Robert P. (monastic-monk) reviewed on 8/28/2018 + 4 more book reviews

I hadn't read any of Lehane's other books, but from the very onset, his style of writing mesmerized and engrossed me--I felt pulled into almost every scene. The two main protagonists lives (an Irish cop and an African-American) cross in a very turbulent time in Boston at the end of World War I. For me, the writing was so immersive, that I not only saw the many characters clearly in my mind, but I felt the rawness of their emotions. Even the settings were described so potently, that I could sense the dirt, grime and squalor of the poor contrasted with the elegance and pomposity of the rich. Finally, the book was filled with many recognizable characters from that era, including Babe Ruth, Samuel Gompers, Calvin Coolidge, and a very young J Edgar Hoover.

Of all the audio books I've listened to over the years, the narrator in this one is one of the very best I've ever heard. The ease with which he changed voice, tone, and accent of each character was amazing. He became each character from Boston Irish to African-American cadences, capturing all the accents, including many foreign ones and even females extremely well. Also, in the many emotional scenes, he nails the character's feelings perfectly.

I always listen to audio books when I'm traveling in my car, and the writing in this one was so very good that I found myself thinking of errands to run so I could drive my car somewhere and listen to another chapter or two!

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details