Rating: 
Summary: If you thought the movie was good - READ THE BOOK
Review: "Mystic River" -- by Dennis Lehane - all I can say is if you thought the movie was good, you should read the book! It is a only one of its kind - intelligent, gripping, suspenseful - everything that you would want in a novel and much more. I compare it to: "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb, "Memoriors of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden, and "When It Rains" by Marjorie Spoto, in unique storytelling and "The Davinci Code" by Dan Brown in suspense and storyline. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: Superior in every way
Review: "Mystic River" is equally as haunting and intense on the second read, as it was the first time. Dennis Lehane places you right in the middle of the Boston working class neighborhood.It is a powerful, gritty, superior work of crime fiction---urban noir at its finest. Honor, violence, guilt, trauma of youth and revenge frame the story line---and the plot twists are revelations of character. Violence split three friends apart, and it is violence that reunites them over twenty years later. The violence is both physical and psychic. The violence and vengeance have unintended consequences. The characters are complex, enigmatic, ambiguous, perplexing and steeped in Catholic guilt. They come alive from page one with all their flaws, anguish, torment and personal demons. The whodunit is cleverly resolved, but "Mystic River" is much more than just a mystery story. Mr. Lehane takes you into the individual minds and souls of the players. You experience their pain, know their motivations as well as their flaws and choices. "Mystic River" is unforgettable and is etched in my mind.
Rating:
Summary: Lehane's Finest Work
Review: Child molestation is an ugly despicable act that only perpetuates itself--this is a simple theme played on in Dennis Lehane's 'Mystic River.' As children, Jimmy, Sean, and Dave lived in the suburban area of Boston. Their parents all worked for the same employer. One day, Dave is abducted by what the boys believe to be police officers. Eventually, Dave makes his escape, but he is never the same, and neither are his friends.
Years later, Dave, Jimmy, and Sean have become adults. Dave was a baseball star in high school, and now is married with a young son. Sean, the most studious of the group, struggles with alcoholism after his wife left him and he works for the State police. Jimmy has served time in prison, now runs his own store, is on his second marriage, and has several children that he loves dearly. When tragedy strikes Jimmy's family, the three former friends are all drawn into the story.
This story is a bit of a mystery. The questions are: what happened to Jimmy's daughter? Why? Who is responsible? All the questions seem to have obvious answers, but things aren't always what they seem. Lehane has done a masterful job of subtely giving clues and working in plot twists. In addition, Lehane has included some incredible symbolism. As you read the novel, spend some time thinking about what the baseball glove is about. It makes some well timed appearances.
Like Lehane's other work, this isn't a pretty story. "Gritty" is an appropriate description. The subject of child molestation and its effects is a sensitive one. Lehane doesn't go into graphic detail, but he does make the subject central to the story. Overall, it was handled very well.
I have not yet seen the movie adaptation of the novel, so I cannot compare the two. I have heard that the novel and the movie compare favorably to each other, but that is simply hearsay from my perspective, so take it for what it is worth. I felt this novel, although a bit slow in the beginning, became a real page turner in the later half. I was awed when I finished it. I recommend it to any fan of Lehane's work and for those that like a story with a bit of mystery to it.
Rating:
Summary: An unforgettable reading experience
Review: Having read all of Dennis Lehane's books (thoroughly enjoyed the tough, funny and cool Kenzie/Gennaro series, left a bit confused by "Shutter Island"), I really looked forward to sit down with this highly praised novel - before watching the acclaimed movie on DVD.
I'm glad I too the time to read the book first, because
Mystic River" is a novel that will stay with every reader for a long, long time. Deep psychological insights, three-dimensional characters, a dark and fantastic story that will leave no one untouched. On top of being exciting, masterfully plotted and extremely moving, it is also very well written; some sentences and chapters are so brilliantly put into words that reading alone becomes a delight in itself.
Clint Eastwood's movie version is certainly a masterpiece in its own right, but - of course - it can't and doesn't come close to the depth of the original tragic tale crafted by Dennis Lehane.
All in all: "Mystic River" is one of the best books I have ever read. Period.
Rating: 
Summary: Coarse, tough-guy fantasies
Review: I thought this one was probably worse and even more gimmicky than Shutter Island. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight and, worse, it didn't really seem to matter anyway. And what was with all that coarseness? Does this guy think he's David Mamet? Sam Shepard? What?
I think that coarseness was really what did the novel in for me. No one really seemed to care about anybody else. Not that I need (or even want) a whole lot of love and emotion dripping from any novel, but there was no connection between these characters at all that served to pique my interest. It was almost an insult to working class neighborhoods in the East. The portrayal seemed to be more of Lehane's rough-and-tough-guy fantasies than anything else.
Rating:
Summary: MYSTIC RIVER
Review: I'd had 'MYSTIC RIVER' on my wish list for ages but did not actually purcahse it until I heard that they were turning it itno a movie staring Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon. While I heard great things anout Dennis Lehane as an author this was the firsrt of his books that I've read and I am very pleased that I chose this one to start with. Lehane paints a picture so realistically that you can alomst feel the grief, anger and despair that his characters feel.
