehane'.
July 6, 2019
Three friends and the doomed power of injuries..
A battered child choosing the lie in the face of death, because the truth is so enorm and monstrous he cannot uttered it..
The evil commited to the soul of a child reverberates and mould the lives of other people..
Three friends..
One of then, Dave is kinapped by two child molester for four days..
After this, nothing is the same again!!!
Decades latter:
Dave has a young beatiful wife and a son..
His wife loves him but know nothing what happened to his man..
The consequences are disastrous!!!
Jimmy has become a criminal and gangster..
His first wife died from skyn cancer..
A man must pay with his life..
Sean has become a detective and his wife has leave him with his baby girl..
He must fight his inner demons..
A murder case brings Sean to the border of despair and he is forced to make painful choices ..
Katie, Jimmys daughter is found in a park murdered, and her body dreadfully mutilated!!!
After this crime a chain reaction and events are started which will have sinister and dark implications for the three friends..
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane is a thriller and will captivate the reader from the first page on..
Yes, a sad story..
Lehane deals with the question of how much pain and suffering a human soul is capable to endure..
Love, trust, and loyalty in spite of heavy evidences..
This and much more awaits the reader in Mistyc River..
Wonderful written..
Believable characters..
An unexpected ending..
All this points sums to a total of five stars for me!!!
Loved it!!!
Full recommendation to all my goodread friends!!
Happy reading
Dean;)))
A battered child choosing the lie in the face of death, because the truth is so enorm and monstrous he cannot uttered it..
The evil commited to the soul of a child reverberates and mould the lives of other people..
Three friends..
One of then, Dave is kinapped by two child molester for four days..
After this, nothing is the same again!!!
Decades latter:
Dave has a young beatiful wife and a son..
His wife loves him but know nothing what happened to his man..
The consequences are disastrous!!!
Jimmy has become a criminal and gangster..
His first wife died from skyn cancer..
A man must pay with his life..
Sean has become a detective and his wife has leave him with his baby girl..
He must fight his inner demons..
A murder case brings Sean to the border of despair and he is forced to make painful choices ..
Katie, Jimmys daughter is found in a park murdered, and her body dreadfully mutilated!!!
After this crime a chain reaction and events are started which will have sinister and dark implications for the three friends..
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane is a thriller and will captivate the reader from the first page on..
Yes, a sad story..
Lehane deals with the question of how much pain and suffering a human soul is capable to endure..
Love, trust, and loyalty in spite of heavy evidences..
This and much more awaits the reader in Mistyc River..
Wonderful written..
Believable characters..
An unexpected ending..
All this points sums to a total of five stars for me!!!
Loved it!!!
Full recommendation to all my goodread friends!!
Happy reading
Dean;)))
June 16, 2022
Genauso stelle ich mir einen guten Kriminalroman vor. Dennis Lehane legt viel Wert darauf, die Beziehung zwischen den Menschen und ihren eigenen 脛ngsten und Bed眉rfnissen zu erz盲hlen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen drei Jungs, die als 11j盲hrige in Boston gro脽 werden und deren Leben sich nach 眉ber 20 Jahren kreuzen. Der eine wurde Polizist, der andere Krimineller und der Dritte k盲mpft mit den Traumata aus der Kindheit. Und dann geschieht ein Mord und die Beziehungen der Menschen werden auf die Probe gestellt. Da dehnt sich die Geschichte dann gleich auf 眉ber 600 Seiten und bekommt stilistisch schon Stephen King Niveau. Ich mag das, wenn sich die Spannung langsam entwickelt. Wahrscheinlich kennt die halbe Welt schon die Clint Eastwood Verfilmung. Ich hatte das Gl眉ck (wie auch schon bei Lehanes ), dass ich den Film nicht kannte und so diesen Krimi in vollen Z眉gen genie脽en konnte. Lehane schwingt sich langsam zu einem Lieblingsschriftsteller bei mir auf.
May 4, 2015
I'm just saying there are threads, okay? Threads in our lives. You pull one, and everything else gets affected. Say it rained in Dallas and so Kennedy didn't ride in a convertible. Stalin stayed in the seminary. Say you and me, Sean, say we got in that car with Dave Boyle.
A horrible murder is commited in a blue-collar neighborhood of Boston. Dennis Lehane goes far deeper than your regular crime writer into the motives and the conditions that led to the crime. He concentrates on the personalities of the people involved, on the secrets hidden deep under the faces they show to the world and how those secrets bleed into one another and destroy both the victim the perpetrator. To find the murderer, Lehane follows and unravels threads more than twenty-five years old, introducing three young boys forming an unlikely friendship (the parents are from wide apart social classes). Sean Devine is self-assured and a little arrogant, basking in his parents relative affluence; Jimmy Marcus is impulsive and dangerous, a product of a dysfunctional family; Dave Boyle is needy and fawning, annoying in his clinging to the other two boys. The friendship is cut short when a couple of strangers impersonating police officers kidnap Dave. Dave eventually escapes the child molesters (all this is part of the prologue, so no spoilers yet), but neither him nor the other two boys will ever forget the moment that Fate struck and changed their destiny. Because decades later, the beautiful, innocent daughter of Jimmy Marcus is found dead in a city park. Becasue Sean is the police officer tasked with investigating the murder. And because Dave is among the last persons to see the girl alive, and he is lying about his alibi. The three former friends have grown apart long ago, but the echoes of the childhood trauma is still haunting them and may reflect in the way they deal with the current crime.
The novel is not a fast-paced one, preferring instead the police procedural approach of meticulously gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, taking into account the relationships and the histories of the whole neighborhood. It stands out for me most of all through the powerful evocation of the turmoil and rage visited on the relatives of the victim, the ones who have to deal with the aftermath of the crime, with the funeral arrangements, with the emptiness left behind by the missing girl, with the need to continue living for the sake of spouses and children and friends.
And often the worst thing wasn't the victims - they were dead, after all, and beyond any more pain. The worst thing was those who's loved them and survived them. Often the walking dead from now on, shell-shocked, hearts ruptured, stumbling through the remainder of their lives without anything left inside of them but blood and organs, impervious to pain, having learned nothing except that the worst things did, in fact sometimes happen.
Still, the novel is not simply a psychological study of trauma and works well enough as a mystery, throwing sufficient doubt about the main suspect to keep the reader guessing until almost the last page. I did get an inkling about the identity of the culprit early on, but it was deftly done, in a blink-and-you-miss-it couple of clues. Anyway, there is more to the story than finding the identity of the murderer. There are the decisions taken by the survivors, mourning walking hand in hand with the thirst for revenge. There is a closure to be found for the car incident from twenty-five years ago. There is the neighborhood that endures and absorbs the pain and learns to go on.
