 "confusing and implausible" | 2008-09-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3TCYMOGNPPFJB |
| This book was fun to read and well written. Lehane creates colorful characters, and makes them seem extremely lifelike. But this book is excessively violent, and the ultimate "reveal" is simply not believable. Nor are many of the plot twists along the way. Reading this book is like guzzling a 6 pack of diet soda -- tastes good going down, but leaves you feeling empty and slightly dirty inside. |
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 "A disappointment from Lehane" | 2008-07-13 |
| - Reviewed By eyalgo |
| I was expecting more from Dennis Lehane after reading the epic "Gone Baby, Gone", the multilayered "Mystic River" and the hypnotic "Shutter Island". "Prayer for Rain" is good but it is also a run of the mill piece of work. In hindsight, I can understand why Lehane hasn't reunited Kenzie and Gennaro since this thriller was published back in 1999. |
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 "Another winner" | 2008-05-23 |
| - Reviewed By absparks |
Dennis Lehane deserves all the praise he receives. He is truly a master writer and story teller. He always delivers a well-written, strongly plotted and entertaining story. Prayers for Rain ranks up there with Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River. This book is dark, gruesome, violent and riveting. It's well paced and Lehane provides a number of twists and turns, as usual. Nothing, however, comes out of left field. Everything makes sense once investigator Patrick Kenzie and his partner Angela Gennaro answer the dangling questions. You'll race through this book.
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 "Please Dennis, don't hurt any more animals..." | 2008-05-07 |
| - Reviewed By archangelcat2001 |
...or I'll have to quit you now...it's the admirable hallmark of british mystery writers not to hurt the cat (or dog), or your readers will depart. Of course, please spare the children too...but still, when I encounter cruelty to animals in fiction the whole experience is marred and lessened. Yeah, it's a real gotcha for sympathy but a cheap shot.
Otherwise I totally agree with the brilliance of the story and pacing, plus the audio reader is sublime. |
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| "A Hodge-Podge (2.75*s)" | 2008-02-07 |
| - Reviewed By politicalman |
By far the best thing about this book is the reuniting of Patrick and Angela, who had a major disagreement in "Gone, Baby, Gone," though their reunion is pretty low-key. Other than that, the book is a hodge-podge. The plot is too contrived and awkward, jerking along at best. The main characters are not believable in terms of their supposed powers to orchestrate and inflict mayhem. Others appear almost without explanation and are then gone. The violence seems over the top and not authentic. Patrick's over-large, enforcer buddy, Bubba Rogowski, is a goofball, lethal warrior, and improbable seducer of a sexy woman all rolled into one. And the dialog seems overly cutesy, or something.
Lehane just doesn't run a tight ship with this last offering of the series. No way is this book the best of the series or otherwise.
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| "A Fun Read" | 2007-12-30 |
| - Reviewed By thws |
Lehane always writes well. He is especially excellent with this novel. There is excitement, anger, love, and resolution to problems that make this an interesting and enjoyable book.
Highly recommended. |
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| "Life can be very unfair to the weak" | 2007-11-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1VG0K8BQDDJH9 |
Simply an excellent story. Dennis Lehane is one of the best mystery authors today. His writing is tight, has depth, has terrific character development, and best of all is pure fun and enjoyment. The dynamic duo of private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro is a complex stew of raw emotions, intelligence, manic action and tender introspection. Throw in the tough but gentle giant Bubba and you have a mixture to keep the reader engaged for many fun reading hours. Mr. Lehane simply know how to write a great tale at ALL levels.
Prayers for Rain is the total package. The plot is extremely complex at several different levels. There is a lot going on but fortunately Mr. Lehane is masterful in keeping things straight and on an even keel. The plot is multifaceted but generally it swirls around why an innocent, naive young woman committed suicide by jumping naked off a downtown Boston office building. PI Kenzie becomes involved for altruistic reasons and as the plot unfolds more and more strange events happen. As the story moves rapidly along Kenzie faces his own demons as he attempts to find out Why and Who the dead young lady really is and why she died. Reunited with his live-in partner, fellow PI Angela Gennaro, the story takes off on a roller coaster ride of raw emotions and intelligent super sleuthing. Mafia Dons, ex-girl friends, hulking gentle giants, unethical psychoanalysts, sociopath killers, and a game of financial greed and you get the feel for Prayers for Rain. It is really a thrill ride that a lesser skilled writer could not pull off. Murder, mayhem, love, hate, money, and a few drinks; what more could one ask for in a good murder mystery.
Violence, sex, and explicit language are woven throughout the book. It is all extremely strong at times but also adds flavor and truth to this amazing yarn. When you deal with the underbelly of society you must also expect to be exposed to the unpleasantness of life. This book is not for the squeamish so be forewarned.
Absolutely outstanding character development. No more need be said.
Again a terrific read. Can not be put down once you start so be ready. A good choice for that long international flight. Highly recommended.
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| "A fitting end..." | 2007-10-01 |
| - Reviewed By rain-man |
I love Prayers for Rain not only because it's a great book and you can really see how Lehane is shaping to become more than just a thriller writer but a true literary gem but because Patrick and Angie are really here in fine form. There are a lot of laugh out loud moments, a lot of tense ones too but this book has so much heart, it's amazing. Usually when a writer gets to their fifth book, they start to teeter out, take the high road. But not Lehane. Prayers is great not only for its story and its characters but also its heart.
I also hate Prayers for Rain. However, its not the book's fault. It's only because it's the last in the series for right now. And We're left wanting much, much more. |
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| "What You Expect From Lehane" | 2007-08-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A19O80VYV3XFJ8 |
In "Prayers For Rain", the fifth (and to this date last) installment in the Patrick/Angela series, Lehane delivers what fans expect from this gritty series.
With Angela and Patrick estranged after the shattering conclusion in "Gone Baby Gone", Patrick takes on a case to find out why an ex-client, a seemingly honest and pure young woman, has committed suicide. To Patrick, who has seen the absolute ugliest sides of human nature detailed in the previous novels, the suicide is troubling because this woman seemed to embody what is missing from his life: order, refinement and innocence. For the world to be devoid of even one persons goodness does not sit right with Patrick, so he decides to investigate her death under his own initiative even when her own family questions why he must dredge up the pain from a death clearly ruled a suicide.
"Prayers For Rain" contains all the elements that makes this series such a huge hit with the fans, but it begins to feel a little bit formulaic. It is difficult to write five novels with the same principle characters and keep it fresh, but Lehane almost pulls it off. The plot is interesting, provides a lot of tension, has all the trademark surprises and new characters. However (and I hate to admit it), it felt I had read many of the situations in his previous books from the series. Obviously the settings, characters and action were different, but on some level there was a "seen that, done that" feeling though out the book.
I don't want to suggest that "Prayers For Rain" is not a good book (I did give it four stars) because it is very engaging and well written. Unfortunately the novelties of the characters start thinning in this book slightly. Read it for the exciting well written thriller that is, and enjoy the ride because I think Lehane needed to work very hard to make this book live up to what we expect from this series. It did
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| "A thrilling game of wits and violence" | 2007-07-26 |
| - Reviewed By bookmaven987 |
"The first time I met Karen Nichols, she struck me as the kind of woman who ironed her socks." Dennis Lehane's sharp, humorous, pointed way with words lets us know, even if his Boston private detective, Patrick Kenzie, is at first bemused and beguiled, that there is something pressurized under all that gentility.
He solves her stalker problem with ruthless aplomb and forgets about her, too busy to return a call some weeks later. Then Karen is dead, a suicide, having jumped naked from the Custom House. Wondering what upheaval could transform a woman's life so drastically, Kenzie learns enough about her peculiar Weston family, her boyfriend's odd accident and her downward spiral into homelessness and prostitution to enlist the aid of his ex-partner and ex-lover Angela Gennaro and his dangerously loyal friend Bubba.
Together they track down a sociopath whose favorite MO involves destruction of the psyche - tormenting his victims into killing themselves - only to find he's already got the trio comfortably in his cold sights.
The resulting game of wits and violence is nightmarishly thrilling, endlessly suspenseful, snapping at its own tail. Lehane's writing is gritty, witty and human, uncomfortably eye-to-eye with a Boston underside that lurks in the shadows of trendy coffee shops, hallowed landmarks and shady parks.
Deft plotting, edgy dialogue and vivid, unsentimental prose place Lehane ("Gone, Baby, Gone," "Sacred," "Darkness, Take My Hand") among the very best. |
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