16. 'Coronado' - Dennis Lehane

I find it incredibly difficult to be disappointed with anything that Dennis Lehane writes. I'm not going to lie and say that I've read all of his books yet because that would be pointless. The truth is that I haven't... have only finished two... but if the rest are anything like the ones that I HAVE sat through, they're nothing short of fantastic views into the lives of people that genuinely could exist somewhere in the world. Coronado, a group of short stories, could not lose my attention no matter how many outside forces attempted work against me in the short time that I read it. I found myself wanting to get done work on my flights as quickly as possible just to devour the next story in line because they each provided little pictures into some of the darkest moments of the characters' lives.

There is nothing happy about this book. Lehane talks a lot about hope from the various points-of-view of the characters, but the truth is that most have nothing left to hope for. Their loves are gone or their lives as they knew it are entirely over. It starts with the tragedy of Elgin Bern and the war and death that would tear all the women he loved (or might have) away from him. From there the novel moved on through several other people and tragedies until it reached Coronado, a play that elaborates on the lives of two characters in Until Gwen and throws a few others into the mix. It, of course, is equally as tragic. This is not the kind of novel that you read to feel good about yourself or your life. It's the kind that shows you just how horrible people can be to each other and that there is nothing that some people won't do to get what they want. It's the truth about humanity... cold and bitter, but beautifully written in a way that few can master.

It's unlikely that I'll ever have much to say that's not even remotely positive about Lehane's writing. He truly has become one of my favorite authors already and I'm looking forward to starting the Kenzie/Gennaro series when I pick up the first one from the library tomorrow. I'll keep the blog posted on how much I adore this man and his works... I promise.

Rating: 4/5