It is difficult to explain how each of the three friends dealt with the past without spoiling major events later on, but I will give it a try : Jimmy has chosen the path of a criminal career, cut up short not so much by prison time, but by he need to take care of his orphaned daughter. Sean is struggling with depression, a common hazard in a policeman, aggravated by a separation from his wife. Dave has the worst problems, but is he solely to blame for his schizophrenic condition or is the society who ignored his need for counselling and support partly responsible?
I have talked mostly about boys who become men, but the women in the novel are as important and often stronger than their husbands or fathers or boyfriends. They can either raise them above themselves or bury them deeper in trouble. Their suffering is moe keen and more bitter than the men's, who find escape either in drink or in violence. Insecure Celeste Boyle, the absent Lauren Devine and especially rock-hard Annabeth Marcus will stand out and be counted as active players in the unfolding drama.
More than the story, I was captivated by the talent of the author to write about the human element of the crime. Fingerprints, blood analysis, balistics, interrogation techniques are all important, but the resolution turns on the personalities and hidden identities of the actors. Jimmy is all about control:
Lotta things are in my blood. Doesn't mean they have to come out.
Sean is all about his failed marriage and ensuing depression:
Lately, though, he's just been tired in general. Tired of people. Tired of books and TV and the nightly news and songs on the radio that sounded exactly like other songs on the radio he'd heard years before and hadn't liked much in the first place. He was tired of his clothes and tired of his hair and tired of other people's clothes and other people's hair. He was tired of wishing things made sense. Tired of office politics and who was screwing who, both figuratively and otherwise. He'd gotten to a point where he was pretty sure he'd heard everything anyone had to say on any given subject and so it seemed he spent his days listening to old recordings of things that hadn't seemed fresh the first time he's heard them.
and Dave is all about the fight between the after-effects of his childhood trauma and his efforts to lead a normal family life.
Unaware, then, how short futures could be. How quick they could disappear, leave you with nothing but a long-ass present that held no surprises, no reason for hope, nothing but days that bled into one another with so little impact that another year was over and the calendar page in the kitchen was still stuck on March.
These passages I have selected give, I hope an idea of the empathy and involvement with the subject demonstrated by Lehane, and also showcase his strong, evocative prose. the author. I was not aware of his biographical details, and actually wondered why is the novel titled "Mystic River"? Turns out Lehane grew up in a similar neighborhood of Boston as the one described in the novel, and that the place has as much to do with the shaping of the destinies of the three friends as the event from their childhood. The social separation between the poor Flats and the affluent Point, the criminal traditions of the Irish and Italian gangs operating in the city, the mostly Catholic upbringing of the majority of the inhabitants, the recent gentrification trend that brings in yuppies from the suburbs and pushes the old tenants out into even more insalubrious parts of the city - all of these factors are reflected in the hearts and soul of the locals.
You came back here because you'd built this village, you knew its dangers and its pleasures, and most important, nothing that happened here surprised you. There was a logic to the corruption and the bloodbaths and the bar fights and the stickball games and the Saturday-morning lovemaking. No one else saw the logic, and that was the point. No one else was welcome here.
I have recently read a comment about how many genre books are similar in style and content and have limited appeal outside a circle of dedicated fans. But that we also keep reading them, digging through the drudge in the hope that one day we will come across a true gem, a story so well written and so moving that it will transcend genre limitations and touch directly the core of our beings, of our beliefs and our dreams. Dennis Lehane did this for me with "Mystic River" and I will go back to his other novels, hoping they are at least as good as the first one I tried.
December 14, 2019
乇賵丿禺丕賳賴 賲蹖爻鬲蹖讴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 鬲賱禺 賵 卮賵讴賴 讴賳賳丿賴 丕蹖爻鬲 貙鬲賱禺蹖 讴賴 乇賵丨 賵 噩丕賳 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 乇丕 賲蹖 爻賵夭丕賳丿 . 丕孬乇蹖 鬲丕乇蹖讴 貙 亘蹖丕賳诏乇 丿爻鬲 倬乇 賲丕噩乇丕蹖 诏匕卮鬲賴 讴賴 賴蹖趩 賵賯鬲 诏乇蹖亘丕賳 丕賳爻丕賳 乇丕 乇賴丕 賳賲蹖 讴賳丿 貨 賴賲蹖卮賴 賵 丿乇 賴賲賴 丨丕賱 亘丕 丕賵 丕爻鬲 賵 丌蹖賳丿賴 乇丕 賴賲 乇賯賲 賲蹖 夭賳丿 .
禺胤乇 賮丕卮 卮丿賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳
丨讴丕蹖鬲 丿賵 賲賳丨乇賮 噩賳爻蹖 ( 丕爻鬲丕丿 賱蹖賴丕賳 丕蹖賳 丿賵 賮乇丿 乇丕 丕夭 賲賯丿爻 鬲乇蹖賳 丨乇賮賴 賴丕蹖 噩丕賲毓賴 爻丕禺鬲賴 貙 蹖讴蹖 讴卮蹖卮 賵 丿蹖诏乇蹖 倬賱蹖爻 貙 賳賲丕蹖賳诏乇 亘蹖 丕毓鬲賲丕丿蹖 亘賴 賯丿乇鬲 賵 賲匕賴亘 責) 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 禺丕賲賵卮 讴乇丿賳 卮賴賵鬲 噩賳爻蹖 禺賵丿 爻毓蹖 丿乇 爻賵丕乇 讴乇丿賳 爻賴 讴賵丿讴 丿丕乇賳丿 貙 賵賱蹖 卮丕賳 賵 噩蹖賲蹖 亘丕 夭蹖乇讴蹖 賵 丨囟賵乇 匕賴賳 爻賵丕乇 賲丕卮蹖賳 賳賲蹖 卮賵賳丿 丕賲丕 丿賽蹖賵 爻賵丕乇 賲蹖 卮賵丿 貙 丕賵 趩賳丿 乇賵夭 賲賵乇丿 丌夭丕乇 賵 丕匕蹖鬲 噩賳爻蹖 賯乇丕乇 賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 丌禺乇 爻乇 亘丿賵賳 丌賳讴賴 倬賱蹖爻 蹖丕 讴爻蹖 亘賴 丿賽蹖賵 讴賲讴 讴賳丿 禺賵丿 乇丕 丕夭 卮乇 丌賳賴丕 乇賴丕 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 丕夭 丿禺賲賴 丕蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 夭賳丿丕賳蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 賮乇丕乇 賵 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 亘乇 賲蹖 诏乇丿丿 賵賱蹖 丕賵 丿蹖诏乇 丿賽蹖賵 賳蹖爻鬲 貙 诏乇诏 丿乇賵賳 丕賵 亘蹖丿丕乇 卮丿賴 賵 丕賵 丨丕賱丕 丕賳爻丕賳 丿蹖诏乇蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 .
