'Shutter Island' by Dennis Lehane is a psychological thriller set on an island where an insane asylum is located. The story follows a detective investigating a murder on the island, only to find himself trapped there during a hurricane. The book is described as a fast-paced, gripping mystery with plenty of suspense and plot twists. The author creates a hauntingly stunning piece of work that combines psychological horror, mystery, and normal horror, keeping the readers engaged and thought-provoked till the end.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Shutter Island include themes of violence, insanity, murder, and graphic descriptions of mental illness.
From The Publisher:
Hammett Prize - Int'l. Assn. of Crime Writers Nominee
The basis for the blockbuster motion picture directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island by New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane is a gripping and atmospheric psychological thriller where nothing is quite what it seems. The New York Times calls Shutter Island, "Startlingly original." The Washington Post raves, "Brilliantly conceived and executed." A masterwork of suspense and surprise from the author of Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone, Shutter Island carries the reader into a nightmare world of madness, mind control, and CIA Cold War paranoia and is unlike anything you've ever read before.
Ratings (102)
Incredible (20) | |
Loved It (43) | |
Liked It (25) | |
It Was OK (11) | |
Did Not Like (3) |
Reader Stats (243):
Read It (104) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (95) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (41) |
4 comment(s)
I read this book in 1 day, mostly in the Barnes and Noble where I picked it up (don't worry, I bought it). Despite mocking his dialogue, I do love Lehane's suspense novels. This book is like Lost on crack.
I was spoiled having seen the film, which follows the book to the letter.
A decent thriller, but terribly inaccurate from a psychological sciences standpoint
Psychological thriller
Memory and perception
Closed room mystery
Asylum setting
Hurricane backdrop
Twists and turns
Character secrets
Fast-paced plot
Humorous elements
Engaging mystery
Compelling ending
It's easy to fall into Teddy's mind and become infected with his paranoia right from the beginning, too see danger everywhere you look. As a reader, I enjoy this type of writing, as I generally read to become one with the characters.
There isn't a lot of quick, battle-like action in Shutter Island, but I find that the slower burn of bits and pieces, clues that may or may not be actual clues, much more effective in building the tension than the all out "fight for your life" scenarios in other types of stories.
To me, the book is well-written, and the characters are well-rounded. The ending is surprising the first time you read the book, and all the little details here and there are wrapped up by the last page. In addition, the book has a high re-read value and will deliver just as much on subsequent readings as on the first one.
What can you read after
Shutter Island?
About the Author:
Dennis Lehane grew up in the Dorchester section of Boston's inner-city. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a counsellor with mentally handicapped and abused children, waited tables, parked cars, drove limos, worked in bookstores, and loaded tractor-trailers. His one regret is that no one ever gave him a chance to tend bar. He has an MFA from Florida International University, and is the writer-in-residence at Eckerd College in St Petersburg, Florida, where he runs the Writers in Paradise Writers' Conference. He and his wife divide their time between St. Petersburg and Boston. For more information on Dennis Lehane and his novels, visit his website: www.dennislehanebooks.com
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