Review of SMALL MERCIES

This book should be adapted by Scorcese!

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane is spitball triumph. A trusted reader and critic who loves Lehane and knows the Boston of which she speaks, struggled with the “Marvel” or superhero traits of the unforgettable heroine, Mary Pat. That extraordinary name fits the equally arresting, terrifying world of Seventies South Boston that frames this gripping novel. All the characters work and if you “give” Lehane a bit of a break with the superhero evolution of Mary Pat (oh please … it might be my all-time favorite name), the book resonates in so many ways. Its relevance is rooted in Lehane’s graceful and nuanced treatment of the poisonous bigotry of the Southies. They are people and their hatred and fears are as human as they are inhumane. This is achieved with dialogue that erases the fourth wall of the printed page. It is a breathtaking literary version of cinema verite … “Marvel” and all

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