丕賲丕 丌賳 丿賵 賴蹖賵賱丕 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 乇賵蹖 賴乇 爻賴 亘趩賴 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿 貙 倬爻 丕夭 爻蹖 爻丕賱 丿賽蹖賵 亘蹖趩丕乇賴 丌丿賲蹖 丿乇 禺賵丿 賲丕賳丿賴 卮丿賴 貙亘丕 爻乇 丕賮讴賳丿诏蹖 乇丕 賲蹖 乇賵丿 貙 賴蹖趩 讴爻 丕賵 乇丕 噩丿蹖 賳賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 貙 賴賲賴 乇丕夭 丕賵 乇丕 賲蹖 丿丕賳賳丿 賵 丿乇 禺賱賵鬲 賵 卮丕蹖丿 賴賲 丌卮讴丕乇 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 禺賳丿賳丿 . 噩蹖賲蹖 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖蹖 卮丿賴 讴賴 爻丕亘賯賴 丿夭丿蹖 賵 丌丿賲讴卮蹖 賵 夭賳丿丕賳 丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賵讴賴 爻賵倬乇 賲丕乇讴鬲蹖 乇丕 賲蹖 诏乇丿丕賳丿 丕毓鬲賯丕丿蹖 亘賴 倬賱蹖爻 賵 毓丿丕賱鬲 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 禺賵丿 鬲丨賯蹖賯 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 禺賵丿 賴賲 丨讴賲 賲蹖 丿賴丿 貙 丕賲丕 卮丕賳 讴賴 倬賱蹖爻 卮丿賴 亘賴 馗丕賴乇 賳乇賲丕賱 鬲乇 亘賴 賳馗乇 賲蹖 乇爻丿 貙 丕賲丕 賴賲爻乇卮 讴賴 亘丕乇丿丕乇 亘賵丿賴 ( 丕夭 趩賴 讴爻蹖 責 賲毓賱賵賲 賳蹖爻鬲 ) 卮丕賳 乇丕 鬲乇讴 讴乇丿賴 賵 賴乇 丕夭 趩賳丿 诏丕賴蹖 亘賴 丕賵 夭賳诏 賲蹖 夭賳丿 丕賲丕 氐丨亘鬲 賳賲蹖 讴賳丿 貙 卮丕賳 丿乇 爻讴賵鬲 賴賲爻乇 亘丕 丕賵 丿乇丿 賵 丿賱 賲蹖 讴賳丿 .
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵囟毓 丿賽蹖賵 丕夭 賴賲賴 禺乇丕亘 鬲乇 丕爻鬲 貙 丕賲丕 丕賵 丿乇 丿乇賵賳 亘丕 诏乇诏 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖 噩賳诏丿 貙 诏乇诏蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丕賵 丿爻鬲賵乇 丿丕丿賴 倬爻乇讴蹖 禺賵丿 賮乇賵卮 乇丕 爻賵丕乇
賲丕卮蹖賳 讴賳丿 丕賲丕 丿賽蹖賵 賲賯丕賵賲鬲 賲蹖 讴賳丿 丕賵 賴賲丕賳賳丿 卮毓乇 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 賲卮蹖乇蹖 诏賱賵蹖 诏乇诏 禺賵丿 乇丕 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲 :
丕賶 亘爻丕 丕賳爻丕賳 乇賳噩賵乇 賵 倬乇蹖卮
爻禺鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 诏賱賵賶 诏乇诏 禺賵蹖卮
丿賽蹖賵 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 夭賲丕賳 丿丕乇丿 鬲丕 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丨丕賱鬲 禺丕乇噩 卮賵丿 丕賲丕 乇賵夭诏丕乇 亘蹖 乇丨賲 丕爻鬲 貙 丿禺鬲乇 噩蹖賲蹖 亘賴 賯鬲賱 乇爻蹖丿賴 賵 倬乇賵賳丿賴 亘賴 卮丕賳 爻倬乇丿賴 卮丿賴 貙 丕賲丕 噩蹖賲蹖 丌丿賲蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 亘蹖讴丕乇 亘卮蹖賳丿 貙 丕賵 鬲賵爻胤 禺賱丕賮賴丕蹖 賲丨賱 禺賵丿 鬲丨賯蹖賯 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 丿乇 賴賲賴 噩丕 賳賮賵匕 丿丕乇丿 丕夭 亘禺鬲 亘丿 丿賽蹖賵 丿乇夭賲丕賳 賯鬲賱 亘丕 馗丕賴乇蹖 丌卮賮鬲賴 賵 禺賵賳蹖賳 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 丌賲丿賴 貙 丕賵 丕夭 賳馗乇 倬賱蹖爻 賴丕 賲馗賳賵賳 亘賴 賯鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙賴賲爻乇 丿賽蹖賵 賴賲 賮丕賲蹖賱 賵 丌卮賳丕蹖 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 讴賴 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 賯鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇卮 貙 丿賽蹖賵 亘丕 賱亘丕爻 禺賵賳蹖 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 丌賲丿賴 賵 丿蹖诏乇 亘乇丕蹖 噩蹖賲蹖 讴丕賮蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 丕賵 丿蹖诏乇 亘賴 丿賱蹖賱 賵 賲丿乇讴 賳蹖丕夭 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賵 賯丕鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 卮賳丕禺鬲賴 賵 丨讴賲 賲乇诏 丕賵 乇丕 賴賲 氐丕丿乇 讴乇丿賴 .