Jimmy, Davey and Sean were childhood friends and while all very different in personality, Jimmy being the tough one, Sean the boy from the "right side of the tracks" and Davey the follower, they never missed a Saturday together. However, one Saturday things take a turn for the unexpected when two men posing as police officers abduct Davey. Once returned to his familly days later and knowing the horrors that Davey must have enduredd at the hands of these men, the friendship between the three boys is irrevocably torn. Twenty some odd years later, when Jimmy's daughter Kaite is murdered the three of them are thrown back into each others lives. Sean is the investigating officer in Katie's murder and Davey who is married to Jimmy's wife's cousin is there to lend his support. But with a secret hanging over his head about his own misdeeds the night of Katie's murder Davey must try to keep it together himself.
When young Davey is abducted in the first few chapters of the book you feel the anguish that his family and friends go through as they await his safe return. You can also feel how tourtured that experience has left Davey as an adult. When Jimmy's daughter is murdered you feel the pain and sadness that he and his family go through and understand his urge to find the killer and make him pay at any cost. And when Sean is forced to investigate the murder of his estranged friends daughter you can feel how torn he is between doing his job and a sense of loyalty to an old firend in the hardest time of his life.
After reading 'MYSTIC RIVER' I couldn't wait to see how this story played out on the big screen and for once the movie stayted very true to the book. Penn and Robin's performances were defintiley Oscar worthy as you see these characters brought to life. If you loved the movie you will love this book even more.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible haunting novel of suspense...
Review: Mystic River is an incredible tale of friendship, betrayal, and the psychological repercussions of events we may think we have left in the past - but in fact continue to haunt into the future. I found the book to be deeply moving and thought-provoking as well. Here are a few things that may help you make up your own mind if you are considering reading it (NO spoilers you wouldn't read about on the book jacket): Dennis Lahane steps away from his typical novel centering on a male-female detective team to write a story of three childhood friends growing up in a run-down part of Boston. The story begins with the main characters as 11-year old kids. A strange car pulls onto the street where they are hanging out and something happens to change to lives of the boys forever. Flash forward to present day, with the three characters now in their late 30's. One has become a cop, one is an ex-con, and the third is simply trying to live a "normal" existence while battling the demons of that horrid day when the boys were 11. One tragic night the ex-con's daughter is found dead, the cop is sent to investigate, and one of the three can't explain where all the blood on his clothes and in his car has come from. The story may seem straightforward, but not all is as it seems, and that is another thing that makes the book great. You get a glimpse into the lives of each of the three. You try to understand what they must be going through as the events unfold. You never see the end coming.
Rating:
Summary: A great work by a genius of an author.
Review: Mystic River shows how events of childhood shape up the lives of 3 boys (Dave,Jimmy and Sean) who grow up in the same working class neighborhood. Abuse at the hands of kidnappers causes
permanent emotional scars and inner demons in Dave. Jimmy continues his childhood habit of thrill seeking and contempt for rules and this leads to time in jail for him. He gets out of jail, goes straight but some part of him retains the persona of a lawless man. Difference in personalities and clash of professional and personal lives leads to marital trouble and breakup for Sean.
All the 3 come together when Jimmy's teenage daughter is murdered. Dave's and Jimmy's wives are cousins; Sean is the
investigating officer for the murder.
Dennis Lehane has done a phenomenal job of providing an indepth look into various facets of life in a working class neighborhood.
He dwells deep into what goes through the minds of various characters in different situations such as a child's first communion,
fans' feelings and emotions during a ball game, battle with inner demons by an abused person, people hoping against hope when
facing imminent bad news, making preparations for burying a loved one, turmoil and struggle for justification even by a ruthless character, etc.
This book is powerful, gripping, intriguing, and insightful.
The only complaint I have about this book is that it's a tad too lengthy and drags at times.
Rating:
Summary: Nailed
Review: The "you can't put it down" kind've book. Emotional jolt by way of his developement of intense characters. Motivated me to see the movie. Twice. You decide.
Rating:
Summary: 'Just Us Girls' Book Club Review
Review: The group reviewed the book and watched the movie during our August 2004 meeting. Overall the group enjoyed the book and felt that the storyline kept their attention. After the group finished the movie, they felt that the movie left out important details that were described in the book, such as Dave's childhood and the stigma around people from the `Flats.' But at the same time, the movie brought to life a lot of the various characters. The group also felt that the book included too much detail surrounding the murder investigation. The group also agreed that the most tragic figure turned out to be Dave Boyle, because he did not have to die the way that he did. Because of his lack of counseling following the kidnapping, there were many issues that he failed to come to grips with which, unfortunately, resulted in his tragic downfall.
All in all, the group felt that the book was very well written and felt like we personally took part in the solving of an investigation.
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