Rating: 
Summary: Dennis Lehane is an author who never disappoints his reader!
Review: Shutter Island, the latest from Lehane is worthy of all the praise it receives & if you are looking for a page-turning read that keeps you guessing right up until the head-scratching last page, this one is for you! I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, cop-out ending
Review: The first 3/4 or more of this book were very good. I was quite engrossed. The ending is exceedingly weak -- to the point that I feel cheated. Without revealing the nature of the ending, let's just say that it made the entire novel up that point completely meaningless. I think Lehane took the easy way out.
Rating: 
Summary: A tale to convolute the convolutions in your brain
Review: Dennis Lehane's latest is a can't-put-it-down fast read. It digs below the surface even moreso than the author's other books. You may end up spending more time thinking about the story than reading it.Parts have a surreal or impressionistic (on the ferry taking them to Shutter Island) feel to them. I can't put my finger on it, but, to my mind, this aspect of the book is not as strong as it could've been; I sense (maybe incorrectly) that the author pulled back some. I like what he was going for and wanted more! The last part of the story gets into heavy-duty paranoia, delusion, dangerous drug experimentation on unsuspecting victims, betrayal and all kinds of fun 1950s stuff. Apparently, Mr. Lehane was inspired by Lord Byron's THE PRISONER OF CHILLON, of which a line is quoted. Motifs and concepts in SHUTTER ISLAND are found in or perhaps mushroomed from Byron's poem: Where do you draw the line between the imprisoned and the free; how much of freedom and imprisonment is a state of mind; how much do dreams blend into 'reality'; can the dead warn us of danger; is freedom any less important to animals (the rats! the rats!); can you be free to roam an island -- as, say, an orderly or nurse -- and still be imprisoned? If you like to have every detail spelled out and every question clearly answered, this book might not be for you. If you don't mind an author leaving his readers mysteries to ponder and puzzle over, grab it! After you've read the book, re-read the first section; it'll take on a whole new meaning. I believe it also gives a clue to the ending (which, by the way, is a total zinger!).
Rating: 
Summary: Trying on Stephen King's shoes.....
Review: I have read all of Mr. Lehane's books, and all demonstrate that he is a terrific writer, capable of pulling you in with well-developed characters, great imagery, and page-turning plots. Unfortunately, he seems in this novel to be trying out a different genre, something more from the Thomas Harris or Stephen King line. That's not a "bad" thing, but it is not only entirely unnecessary but, in this case, unsuccessful. Mr. Lehane throws in everything but the kitchen sink - a 150 mph hurricane, a mental institution worthy of Dr. Channard, explosions, swarms of rats, nightmares, migraines, hallucinations: a veritable "Castle of Otranto". The whole book turns into one big "booga booga booga", without any REAL tension, scares, or surprises. The ending is entirely predictable - we've been there before in ANY number of similar novels, and therefore I was forced to ask, "Just WHAT is this all about? WHY did he write THIS?" A very minor nit to pick: at one point, the protagonist is escorted into a large sitting room where a phonograph is playing music with piano and strings. The music sets a mood and triggers a flashback as a plot device. When questioned, a doctor volunteers that the music is by Mahler. I don't believe Mahler ever wrote anything for piano and strings, and if he did, it is not only REALLY obscure but it undoubtedly wouldn't be "tinkling". Poor research, pretension, or laziness? Your call, but that small scene, to me, was indicative of an author not at the peak of their form and probably coasting a bit. I still look forward to Mr. Lehane's next novel, but I hope that he will go back to what he does best, rather than poach other authors' turf.
Rating:
Summary: Will make a better movie
Review: With Dennis Lehane's excellent Mystic River soon to be a major motion picture, the author obviously got giddy with the big paycheck and wrote this "novel" as more of a movie treatment than anything else. As a book, it's just "okay." The ending leaves you thinking for a few minutes anyway -- but thinking more about who's going to play who in the movie. Appropriately cast, the movie will be a surprise-ending big hit, on the lines of "Presumed Innocent." I see Matthew McConaughey as the lead and, well, I don't know who else in supporting roles because, due to a lack of interest, I quit thinking about after a few minutes and went looking for a good book. In any case, this book apparently marks the end of a decent novelist and the beginning of a movie plotmaker. I won't look forward to the next one from Lehane.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting reviews for this book.
Review: Readers seem to go immediately to one of the two extremes - they
either really LIKE it or really DISLIKE it. I bought the book
because the plot synopsis sounded intriguing to me, and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. The "dark and stormy night" approach worked for
me in this case, and I felt myself drawn to finishing the story and
finding out what happened to everyone. Bits and pieces of the
story seemed to push off each other in a strange and weird way
until everything came together in the end.
Rating:
Summary: plot twist at the end made it worth the read
Review: I find that I am still questioning the ending of the story and trying to decide what really happened. Because of that, I think it was a great read. If a book has me still thinking about it a week later or even more and considering going back and re-reading it then it was a sucess. I will be looking for other books by this author to read.
Rating:
Summary: A Summer "Must-Read"
Review: This is the book that must be read at one sitting...or if you are vacationing at the beach...one reclining!
From the Prologue, which should be re-read after digesting some of the book, to the final page which should be re-read for another vivid impact to your senses, I truly enjoyed, yet was also distrurbed, by Mr. Lehane's insight into the mysteries of the inner brain.
Not a book for the squeamish or anyone uncomfortable with themes of suicide, depression, and/or schizophrenia.
It is, however, a book for the amateur sleuth, especially someone good at word/number puzzlers.
'Nuff said without devulging more than necessary...I put the pieces together at page 188...hope you can do better!
Looking forward to a true-to-the-book movie adaptation...M.Night, are you listening?
Rating:
Summary: Not sure Lehane wrote this one?
Review: Shutter Island is such a major departure from Lehane's previous works that I had a hard time believing he wrote it. Where is Lehane's Boston and the fabulous characters with which he populates it? I guess he left them all on the mainland when the ferry departed to psych prison in the outer harbor. Disappointment with Lehane's new approach aside, this was a good, but not great, read. If you're truly a fan of Lehane's Boston you might want to stay away. If you enjoy psycho-thrillers, you'll likely enjoy this one.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book with a Great Twist
Review: To sum it all up, this book started out strong, got boring, then finished with a bang! As I read it, I was finding myself getting annoyed with the constant flashbacks to the wife, but in the end it became clear. This was a good and quick read and would have gotten 3 stars if not for the strong finish.
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