THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane

GRADE: A

This quickly jumped into my list of favorite novels! Not only is it impeccably researched and details dramatic historical events in Boston of 1919, it also follows truly relatable and engaging characters. The book follows two young men, one black and one white, who get caught up in the social and political turmoil in Boston at the time.

I was worried that being a long historical drama, it would be boring, but from the first chapter I was totally engaged and then became swept up in Luther's desire to get back to is wife and Danny's journey into union activism and involvement in the infamous police strike. The books pacing is surprisingly quick for all the historical info it details and I finished it in four days. I've read all of Dennis Lehane's novels and most of his short stories, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

“Do you know the primary difference between men and gods? ... Gods don’t think they can become men”