噩蹖賲蹖 賵 诏乇賵賴 禺賱丕賮 讴丕乇卮 丿賽蹖賵 亘蹖趩丕乇賴 乇丕 亘丕 禺賵丿 賲蹖 亘乇賳丿 鬲丕 丨讴賲卮 乇丕 丕噩乇丕 讴賳賳丿 貙 丿賽蹖賵 讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 賮賴賲蹖丿賴 丨賯蹖蹖賯鬲 賲丕噩乇丕 乇丕 亘賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 貙 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丕賵 賵丕賯毓丕 丌賳 卮亘 讴爻蹖 乇丕 讴卮鬲賴 貙丕賲丕 丿禺鬲乇丕賵 乇丕 賳讴卮鬲賴 貙 丕賵 蹖讴 诏乇诏 丿蹖诏乇 乇丕 讴卮鬲賴 貙 蹖讴 賲賳丨乇賮 貙 讴爻蹖 賲丕賳賳丿 賲鬲噩丕賵夭蹖賳 亘賴 丕賵 丿乇 爻蹖 爻丕賱 賯亘賱 貙 丕賵 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賯鬲賱 毓賲賱丕 噩丕賳 倬爻乇 丿蹖诏乇蹖 乇丕 賳噩丕鬲 丿丕丿賴 賵 賲丕賳毓 鬲亘丿蹖賱 卮丿賳 丕賵 亘賴 丿賽蹖賵 丿蹖诏乇蹖 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 . 丕賲丕 噩蹖賲蹖 禺賵賳 賲蹖 禺賵丕賴丿 貙 丿賽蹖賵 賯乇亘丕賳蹖 诏乇诏 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 丿賽蹖賵 乇丕 賲蹖 讴卮丿 鬲丕 氐亘丨 賮乇丿丕 賲爻鬲 丿乇 倬蹖丕丿賴 乇賵 賲蹖 賳卮蹖賳丿 鬲丕 卮丕賳 賲蹖 丌蹖丿 賵 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 賯丕鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 丕賵 丿爻鬲诏蹖乇 卮丿賴 貙 丕賲丕 丿乇 丕蹖賳噩丕 賳賯丕亘 丕夭 趩賴乇賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賲蹖 丕賮鬲丿 貙 丕賵 讴讴卮 賴賲 丕夭 卮賳蹖丿賳 丕蹖賳 禺亘乇 賵讴卮鬲賳 亘丿賵賳 丿賱蹖賱 丿賽蹖賵 賳賲蹖 诏夭丿 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 诏乇诏 賳蹖爻鬲 貙 丕賵 蹖讴 賴蹖賵賱丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴丿賮蹖 亘丕賱丕鬲乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丕氐賵賱 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 丿丕乇丿 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 蹖讴 倬丿乇 禺賵丕賳丿賴 丕夭 賳賵毓 丌賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 丿賵 乇賵蹖蹖 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 胤亘賯賴 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賲蹖 乇賵丿 貙 丕賵 丿乇 丨賯蹖賯鬲 賴賲丕賳賳丿 丿賵賱鬲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 讴賴 蹖讴 賲賱鬲 乇丕 丕夭 卮丿蹖丿鬲乇蹖賳 賳賵毓 鬲丨乇蹖賲 賲蹖 讴賳丿 丕賲丕 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 丿賵乇賵蹖蹖 賵 賳賮丕賯 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 讴賴 賲丕 丿乇 讴賳丕乇 賲乇丿賲 賴爻鬲蹖賲 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 賴賲 丕蹖賳 诏賵賳賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丕賵 丌丿賲 賲蹖 讴卮丿 丕賲丕 亘乇丕蹖 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賲賯鬲賵賱 賲丕賴蹖 倬丕賳氐丿 丿賱丕乇 賲蹖 賮乇爻鬲丿 ! 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賵爻蹖賱賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丨鬲蹖 丿禺鬲乇卮 讴蹖鬲蹖 賴賲 讴賴 讴卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賴 賳馗乇 賵爻蹖賱賴 丕蹖 亘乇丕蹖 鬲丨讴蹖賲 賯丿乇鬲 賲丕賮蹖丕蹖蹖 丕賵 賲蹖 乇爻丿 貙 讴鬲丕亘 丿乇 爻蹖丕賴蹖 賲胤賱賯 賵 爻倬乇丿賳 賯丿乇鬲 亘賴 噩蹖賲蹖 鬲賲丕賲 賲蹖 卮賵丿 .
丿乇 爻丕賱 2003 丕夭 賴賲蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘賴 讴丕乇诏乇丿丕賳蹖 讴賱蹖賳鬲 丕蹖爻鬲 賵賵丿 賮蹖賱锟斤拷蹖 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 賳丕賲 亘丕 亘丕夭蹖 丿乇禺卮丕賳 卮丕賳 倬賳 丿乇 賳賯卮 噩蹖賲蹖 賵 鬲蹖賲 乇丕亘蹖賳夭 丿乇 賳賯卮 丿賽蹖賵 爻丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 讴賴 丕賱亘鬲賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 賮蹖賱賲 亘丕 讴鬲丕亘 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賮丕丨卮 丿丕乇丿 貙 賲孬賱丕 丿乇 賮蹖賱賲 卮丕賳 亘賴 賳馗乇 亘蹖 禺蹖丕賱 倬蹖 诏蹖乇蹖 賯鬲賱 丿賽蹖賵 賲蹖 乇爻丿 丕賲丕 丿乇 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 賳丕丕賲蹖丿蹖 禺賵丕賴丕賳 讴卮賮 丕蹖賳 賲丕噩乇丕爻鬲 貙 丕賲丕 禺賵丿 賮蹖賱賲 賴賲 丕孬乇蹖 丿乇禺卮丕賳 丕爻鬲 貙 丕禺蹖乇丕 賵 倬爻 丕夭 賲胤丕賱毓賴 讴鬲丕亘 賮蹖賱賲 乇丕 丕蹖賳 亘丕乇 亘丕 丿賵亘賱賴 賮丕乇爻蹖 丿蹖丿賲 貙 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 讴賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賵丕乇丿 倬丕乇讴 賵丕乇丿 賲蹖 卮賵丿 貙 賮乇蹖丕丿 賳賲蹖 夭賳丿 貙 賳丕賱賴 賳賲蹖 讴賳丿 貙 囟噩賴 賲蹖 夭賳丿 賵 丕蹖賳 賵蹖乇丕賳蹖 丿乇 氐丿丕蹖 丿賵亘賱賴 卮丿賴 丕賵 亘丕 氐丿丕蹖 丕爻鬲丕丿 賲賳賵趩賴乇 丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱蹖 讴丕賲賱丕 賵丕囟丨 賵 丌卮讴丕乇 丕爻鬲 賵 賴賲蹖賳 賴賳乇 丿乇 氐丿丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 丕爻丕鬲蹖丿 丿賵亘賱賴 賮蹖賱賲 賲丕賳賳丿 賲賳賵趩賴乇 賵丕賱蹖 夭丕丿賴 丿乇 賳賯卮 卮丕賳 貙 賳丕氐乇 鬲賴賲丕爻亘 丿乇 賳賯卮 丿賽蹖賵 賵 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 丨爻蹖賳 毓乇賮丕賳蹖 丿乇 賳賯卮 賵丕蹖鬲蹖 賴賲讴丕乇 倬賱蹖爻 卮丕賳 亘賴 趩卮賲 賲蹖 禺賵乇丿 .
