menniemenace's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
This story broke me as a kid. I was fine and trusting and stuff, then this thing ripped my brains apart. I loved it.
The novel is a little different. It's very rugged and manly, which is obviously what the author was aiming for in this book. I hope it's not his usual writing style because I love me some political correctness. The vibe was 1950 to the last, very ugly, very unsettling, detail.
The story is brilliant. It would have worked well as one of those impossible mysteries but the final product is far more complex. It's the perfect unreliable narrator story. I wonder which has the better ending, though, book or movie?
This story broke me as a kid. I was fine and trusting and stuff, then this thing ripped my brains apart. I loved it.
The novel is a little different. It's very rugged and manly, which is obviously what the author was aiming for in this book. I hope it's not his usual writing style because I love me some political correctness. The vibe was 1950 to the last, very ugly, very unsettling, detail.
The story is brilliant. It would have worked well as one of those impossible mysteries but the final product is far more complex. It's the perfect unreliable narrator story. I wonder which has the better ending, though, book or movie?
parkersanchezz's review against another edition
4.0
damn this would probably make a pretty good movie huh
jarichan's review against another edition
4.0
Schon seit ich den Film gesehen habe, wollte ich das Buch dazu lesen. Also wanderte der Titel auf die Wunschliste und blieb erst einmal dort. Bis ich es dann als Weihnachtsgeschenk erhielt - die Freude war gross.
Umso grösser die Freude, als sich Lehanes Werk als richtig guten Stoff entpuppte. Ich musste mich regelrecht zwingen, das Buch nicht zu schnell zu verschlingen. Ich denke, ansonsten hätte es seine Wirkung nicht ganz entfalten können.
Es ist ein Eintauchen in eine Welt, die zwischen der Realität und de Traum existiert. Was ist echt, was nicht? Wer lügt, wer nicht? Alles sehr gute Fragen, die nur schwer zu beantworten sind. Lehane beherrscht es, mit dem Leser und auch mit seinen Figuren zu spielen. Die Reise geht einmal hierhin, einmal dorthin, und schlussendlich müssen wir selbst unsere Antworten finden.
Übrigens - schon während der Lektüre fiel mir auf, wie grandios der Film ist. Eine fast schon geniale Verfilmung. Herrlich, auch mal so etwas zu erleben.
Umso grösser die Freude, als sich Lehanes Werk als richtig guten Stoff entpuppte. Ich musste mich regelrecht zwingen, das Buch nicht zu schnell zu verschlingen. Ich denke, ansonsten hätte es seine Wirkung nicht ganz entfalten können.
Es ist ein Eintauchen in eine Welt, die zwischen der Realität und de Traum existiert. Was ist echt, was nicht? Wer lügt, wer nicht? Alles sehr gute Fragen, die nur schwer zu beantworten sind. Lehane beherrscht es, mit dem Leser und auch mit seinen Figuren zu spielen. Die Reise geht einmal hierhin, einmal dorthin, und schlussendlich müssen wir selbst unsere Antworten finden.
Übrigens - schon während der Lektüre fiel mir auf, wie grandios der Film ist. Eine fast schon geniale Verfilmung. Herrlich, auch mal so etwas zu erleben.
caytlynn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In all honesty I picked this book up due to my love for the movie that hasn’t gone away in years. And even though I haven’t watched it in awhile I feel like the book still was amazing. From my memory I’d say this was a great book to adaptation that got me to read this amazing book.
I really wish I had read the book before seeing the movie but I don’t think having it the other way ruined the story at all for me. This is like my perfect scenario psychiatric institution setting and story. It isn’t gory or super like in your face fucked up but it leads you along this intricate story that seems so real that the reader ends up learning is all just a made up narrative for a psych patient. I honestly loved it.
I really wish I had read the book before seeing the movie but I don’t think having it the other way ruined the story at all for me. This is like my perfect scenario psychiatric institution setting and story. It isn’t gory or super like in your face fucked up but it leads you along this intricate story that seems so real that the reader ends up learning is all just a made up narrative for a psych patient. I honestly loved it.
stassyt's review against another edition
5.0
great read with a very unexpected twist ending. do yourself a favor, read this. DON'T watch the movie!
louxcy's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
edbasham123's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t know what I expected when I went into this book. I remember seeing the film once a long time ago but it was sufficiently long ago for me to forget most of the plot. Good start.
The story follows two US Marshals who investigate the case of a missing patient at a hospital for the criminally insane. The only catch is that she escaped out of a locked room, past several guard and locked doors...we follow the story from Teddy Daniels’ perspective as he slowly but sure solves the case and it gets DEEP!
I found myself not being able to put this book down until last night I demolished about 200 pages in one sitting. It explores so many crazy ideas and I found myself questioning which bits were real and what happened in someone’s head. The characters had depth and the story flowed really well. The only downside in my opinion was that this book was very racist and sexist in places; I get that it was set in the 50s but still.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend reading Shutter Island, now onto the movie for a bit of Leo.
The story follows two US Marshals who investigate the case of a missing patient at a hospital for the criminally insane. The only catch is that she escaped out of a locked room, past several guard and locked doors...we follow the story from Teddy Daniels’ perspective as he slowly but sure solves the case and it gets DEEP!
I found myself not being able to put this book down until last night I demolished about 200 pages in one sitting. It explores so many crazy ideas and I found myself questioning which bits were real and what happened in someone’s head. The characters had depth and the story flowed really well. The only downside in my opinion was that this book was very racist and sexist in places; I get that it was set in the 50s but still.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend reading Shutter Island, now onto the movie for a bit of Leo.
kendallpenn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
destined_ie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
omg??
mandimartin's review against another edition
4.0
a little slow to start, but overall I think it was really well done. The movie did an impressive job sticking to the book. I was amazed at how well the author kept the plot open for the ending. Great idea for a book and well executed.