Small Mercies is a powerful and compelling novel that explores the themes of racism, violence, family, and revenge in the backdrop of Boston’s turbulent history. Dennis Lehane, the acclaimed author of Mystic River and Shutter Island, delivers a masterful story that combines a gripping thriller with a profound social commentary.
“Race don’t come into it. They keep us fighting among ourselves like dogs for table scraps so we won’t catch them making off with the feast.”
The novel follows Mary Pat Fennessy, a widowed mother who lives in the Irish American enclave of Southie, a neighborhood that resists change and outsiders. When her teenage daughter Jules goes missing one night, Mary Pat embarks on a desperate search that leads her to uncover dark secrets and confront dangerous enemies.
“That’s what ghosts are—they’re testaments to what never should have happened and must be fixed before their spirits leave this world.”
Along the way, she crosses paths with Bobby Coyne, a homicide detective who is investigating the mysterious death of a young Black man at a subway station. Their fates are intertwined as they face the escalating violence and chaos that erupts from the desegregation of public schools in 1974.
Lehane skillfully portrays the complex and conflicted characters of Mary Pat and Bobby, who are both driven by their sense of justice and loyalty, but also haunted by their past mistakes and regrets. He also creates a vivid and realistic depiction of Southie, a community that is proud of its heritage and traditions, but also plagued by poverty, crime, and corruption. Lehane does not shy away from exposing the ugly and brutal aspects of racism, bigotry, and mob rule that pervade the society. He shows how these forces can destroy lives and families, as well as fuel hatred and violence.
“Because truth hurts, truth costs, truth upends your world.”
Small Mercies is not only a thrilling and suspenseful read, but also a moving and insightful one.
“…glancing sideways right back at him with a secretive smile, and he considers the possibility that maybe the opposite of hate is not love. It’s hope. Because hate takes years to build, but hope can come sliding around the corner when you’re not even looking.”
It challenges the reader to reflect on the history and legacy of racism in America, and how it affects the present and future. It also celebrates the resilience and courage of those who fight for their loved ones and their dignity. Small Mercies is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish it. It is a masterpiece that only Dennis Lehane could write.
“The worst of us has good in him. The best of us has pure fucking evil in his heart. We battle. It’s all we can do.”
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
About the book:
https://www.jonathanball.co.za/component/virtuemart/small-mercies
Category: Fiction Books
ISBN: 9780349145761
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
On sale: May 2023
Format: Paperback
About the author
Dennis Lehane https://dennislehane.com/