禺胤乇 賮丕卮 卮丿賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳
丨讴丕蹖鬲 丿賵 賲賳丨乇賮 噩賳爻蹖 ( 丕爻鬲丕丿 賱蹖賴丕賳 丕蹖賳 丿賵 賮乇丿 乇丕 丕夭 賲賯丿爻 鬲乇蹖賳 丨乇賮賴 賴丕蹖 噩丕賲毓賴 爻丕禺鬲賴 貙 蹖讴蹖 讴卮蹖卮 賵 丿蹖诏乇蹖 倬賱蹖爻 貙 賳賲丕蹖賳诏乇 亘蹖 丕毓鬲賲丕丿蹖 亘賴 賯丿乇鬲 賵 賲匕賴亘 責) 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 禺丕賲賵卮 讴乇丿賳 卮賴賵鬲 噩賳爻蹖 禺賵丿 爻毓蹖 丿乇 爻賵丕乇 讴乇丿賳 爻賴 讴賵丿讴 丿丕乇賳丿 貙 賵賱蹖 卮丕賳 賵 噩蹖賲蹖 亘丕 夭蹖乇讴蹖 賵 丨囟賵乇 匕賴賳 爻賵丕乇 賲丕卮蹖賳 賳賲蹖 卮賵賳丿 丕賲丕 丿賽蹖賵 爻賵丕乇 賲蹖 卮賵丿 貙 丕賵 趩賳丿 乇賵夭 賲賵乇丿 丌夭丕乇 賵 丕匕蹖鬲 噩賳爻蹖 賯乇丕乇 賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 丌禺乇 爻乇 亘丿賵賳 丌賳讴賴 倬賱蹖爻 蹖丕 讴爻蹖 亘賴 丿賽蹖賵 讴賲讴 讴賳丿 禺賵丿 乇丕 丕夭 卮乇 丌賳賴丕 乇賴丕 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 丕夭 丿禺賲賴 丕蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 夭賳丿丕賳蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 賮乇丕乇 賵 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 亘乇 賲蹖 诏乇丿丿 賵賱蹖 丕賵 丿蹖诏乇 丿賽蹖賵 賳蹖爻鬲 貙 诏乇诏 丿乇賵賳 丕賵 亘蹖丿丕乇 卮丿賴 賵 丕賵 丨丕賱丕 丕賳爻丕賳 丿蹖诏乇蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 .
丕賲丕 丌賳 丿賵 賴蹖賵賱丕 丕孬乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 乇賵蹖 賴乇 爻賴 亘趩賴 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 丕賳丿 貙 倬爻 丕夭 爻蹖 爻丕賱 丿賽蹖賵 亘蹖趩丕乇賴 丌丿賲蹖 丿乇 禺賵丿 賲丕賳丿賴 卮丿賴 貙亘丕 爻乇 丕賮讴賳丿诏蹖 乇丕 賲蹖 乇賵丿 貙 賴蹖趩 讴爻 丕賵 乇丕 噩丿蹖 賳賲蹖 诏蹖乇丿 貙 賴賲賴 乇丕夭 丕賵 乇丕 賲蹖 丿丕賳賳丿 賵 丿乇 禺賱賵鬲 賵 卮丕蹖丿 賴賲 丌卮讴丕乇 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 禺賳丿賳丿 . 噩蹖賲蹖 賴蹖賵賱丕蹖蹖 卮丿賴 讴賴 爻丕亘賯賴 丿夭丿蹖 賵 丌丿賲讴卮蹖 賵 夭賳丿丕賳 丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賵讴賴 爻賵倬乇 賲丕乇讴鬲蹖 乇丕 賲蹖 诏乇丿丕賳丿 丕毓鬲賯丕丿蹖 亘賴 倬賱蹖爻 賵 毓丿丕賱鬲 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 禺賵丿 鬲丨賯蹖賯 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 禺賵丿 賴賲 丨讴賲 賲蹖 丿賴丿 貙 丕賲丕 卮丕賳 讴賴 倬賱蹖爻 卮丿賴 亘賴 馗丕賴乇 賳乇賲丕賱 鬲乇 亘賴 賳馗乇 賲蹖 乇爻丿 貙 丕賲丕 賴賲爻乇卮 讴賴 亘丕乇丿丕乇 亘賵丿賴 ( 丕夭 趩賴 讴爻蹖 責 賲毓賱賵賲 賳蹖爻鬲 ) 卮丕賳 乇丕 鬲乇讴 讴乇丿賴 賵 賴乇 丕夭 趩賳丿 诏丕賴蹖 亘賴 丕賵 夭賳诏 賲蹖 夭賳丿 丕賲丕 氐丨亘鬲 賳賲蹖 讴賳丿 貙 卮丕賳 丿乇 爻讴賵鬲 賴賲爻乇 亘丕 丕賵 丿乇丿 賵 丿賱 賲蹖 讴賳丿 .
丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵囟毓 丿賽蹖賵 丕夭 賴賲賴 禺乇丕亘 鬲乇 丕爻鬲 貙 丕賲丕 丕賵 丿乇 丿乇賵賳 亘丕 诏乇诏 禺賵蹖卮 賲蹖 噩賳诏丿 貙 诏乇诏蹖 讴賴 亘賴 丕賵 丿爻鬲賵乇 丿丕丿賴 倬爻乇讴蹖 禺賵丿 賮乇賵卮 乇丕 爻賵丕乇
賲丕卮蹖賳 讴賳丿 丕賲丕 丿賽蹖賵 賲賯丕賵賲鬲 賲蹖 讴賳丿 丕賵 賴賲丕賳賳丿 卮毓乇 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 賲卮蹖乇蹖 诏賱賵蹖 诏乇诏 禺賵丿 乇丕 诏乇賮鬲賴 丕爻鬲 :
丕賶 亘爻丕 丕賳爻丕賳 乇賳噩賵乇 賵 倬乇蹖卮
爻禺鬲 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 诏賱賵賶 诏乇诏 禺賵蹖卮
丿賽蹖賵 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 夭賲丕賳 丿丕乇丿 鬲丕 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丨丕賱鬲 禺丕乇噩 卮賵丿 丕賲丕 乇賵夭诏丕乇 亘蹖 乇丨賲 丕爻鬲 貙 丿禺鬲乇 噩蹖賲蹖 亘賴 賯鬲賱 乇爻蹖丿賴 賵 倬乇賵賳丿賴 亘賴 卮丕賳 爻倬乇丿賴 卮丿賴 貙 丕賲丕 噩蹖賲蹖 丌丿賲蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 亘蹖讴丕乇 亘卮蹖賳丿 貙 丕賵 鬲賵爻胤 禺賱丕賮賴丕蹖 賲丨賱 禺賵丿 鬲丨賯蹖賯 賲蹖 讴賳丿 賵 丿乇 賴賲賴 噩丕 賳賮賵匕 丿丕乇丿 丕夭 亘禺鬲 亘丿 丿賽蹖賵 丿乇夭賲丕賳 賯鬲賱 亘丕 馗丕賴乇蹖 丌卮賮鬲賴 賵 禺賵賳蹖賳 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 丌賲丿賴 貙 丕賵 丕夭 賳馗乇 倬賱蹖爻 賴丕 賲馗賳賵賳 亘賴 賯鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙賴賲爻乇 丿賽蹖賵 賴賲 賮丕賲蹖賱 賵 丌卮賳丕蹖 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 讴賴 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 賯鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇卮 貙 丿賽蹖賵 亘丕 賱亘丕爻 禺賵賳蹖 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 丌賲丿賴 賵 丿蹖诏乇 亘乇丕蹖 噩蹖賲蹖 讴丕賮蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 丕賵 丿蹖诏乇 亘賴 丿賱蹖賱 賵 賲丿乇讴 賳蹖丕夭 賳丿丕乇丿 貙 丕賵 賯丕鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 禺賵丿 乇丕 卮賳丕禺鬲賴 賵 丨讴賲 賲乇诏 丕賵 乇丕 賴賲 氐丕丿乇 讴乇丿賴 .
噩蹖賲蹖 賵 诏乇賵賴 禺賱丕賮 讴丕乇卮 丿賽蹖賵 亘蹖趩丕乇賴 乇丕 亘丕 禺賵丿 賲蹖 亘乇賳丿 鬲丕 丨讴賲卮 乇丕 丕噩乇丕 讴賳賳丿 貙 丿賽蹖賵 讴賴 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 乇丕 賮賴賲蹖丿賴 丨賯蹖蹖賯鬲 賲丕噩乇丕 乇丕 亘賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 貙 丕蹖賳 讴賴 丕賵 賵丕賯毓丕 丌賳 卮亘 讴爻蹖 乇丕 讴卮鬲賴 貙丕賲丕 丿禺鬲乇丕賵 乇丕 賳讴卮鬲賴 貙 丕賵 蹖讴 诏乇诏 丿蹖诏乇 乇丕 讴卮鬲賴 貙 蹖讴 賲賳丨乇賮 貙 讴爻蹖 賲丕賳賳丿 賲鬲噩丕賵夭蹖賳 亘賴 丕賵 丿乇 爻蹖 爻丕賱 賯亘賱 貙 丕賵 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賯鬲賱 毓賲賱丕 噩丕賳 倬爻乇 丿蹖诏乇蹖 乇丕 賳噩丕鬲 丿丕丿賴 賵 賲丕賳毓 鬲亘丿蹖賱 卮丿賳 丕賵 亘賴 丿賽蹖賵 丿蹖诏乇蹖 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 . 丕賲丕 噩蹖賲蹖 禺賵賳 賲蹖 禺賵丕賴丿 貙 丿賽蹖賵 賯乇亘丕賳蹖 诏乇诏 噩蹖賲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 丿賽蹖賵 乇丕 賲蹖 讴卮丿 鬲丕 氐亘丨 賮乇丿丕 賲爻鬲 丿乇 倬蹖丕丿賴 乇賵 賲蹖 賳卮蹖賳丿 鬲丕 卮丕賳 賲蹖 丌蹖丿 賵 亘賴 丕賵 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 賯丕鬲賱 丿禺鬲乇 丕賵 丿爻鬲诏蹖乇 卮丿賴 貙 丕賲丕 丿乇 丕蹖賳噩丕 賳賯丕亘 丕夭 趩賴乇賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賲蹖 丕賮鬲丿 貙 丕賵 讴讴卮 賴賲 丕夭 卮賳蹖丿賳 丕蹖賳 禺亘乇 賵讴卮鬲賳 亘丿賵賳 丿賱蹖賱 丿賽蹖賵 賳賲蹖 诏夭丿 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 诏乇诏 賳蹖爻鬲 貙 丕賵 蹖讴 賴蹖賵賱丕爻鬲 讴賴 賴丿賮蹖 亘丕賱丕鬲乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丕氐賵賱 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 丿丕乇丿 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 蹖讴 倬丿乇 禺賵丕賳丿賴 丕夭 賳賵毓 丌賲乇蹖讴丕蹖蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 貙 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 丿賵 乇賵蹖蹖 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲蹖 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 胤亘賯賴 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賲蹖 乇賵丿 貙 丕賵 丿乇 丨賯蹖賯鬲 賴賲丕賳賳丿 丿賵賱鬲蹖 丕蹖爻鬲 讴賴 蹖讴 賲賱鬲 乇丕 丕夭 卮丿蹖丿鬲乇蹖賳 賳賵毓 鬲丨乇蹖賲 賲蹖 讴賳丿 丕賲丕 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 丿賵乇賵蹖蹖 賵 賳賮丕賯 賲蹖 诏賵蹖丿 讴賴 賲丕 丿乇 讴賳丕乇 賲乇丿賲 賴爻鬲蹖賲 貙 噩蹖賲蹖 賴賲 丕蹖賳 诏賵賳賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丕賵 丌丿賲 賲蹖 讴卮丿 丕賲丕 亘乇丕蹖 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 賲賯鬲賵賱 賲丕賴蹖 倬丕賳氐丿 丿賱丕乇 賲蹖 賮乇爻鬲丿 ! 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 亘乇丕蹖 丕賵 賵爻蹖賱賴 丕爻鬲 貙 丨鬲蹖 丿禺鬲乇卮 讴蹖鬲蹖 賴賲 讴賴 讴卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 亘賴 賳馗乇 賵爻蹖賱賴 丕蹖 亘乇丕蹖 鬲丨讴蹖賲 賯丿乇鬲 賲丕賮蹖丕蹖蹖 丕賵 賲蹖 乇爻丿 貙 讴鬲丕亘 丿乇 爻蹖丕賴蹖 賲胤賱賯 賵 爻倬乇丿賳 賯丿乇鬲 亘賴 噩蹖賲蹖 鬲賲丕賲 賲蹖 卮賵丿 .
