I think after this I'd rather read the book before seeing the film. Dennis Lehane is popular but after getting 200 pages into Shutter Island (and easy feat seeing as the print is mashoosive) I wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe my opinions are tainted by the fact that I really enjoyed the hell out of the movie but Lehane's writing prose is limited. There's a workman-like sensibility to it, almost akin to a "my first popular novel". Everything is skimmed over with no depth, and considering much of the plot revolves around one man's descent into madness and its subsequent repercussions, depth is something that is drastically needed.
Reading the book seemed somewhat superfluous as, in essence, the movie is identical. Much of the story is the build to the inevitable Big Reveal but seeing as I already knew what said reveal would be, half way through I found myself wondering what's the point? None of the images presented, especially during the dream sequences, have the same impact as they do on film. It's like a film's script (which was, admittedly weak and I now see why) without the Scorsese flair. In fact, having now read the book, I'm not sure if the film would have appealed much at all.
Shutter Island is one of those books where you know that you, as an amateur writer, can do better.
2/5
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