Let me first address the book-review aspect of this blog and tell you that I think Dennis Lehane might be one of my all-time favorite authors (right up there with Dean Koontz and Stephen King). He is the master of winding a story that keeps you interested and guessing right up to that ending that you never saw coming. I'm serious about this; I often feel that a lot of writers try to do this but are unsuccessful because by the time you hit the last 50 pages (sometimes even within the first 100 pages...those are the really unfortunate stories), you've already got a sneaking suspicion that they're setting up an ending that's supposed to surprise you. Lehane, however, literally had me gobsmacked and in tears at the ends of both Mystic River and Shutter Island. If you haven't read the books or seen the films, both of these stories delve into the human mind in such a way that readers (and maybe viewers) get a first-hand look and what can break a person. Mystic River is the story of three men who grew up together in Boston but, here's the catch, when they were little boys, one of them was abducted by two men impersonating police officers. I don't want to spoil the story for you because I strongly recommend that you go out immediately and get your hands on this book, but I will say that many years later, one of the men finds that his daughter was murdered and one of the others is the lead detective on the case. As I said, this book kept me guessing until the very end, which, as we all know, is what makes for a good mystery novel. With Shutter Island, Lehane accomplished the same type of suspense, hooking you in so that you become part of the world he has created, and are then left with your mouth agape and maybe some tears running down your cheeks (if you're a crier, like I am) when that world crashes around you. Again, I don't want to give it away because I'd love for anyone who, on the off-chance, actually reads this blog to feel the same shock and awe that I did while reading the novel.
Now about this whole making-a-blockbuster-out-of-a-really-great-book thing; my rule of thumb on this one is that the book is almost always infinitely better than the movie. (Only twice have I been proved wrong on this: Forrest Gump and Field of Dreams.) Occasionally I read a book and then I see the movie and think "hmm that actually wasn't too bad," but of course, the book is better. The critical difference between book and movie, in my opinion, is that a book lets you in to the mind of its characters; it allows you to know their motivations and thought processes instead of just watching their actions on a screen. A movie is generally no longer than two to two and a half hours in order to keep the audience interested; a book can be as long or short as the author desires, and, if it's well-written, will still keep its readers interested. There is also a major difference between "book people" and "movie people." I am constantly teased by my friends when they start talking about a movie and I say, "That was a really great book!" We're a different breed, us bookworms. This isn't to say that you can't be both; I love books and movies, I just lean a little more heavily towards literature. Some people don't read at all (sad face) and some people read but prefer the cinematic experience. That being said, if you are like me, I suggest going to see movies based on books with your friends who have never read said books. I saw Shutter Island (which was, by the way, an incredibly well-acted movie that was excellently adapted from the book) with my friend Kari, and she had no idea what was in store for her. I spent almost as much time gauging her reactions as I did watching the movie itself. I don't know about you, but I have a snarky little feeling of superiority when I already know how the story ends and I get to look around at all the poor schmucks who haven't the slightest clue as to what's coming. I know this isn't a very attractive quality, but there it is.
I'll end this absurdly long post with one more recommendation that you read some Dennis Lehane, but if you do happen to be one of those "movie people", at least go see Shutter Island; I promise it will blow your mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment