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A review by leonorekoki
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
3.75
As a historical portrait of Southie in the 70s, I think it’s brilliant—evocative, nuanced, immersive. The mystery/suspense of Mary Pat’s quest is well done, the character comes to life on the page, and the storytelling is masterful.
As a commentary on racism, however, I wasn’t sold. As others have pointed out, Mary Pat’s arc ultimately isn’t about race. The barrage of racial slurs also made for a difficult read, possibly worse in audio where it feels even more visceral and you can’t really skip over words. Historically accurate, sure, but it didn’t feel great about a White author. I don’t doubt his intentions were to show the ugly side of racism, but the absence of developed Black characters left me feeling uneasy and unsatisfied.
As a commentary on racism, however, I wasn’t sold. As others have pointed out, Mary Pat’s arc ultimately isn’t about race. The barrage of racial slurs also made for a difficult read, possibly worse in audio where it feels even more visceral and you can’t really skip over words. Historically accurate, sure, but it didn’t feel great about a White author. I don’t doubt his intentions were to show the ugly side of racism, but the absence of developed Black characters left me feeling uneasy and unsatisfied.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence