Small Mercies

"4.25⭐️ Wow was not expecting what this turned into. It’s my first Lehane book so maybe I would’ve known if I’d read others in his catalogue but it started out very much a literary social commentary historical drama. I would’ve been fine with that but it was also slow going and challenging..for the first half. South Boston in the 70s is a place I’m happy not to have lived or even visited. It was (maybe still is?) a rough and tumble, socioeconomically depressed place As a west coast girl who grew up during this time period in equally socioeconomically depressed but multicultural military housing (whites, the minority) where we all got along, went to school and played together, the racism presented (and I have no reason to believe it wasn’t that horrible given history and that civil unrest of the 60s had barely turned a corner) was extreme to take on to say the least, as it would be to most of our modern sensibilities..except the racists that is, they just don’t go away. The way of thinking, the language, the slurs, are all jarring (the hard R is used a LOT so be warned). Whites and Blacks are divided and busing is being implemented. This leads to outrage, bitterness and protests on the white side of town. Then the death of a black man and a white girl missing. Which is when social commentary turns to non-stop violent vengeance. The white MC is mired in the racist conditioning. You will not always like her yet you will root for her. She’s had too much loss and nothing left to lose AND has the badassery to go after the worst of the worst. I appreciated the complexity of this character I enjoyed the last half a lot and it went much quicker. Racism is not solved of course. But I guess it’s too much to wish more of the Black perspective was included. Alternating POV would have nicely rounded out the story in a more complete way. I’m not mad at it though as I believe it’s important to remember the harsh realities of U.S. history and the legacy we still live under. "

"A tough flawed Irish American Mom takes her revenge on the people who caused her daughters death. T his is set in the fraught time in South Boston before bussing. I don't know why I haven't read more Lehane books as I enjoy them "

"Small Mercies pulled me forward from page 1. Against a backdrop of racial unrest and generational bigotry, Mary Pat Fennessy, a hard-edged character from the start, deals with the unimaginable loss of her 17-year-old daughter, Jules, who disappears one night without a clue. She pieces together what happened and with single-minded persistence and anger, she wreaks violence and vengeance on all involved. Generations of anger and hatred pervading both Mary Pat’s life and the lives of others in South Boston would always yield sadness. Mary Pat was a unique female character and I can see changeable actresses such as Jessica Chastain, Frances McDormand or Kate Winslet transforming themselves into Mary Pat"

"Up there with Lehane classics Mystic River, and Gone Baby Gone. A must read. Fans of the movie Peppermint will also enjoy. Would make a great Miniseries. "