Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Title: Shutter Island
Author: Dennis Lehane
Series: Stand alone 
Source: Borrowed
Format: Paperback 
Genre: Psychological thriller
Synopsis (from B&N):
Summer, 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels s come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient, a murderess named Rachel Solando, as a hurricane bears down upon them. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry; an approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing. Or is there another, more personal reason why he has come there?

Situated offshore from Massachusetts, Shutter Island is an asylum specialise in housing the criminally insane person. US Marshall Teddy Daniels lands himself on this island for a reason – to investigate the disappearance of an inmate, a young lady named Rachel Solando. However, from the moment he and his colleague, Chuck Aule, step their feet on the island, they could smell suspicions everywhere: The general staffs that help running the place do not seem like persons they could trust, the medical personnel sounds like someone with hidden agendas and the stale, depressing atmosphere in the asylum also screams that something else is really wrong. As the strange hurricane starts brewing, Teddy finds himself trap in this island, force to solve the puzzles and begins to realise that besides his inability to trust anyone in the island, could he really trust his colleague? And most important of all, could he trust himself, what he believes and what he sees happening before his eyes?

Shutter Island is indeed a book with layer upon layer of secrets. I have to admit that I only pick this up because I didn’t get the chance to watch the movie but seriously speaking, the mystery that waits me in this book make the hours spend reading it totally worth it. The beginning of the book might be a little slow as nothing really happen for quite awhile, though Lehane’s style of writing making these dragging parts somewhat entertaining. He uses them to establish the ground at which this story is set in and also gives a general overview on Teddy’s current and previous lives. I truly enjoy the way he portrays how the people in the 50’s are like: the way they talk, their manners and the issues that they talk about which I find entirely fit with the whole settings.

Another thing that really intrigues me is his grotesque description on how the mental healthcare really like in the 1950s. Lehane appears to me as an author who loves detail and this make it easier for readers to imagine the whole things that happen throughout the story. Besides crafting an excellently creepy settings, the author also succeed in developing an interesting, mysterious character. Teddy is indeed an unpredictable man that is  very hard to read. On the outside, he appears to be a strong, stubborn person, but in the inside, he is an entirely different person. It is fascinating to see how the author dissects this man little by little, to give readers a better understanding on who he really is.

Reading through Shutter Island is like walking in a huge maze. You may be expecting something at first but after being wrong for multiple times, you simply just wait for the real bomb to drop. I honestly didn’t see such revelation coming towards the end of the book and it literally made me sits down, reanalyse back what I’ve been reading. With its creepy setting and intense storyline, Shutter Island is indeed a must read!

Favourite Quote: He wanted to ask her what sound a heart made when it broke from pleasure, when just the sight of someone filled you the way food, blood, and air never could, when you felt as if you'd been born for only one moment and this, for whatever reason, was it - Teddy Daniels

18 comments:

  1. Great book / Great movie - glad u love it too.

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  2. I'm glad you liked it! My take on it is at

    http://bookaddictreviews.blogspot.com/2010/07/shutter-island-by-dennis-lehane.html

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  3. I watched the movie and to tell the truth, same thing happen to me like what happen to you. My prediction are all wrong....=) haha!!! surprise...surprise.... I love the movie.

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  4. I actually figured it out but was still questioning myself so the ending wasn't the affect that you got it.

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  5. @Marce: I am indeed amazed that you managed to figure it out! I seriously didn't see pieces of clues that the author scattered here and there in the previous chapters until AFTER I finish reading *lol*. I hope that figuring it out early didn't ruin the book for you though.

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  6. Psychological thriller? You got my interest! I love thrillers. I have not watch the movie either yet but looking forward to rent a DVD later. Great review Shy. I wonder if Leo is Teddy ;)

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  7. I'm so, so glad you liked this book! I read it too, but that was after I saw the movie. I did enjoy the book, but I kind of ruined it because I already knew the conclusion. In my opinion, though, the movie is even better! So you've got to see it.

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  8. Loved the review and definitely agree! I read the book prior to seeing the movie and have to admit...score another point for books. The movie was good, don't get me wrong, but they change the ending! (Not cool....definitely not.) Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book...and happy reading!

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  9. I also reviewed this book. Thought the novel was intriguing. And, your review exceptional. Somehow you have to see the movie. Luckily I read the book first.

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  10. Fabulous review, Shy. And I love me a good mystery thriller--especially the psychological kind. I'll have to grab this the next time I'm at the library! Thanks for the recommend!

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  11. Yay, so glad to hear it was awesome! I've had this at the top of my to-read list for a long time now!

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  12. Glad to hear that you liked it. I think I will wait for it till the movie comes out! :)

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  13. I read this book years ago and loved it and followed Dennis LeHayne ever since because of his wonderful writing style.

    I seen the movie and wasn't impressed - the book was so much better. :D

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  14. dang. u love shutter island?

    while reading the book, i found it kinda depressing.

    after reading, i discovered the absolute truth.
    it's not depressing, it's *really* depressing. lol

    juz wondering, do u review other kind of books of heavier stature beside novels?

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  15. I really loved Shutter Island. It had me engrossed from the start, and I never saw the end coming. Great review.

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  16. Fantastic review, definitely sounds like one I'd enjoy. Havent seen the movie yet either.

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  17. Great review - I really liked both the book and film!

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