Today's pick is a doozey. It's a long published work that is about to be released as a movie starring none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. (Okay...if you are a fan of his...enough with the swooning....this is about the book that inspired the movie....FOCUS...) Have you guessed it yet? The previews make it all dark and foreboding....not so far from the bookish truth. Alright, alright....I'm not one to torture you for very long (leave that to a few of the characters in this story)....today's book of choice is....
Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule are two U.S. Shutter Island
In a place outside normal society filled with those that the world would rather forget, radical treatments are rumored to be explored as a means of settling the unsettled mind...some in fact that may be beyond the moral law. With such things in question, is it any wonder that he begins to second guess his prior assumptions? I mean, when you feel you can't trust your own mind, who can you depend on? Is the truth really the truth, or merely a result of what others want us to believe? The facts are all there. The code is waiting to be broken. Who will survive this game of wits, if in fact that is truly what it is? Each has its own hidden agenda, but what that may be and to what means they will go to realize it will astound even the most seasoned of readers. (dun dun dun....yep, there's your cliffhanger.....)
Wow! Let me just say....WOW! I mean, by the end of this book, I was turning pages so fast I had to MAKE myself not skim each paragraph to find out exactly what happens. The ending is such a twist....there is really no way to anticipate it coming. If you've read the book and say that you can...well, let's just say you're either Sherlock Holmes to my Watson, or fibbing just a bit. (WHEW! Okay, moving on...) The characters are realistic, their intentions believable...so much in fact, you may cringe away in some instances as you feel the gaze of the steely eyed staff come upon you.
Now let's talk about the writing itself....a little bit of a different reaction. While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters, I wasn't as much of a fan of the writing in general. There are lengthy passages of characters bantering back and forth in short one line sentences. I don't know about you, but after a bit, you lose track of who is saying what in such instances.....the reaction being a re-read on that page or the pages in question, thus slowing down the read of the book. One other note....the language. Okay, I know it is a male author. I also know that foul language or intimate situations are often narrated completely differently when looking at a male versus female viewpoint. I also know that (okay, okay...perhaps know is too strong...how about, in my opinion...) were the crass words and descriptions censored a bit, the story would lose neither readers, nor value. I mean, honestly....how many times can one say the "F" word in a short passage? Well, the author does explore that to a certain extent to be sure, but I digress. As much as the irritation was there upon reading the page, it was just as quickly overlooked when trying to move forward with the story...it simply was that good.
In the end, I'd recommend this book to anyone planning on seeing the movie (ME!). As good as the trailer looks, the book does not disappoint! One word of caution....I might suggest that readers be at least mid-to late teens or adults, due to the language and content (we are dealing with psychiatric prisoners...I mean they didn't get put in there for selling candy to strangers). So....a showing of (virtual) hands....are YOU planning on seeing the movie? Are you going to read the book first, last, or skip it altogether? Thoughts, comments....feel free to share!
Until next time....happy reading!
**Review copy was purchased by yours truly!
