Lehane, Dennis "Shutter Island" - 2003I didn't think I would like this book because I'm not a huge fan of crime stories. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is not the usual thriller or action movie plot, i.e. there is a plot here.
A gripping story that plays games with your mind. And the twist at the end totally left me flabbergasted. Contrary to many other participants, I had not seen the film
However, I don't think this is a great book for a book club, like most stories like this, what are we going to talk about??? Yes, we can talk about mental illness, PTSD, hospital situations, etc. But it all diverges from the story.
Still, a good read.
Quote on page 279 of my edition, something I ask myself often:
"God gives us earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes. He gives us mountains that spew fire onto our heads. Oceans that swallow ships. He gives us nature, and nature is a smiling killer. He gives us disease so that in our death we believe. He gave us offices only so that we could feel our life bleed out of them. He gave us lust und fury and greed and our filthy hearts. So that we could wage violence in His honour. There is no moral order as pure as this storm we've just seen. There is no moral order at all. There is only this - can my violence conquer yours?"
Comments from the book club meeting:
- "The book was very well received by the group, with everyone giving it either 4/5 or 5/5.
- Many of us had not read the book before, but a large number had seen Martin Scorsese's film adaptation. This created an interesting situation because many readers already knew the main twist before opening the book. Despite this, there was broad agreement that the novel remained very engaging. Several members commented that knowing the ending made it easier to notice clues and details throughout the story, although some wondered whether the book would have been even better or perhaps not as effective without that prior knowledge.
- One of the most frequently praised aspects of the novel was Lehane's writing style. Members repeatedly mentioned the vivid descriptive language and the atmosphere he creates throughout the book. The island, the weather, and the hospital all felt convincing and memorable. It was also noted that Lehane does an excellent job of bringing the reader back to the 1950s. The language, dialogue, and attitudes of the characters help create a strong sense of time and place.
- Much of our discussion focused on how the novel is constructed. We talked about the unreliable narration, the clues hidden throughout the story, and the way Lehane guides the reader towards certain assumptions. We also discussed several of the characters and their roles in the story, particularly how differently they can be viewed once the reader knows the truth behind the mystery.
- The themes of trauma, guilt, memory, and self-deception also generated discussion. We debated the hospital itself, its methods, and the ethical questions raised by the treatment of patients. The ending naturally became one of the main topics, with different opinions about Teddy's final decision and how it should be interpreted.
- As we often do in our discussions, we looked for connections to other books we have read. This time the conversation brought up Fight Club and the Finnish novel Rikosetsivien vapaapäivä because of the way both encourage readers to re-evaluate earlier events and question their understanding of what has happened.
- The discussion also touched on Dennis Lehane as an author more generally. Several members noted that a number of his novels have been adapted into highly regarded films, and that Shutter Island is not the only example of his work translating successfully to the screen. The book also inspired a few members to add more of Lehane's work to their reading lists."
"Shutter Island was a satisfyingly chilling tale to read during the discomfort of the most recent heat wave in Ontario, Canada. Smokescreen after smokescreen arose. I enjoyed the layering of circumstances and personalities and clues and interpretations. This is not at all similar to my usual gentler reading and I feel gratefully stretched."
Again, many thanks to our leader Karin who put together a great review.
This was our international online book club read for July 2026.
Book Description:
"An arresting psychological thriller in which two US Marshals hunting for an escaped mental patient unveil a nightmare world of CIA drug trials, Nazi inspired eugenic work, and repressive mind control.
In the year 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate an unexplained disappearance. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept under constant surveillance in a locked, guarded cell. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on the island, hints of radical experimentation and covert government machinations add darker, more sinister shades to an already bizarre case. Because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems."