丿乇 爻丕賱 2003 丕夭 賴賲蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘賴 讴丕乇诏乇丿丕賳蹖 讴賱蹖賳鬲 丕蹖爻鬲 賵賵丿 賮蹖賱锟斤拷蹖 亘賴 賴賲蹖賳 賳丕賲 亘丕 亘丕夭蹖 丿乇禺卮丕賳 卮丕賳 倬賳 丿乇 賳賯卮 噩蹖賲蹖 賵 鬲蹖賲 乇丕亘蹖賳夭 丿乇 賳賯卮 丿賽蹖賵 爻丕禺鬲賴 卮丿賴 讴賴 丕賱亘鬲賴 倬丕蹖丕賳 賮蹖賱賲 亘丕 讴鬲丕亘 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賮丕丨卮 丿丕乇丿 貙 賲孬賱丕 丿乇 賮蹖賱賲 卮丕賳 亘賴 賳馗乇 亘蹖 禺蹖丕賱 倬蹖 诏蹖乇蹖 賯鬲賱 丿賽蹖賵 賲蹖 乇爻丿 丕賲丕 丿乇 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵 丿乇 毓蹖賳 賳丕丕賲蹖丿蹖 禺賵丕賴丕賳 讴卮賮 丕蹖賳 賲丕噩乇丕爻鬲 貙 丕賲丕 禺賵丿 賮蹖賱賲 賴賲 丕孬乇蹖 丿乇禺卮丕賳 丕爻鬲 貙 丕禺蹖乇丕 賵 倬爻 丕夭 賲胤丕賱毓賴 讴鬲丕亘 賮蹖賱賲 乇丕 丕蹖賳 亘丕乇 亘丕 丿賵亘賱賴 賮丕乇爻蹖 丿蹖丿賲 貙 賱丨馗賴 丕蹖 讴賴 噩蹖賲蹖 賵丕乇丿 倬丕乇讴 賵丕乇丿 賲蹖 卮賵丿 貙 賮乇蹖丕丿 賳賲蹖 夭賳丿 貙 賳丕賱賴 賳賲蹖 讴賳丿 貙 囟噩賴 賲蹖 夭賳丿 賵 丕蹖賳 賵蹖乇丕賳蹖 丿乇 氐丿丕蹖 丿賵亘賱賴 卮丿賴 丕賵 亘丕 氐丿丕蹖 丕爻鬲丕丿 賲賳賵趩賴乇 丕爻賲丕毓蹖賱蹖 讴丕賲賱丕 賵丕囟丨 賵 丌卮讴丕乇 丕爻鬲 賵 賴賲蹖賳 賴賳乇 丿乇 氐丿丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 丕爻丕鬲蹖丿 丿賵亘賱賴 賮蹖賱賲 賲丕賳賳丿 賲賳賵趩賴乇 賵丕賱蹖 夭丕丿賴 丿乇 賳賯卮 卮丕賳 貙 賳丕氐乇 鬲賴賲丕爻亘 丿乇 賳賯卮 丿賽蹖賵 賵 夭賳丿賴 蹖丕丿 丨爻蹖賳 毓乇賮丕賳蹖 丿乇 賳賯卮 賵丕蹖鬲蹖 賴賲讴丕乇 倬賱蹖爻 卮丕賳 亘賴 趩卮賲 賲蹖 禺賵乇丿 .
June 26, 2017
Honestly, I found this sort of hard to read. It's one of those books that is is so saturated with descriptions of absolutely everything that it's hard for me to take it all in. I can't picture images in my head and I guess that's why I usually prefer books that follow a stream of consciousness. It wasn't easy for me to read the descriptions but the book was also hard to read because Lehane writes really long sentences. They seemed to go on and on forever and he lost me more than a few times. I also thought that this book was too long and the slow pace didn't really do it for me. I wouldn't go so far as to say Lehane's writing style isn't my preferred style because I thoroughly enjoyed Shutter Island. There were bits of the writing that I did enjoy but the bulk of it wasn't impressive to me.
Apart from the writing, the book was alright. I guessed who did it about halfway in and so I just spent the other half waiting to see if I was right. I was right but I had the wrong motive so I guess that's something. Although no, it's not really something because the motive was a bit meh to be honest. The main characters were pretty unlikeable but they were fully developed. I would have loved if there were more prominent women in the story. The women are pretty much kept on the sidelines apart from one whiny one called Celeste who was quite insufferable. I really wanted more Annabeth, she was complex, strong and interesting and yet she was just sidelined.
I wouldn't recommend this book but I would read more by Dennis Lehane.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"鈥淚t was like sitting through a movie, no matter how boring or confusing, until the end. Because at the end, sometimes things were explained or the ending itself was cool enough that you felt like sitting through all the boring stuff had been worth it鈥�
鈥淲hen had the pace picked up, left him staring at everyone鈥檚 backs?鈥�
鈥淵ou felt it in your soul, no place else. You felt the truth there sometimes鈥攂eyond logic鈥攁nd you were usually right if it was a type of truth that was the exact kind you didn鈥檛 want to face, weren鈥檛 sure you could. That鈥檚 what you tried to ignore, why you went to psychiatrists and spent too long in bars and numbed your brain in front of TV tubes鈥攖o hide from hard, ugly truths your soul recognized long before your mind caught up.鈥�
鈥淢aybe he was simply tired of life, of the absolute effort it took to get up every goddamned morning and walk out into the same fucking day with only slight variations in the weather and the food.鈥�
鈥淚t was the lack of a clear reason that got to Celeste most, and it stabbed her that a relationship that had once seemed unbreakable could slip apart so easily due to nothing more than time, family turmoil, and growth spurts.鈥�
鈥�...that did something permanent to you, spooned something out of you that you鈥檇 never get back.鈥�
Apart from the writing, the book was alright. I guessed who did it about halfway in and so I just spent the other half waiting to see if I was right. I was right but I had the wrong motive so I guess that's something. Although no, it's not really something because the motive was a bit meh to be honest. The main characters were pretty unlikeable but they were fully developed. I would have loved if there were more prominent women in the story. The women are pretty much kept on the sidelines apart from one whiny one called Celeste who was quite insufferable. I really wanted more Annabeth, she was complex, strong and interesting and yet she was just sidelined.
I wouldn't recommend this book but I would read more by Dennis Lehane.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"鈥淚t was like sitting through a movie, no matter how boring or confusing, until the end. Because at the end, sometimes things were explained or the ending itself was cool enough that you felt like sitting through all the boring stuff had been worth it鈥�
鈥淲hen had the pace picked up, left him staring at everyone鈥檚 backs?鈥�
鈥淵ou felt it in your soul, no place else. You felt the truth there sometimes鈥攂eyond logic鈥攁nd you were usually right if it was a type of truth that was the exact kind you didn鈥檛 want to face, weren鈥檛 sure you could. That鈥檚 what you tried to ignore, why you went to psychiatrists and spent too long in bars and numbed your brain in front of TV tubes鈥攖o hide from hard, ugly truths your soul recognized long before your mind caught up.鈥�
鈥淢aybe he was simply tired of life, of the absolute effort it took to get up every goddamned morning and walk out into the same fucking day with only slight variations in the weather and the food.鈥�
鈥淚t was the lack of a clear reason that got to Celeste most, and it stabbed her that a relationship that had once seemed unbreakable could slip apart so easily due to nothing more than time, family turmoil, and growth spurts.鈥�
鈥�...that did something permanent to you, spooned something out of you that you鈥檇 never get back.鈥�
March 29, 2016
If you've seen Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED, then you are familiar with the setting of this book. A poor, predominately white neighborhood (in Boston) where (male) children grow up to be either criminals or cops. Violence is a part of life, and the vicious cycles of abuse and crime are never ending.
Jimmy, Sean, and Dave grew up together. When they are 11-years-old, a "cop" car pulls up and busts them for fighting in the street. Sean and Jimmy, the tougher ones, lie and avoid getting in the car. Dave, the weak link, goes off with the "cops." Of course, they weren't cops at all, but pedophiles cruising around looking for their next victim.
Everyone thinks Dave is dead, never to be seen again. But he is a clever little boy, and escapes the pedophiles. Reunited with his family after being gone four whole days, Dave spends the rest of his life wondering if should ever have come back. No one treats him the same, either refusing to talk about what happened to him or taunting him, calling him "faggot" and bringing up his "ordeal" as often as possible in order to make his life a living hell.
From then on he's marked. He's no longer Dave, he's the kid who was kidnapped and raped, and everyone thinks he'll become a pedophile too.
Dave valiantly fights against all this. He becomes a great baseball player, moves away, gets married, has a son named Michael, and tries to live a normal life. But he can never escape his past. Every time he sees someone from the old neighborhood he knows they are looking at him intensely. Looking for the slightest sign of damage.
Jimmy, on the other hand, was a successful criminal mastermind for many years until his associate squealed on him and he was put away. While in prison, his wife Marita raised their daughter Katie. But after more than a year and a half in prison, Marita develops skin cancer and dies in a matter of months. When Jimmy gets out of the slam he finds it's just his daughter - Katie, age 5, a stranger to him - and him against the world. He does his best to be a good father to Katie. He goes straight, runs a corner store, gets re-married to Annabeth, has two more daughters. He puts his life of crime behind him.
Sean, the last of the trio, takes the high road and becomes a cop. His marriage is in shambles, his wife only calling him from God-knows-where and not saying anything. He's desperate for her to come home, even though she's pregnant with another man's child.
These three men, once childhood best friends, are now living in separate worlds. But a violent, gruesome murder brings them all together again.
Katie, Jimmy's 19-year-old daughter and the person he loves most in the world, is found dead in the park with two gunshot wounds and also beaten severely.
Who did this? Why? Who will find the guilty one first - the cops? Or Jimmy, the ex-criminal father bent on revenge and twisted by grief?
With suspicious characters and threads of possibilities strung through every chapter, Lehane weaves a wonderfully complex mystery that will leave you guessing until the very end.
I liked the character development in this novel. Lehane does an amazing job of putting you right in the middle of these people's lives. I really felt like these characters were 3D, living, breathing people. They were complex and fleshed-out. Lehane's dialogue was also realistic and fast-paced without being unrealistically clever. He also did a great job of leaving the reader wondering who-did-it until the very end. I liked the tough-as-nails, take-no-shit female characters who were the backbone of the neighborhood and fiercely protective of their men and their children.
I didn't like how depressing this novel was. It was pretty grim, with a bad outcome for a majority of the characters. It left me feeling grimy and depressed, and that's not what I want from a book. Also, I didn't understand why
All in all, a good mystery book. It's a little dark for my tastes, but still good - because Lehane doesn't get into descriptions of torture, or rape, or killing. All that stuff happens "off-page" and I really appreciate that. SO MUCH. However, the book is still pretty grim - one message being "you can't escape your fate" and showing how violence and abuse cycle endlessly through generations and generations, despite a person's best efforts at change and redemption.
Jimmy, Sean, and Dave grew up together. When they are 11-years-old, a "cop" car pulls up and busts them for fighting in the street. Sean and Jimmy, the tougher ones, lie and avoid getting in the car. Dave, the weak link, goes off with the "cops." Of course, they weren't cops at all, but pedophiles cruising around looking for their next victim.
Everyone thinks Dave is dead, never to be seen again. But he is a clever little boy, and escapes the pedophiles. Reunited with his family after being gone four whole days, Dave spends the rest of his life wondering if should ever have come back. No one treats him the same, either refusing to talk about what happened to him or taunting him, calling him "faggot" and bringing up his "ordeal" as often as possible in order to make his life a living hell.
From then on he's marked. He's no longer Dave, he's the kid who was kidnapped and raped, and everyone thinks he'll become a pedophile too.
Dave valiantly fights against all this. He becomes a great baseball player, moves away, gets married, has a son named Michael, and tries to live a normal life. But he can never escape his past. Every time he sees someone from the old neighborhood he knows they are looking at him intensely. Looking for the slightest sign of damage.
Jimmy, on the other hand, was a successful criminal mastermind for many years until his associate squealed on him and he was put away. While in prison, his wife Marita raised their daughter Katie. But after more than a year and a half in prison, Marita develops skin cancer and dies in a matter of months. When Jimmy gets out of the slam he finds it's just his daughter - Katie, age 5, a stranger to him - and him against the world. He does his best to be a good father to Katie. He goes straight, runs a corner store, gets re-married to Annabeth, has two more daughters. He puts his life of crime behind him.
Sean, the last of the trio, takes the high road and becomes a cop. His marriage is in shambles, his wife only calling him from God-knows-where and not saying anything. He's desperate for her to come home, even though she's pregnant with another man's child.
These three men, once childhood best friends, are now living in separate worlds. But a violent, gruesome murder brings them all together again.
Katie, Jimmy's 19-year-old daughter and the person he loves most in the world, is found dead in the park with two gunshot wounds and also beaten severely.
Who did this? Why? Who will find the guilty one first - the cops? Or Jimmy, the ex-criminal father bent on revenge and twisted by grief?
With suspicious characters and threads of possibilities strung through every chapter, Lehane weaves a wonderfully complex mystery that will leave you guessing until the very end.
I liked the character development in this novel. Lehane does an amazing job of putting you right in the middle of these people's lives. I really felt like these characters were 3D, living, breathing people. They were complex and fleshed-out. Lehane's dialogue was also realistic and fast-paced without being unrealistically clever. He also did a great job of leaving the reader wondering who-did-it until the very end. I liked the tough-as-nails, take-no-shit female characters who were the backbone of the neighborhood and fiercely protective of their men and their children.
I didn't like how depressing this novel was. It was pretty grim, with a bad outcome for a majority of the characters. It left me feeling grimy and depressed, and that's not what I want from a book. Also, I didn't understand why
All in all, a good mystery book. It's a little dark for my tastes, but still good - because Lehane doesn't get into descriptions of torture, or rape, or killing. All that stuff happens "off-page" and I really appreciate that. SO MUCH. However, the book is still pretty grim - one message being "you can't escape your fate" and showing how violence and abuse cycle endlessly through generations and generations, despite a person's best efforts at change and redemption.
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