• Home
  • Seasonal Content
    • Mardi Gras
    • Valentines
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mothers Day
    • Fathers Day
    • Gardening
    • Graduation & Back to School
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Scrapbook
    • Scrapbook Layouts
  • Books
    • All Book Posts
    • Book Reviews
    • Slowprose Book Review Format
  • Favorites
  • Video Reviews

The Slowestuff Blog

Lifestyle blog featuring seasonal content with books & scrapbook posts all year long.

June 22, 2024

Small Mercies: Review of the stunning novel by Dennis Lehane

Spread the love

Small Mercies completely wow’ed us. Storytelling at its grittiest and finest.

This book expertly weaves a message organically throughout the story without turning into a history book, or going off on a soapbox tangent. Brilliantly done.

Along with that, the story and the characters are memorable, real, & well flushed out.

This was just an overall triumph for us.

Keep reading to see our full review of Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane.

This is a book blog post featuring Small Mercies: Review of the stunning novel by Dennis Lehane, with our full book review and discussion, plus book recommendations for other books we think you might enjoy.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which, if used for purchase, will result in a small commission, at no additional cost to the buyer.


Slowprose Review Format

Generally speaking, we don’t think of ourselves as “serious” reviewers, so our format may be a little different. Here is what to expect when you are reading Slowprose book reviews:

  1. Cover Review – doing the cliche of judging a book by its cover.
  2. Book Blurb – we share the book jacket or Goodreads blurb about the plot.
  3. Intrusive Thoughts – these are the general thoughts and feelings we have about the book while reading it.
  4. Book review – our overall review and star ranking of the book
  5. Book aesthetics – this is how gorgeous we thought the pages of the book were, or how easy/hard it was to read, or how good the narrator was if it is an audio book.
  6. Book recommendations – we talk about the author’s other books or other books that remind us of this book in some form or fashion. Basically, this is our catch-all to talk about anything else that we want to.

To see our full review system, including our method of assigning and weighting stars, go here.


COVER REVIEW – Small Mercies

book review of novel small mercies by dennis lehane

Image from biblioteca.becca – go check out her recommendation & review of Small Mercies!


Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane gets 4 stars for this cover.

Instantly recognizable, easy to read, peaks our interest. All great qualities in a cover.

Is it aesthetically pleasing?

Not really, no. It does, however, kind of tell a story of its own.

All these things considered, this cover gets 4 stars.


BOOK BLURB – Small Mercies

Given our extreme irrational fear of ever being a spoiler of an epic plot twist, we will just share the book insert or book blurb found on Goodreads to provide the information in terms of the plot:

Small Mercies: A Novel
Shop it on Amazon
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

In the summer of 1974 a heatwave blankets Boston and Mary Pat Fennessy is trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collectors.

Mary Pat has lived her entire life in the housing projects of “Southie,” the Irish American enclave that stubbornly adheres to old tradition and stands proudly apart.

One night Mary Pat’s teenage daughter Jules stays out late and doesn’t come home.

That same evening, a young Black man is found dead, struck by a subway train under mysterious circumstances.

The two events seem unconnected.

But Mary Pat, propelled by a desperate search for her missing daughter, begins turning over stones best left untouched—asking questions that bother Marty Butler, chieftain of the Irish mob, and the men who work for him, men who don’t take kindly to any threat to their business.


dennis lehane book review small mercies
Image from blythe.likes.books with the Boston skyline in the back! Go check out her take on this.

Small Mercies – Intrusive Thoughts

The narrator is authentic sounding with the Boston accent.

Great start to the book. Caught my interest right away.

Southie – small, close knit but not necessarily a healthy community. If you try to move away, I can just imagine people saying – What? Too good for us now?

Very stark look at racism during this time. Shocking to think it still is.

Mary Pat’s parenting style. Ouch.

Oh but her relentless heart.

The story on the platform unfolds throughout the book. So well done.

Love the progression of the story.

Def relate to Mary Pat’s dispair and tenacity.

Ohhhhhh that’s a gut punch.

small mercies by dennis lehane book review
The great picture and amazing review is from writtenysime – go check it out!

SMALL MERCIES BOOK REVIEW

Slowprose Star Rating – 5.0 Stars

This book is exceptional.

This book is brutal.

I actually just borrowed this book from the Libby library while I was waiting on some holds to open up. What a find it was.

This is an incredibly well written book. The story telling is riveting. It weaves the historical issues of the day into the story in a way that it serves to bolster the story rather than be a history lesson or a soapbox moment.

This book is labeled as a “superb thriller,” but it is so much more than that. While it does have a propulsive plot to be sure – the pacing is excellent – it does an amazing job of adding color and texture to the story by describing the Irish American enclave of south Boston called “Southie.”

The story flawlessly incorporates the people, the attitude, & the mindset, of the neighborhood during the tumultuous months when bussing for the city’s desegregation of public schools was taking place back in the 1970s. It becomes an integral part of the story.

Our protagonist is Mary Pat Fennessy – a very flawed woman who you are allowed to see from several different angles. She is multifaceted.

You see her rough around the edges tough chick side, to her vulnerable want to be loved side, to her hate filled racist side, to her tender and agonized mother side. She is an incredibly well flushed out character that you simultaneously root for and are repulsed by.

This book is a reflection on the times & makes you think about the progress made (or not made). It entertains, but its more than that. It settles in. It makes you think.

One of the best books of the year, so far.

*Trigger warnings* – graphic violence, language to include racial and homophobic slurs.

Slowprose Star Rating – 5.0 Stars

BOOK AESTHETICS – SMALL MERCIES

small mercies audiobook review

This is an EXCEPTIONAL audiobook – the narrator is absolutely fantastic and seems made for this role.

I absolutely have to give the highest of praises to the narrator of this audio book – Robin Miles.

She brought this book to life and it feels like a person born and raised in Southie is reading it to you.

Excellent, excellent, excellent.


BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Embarrassing to say, I was not aware of who Dennis Lehane was before I read this book.

Now I see he is also the author of Mystic River, which was turned into the Academy Award winning movie by the same name.

Mystic River: A Novel
Mystic River: A Novel
$11.56

When they were children, Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle were friends. But then a strange car pulled up to their street. One boy got into the car, two did not, and something terrible happened—something that ended their friendship and changed all three boys forever. Twenty-five years later, Sean is a homicide detective. Jimmy is an ex-con who owns a corner store. And Dave is trying to hold his marriage together and keep his demons at bay —demons that urge him to do terrible things. When Jimmy’s daughter is found murdered, Sean is assigned to the case. His investigation brings him into conflict with Jimmy, who finds his old criminal impulses tempt him to solve the crime with brutal justice. And then there is Dave, who came home the night Jimmy’s daughter died covered in someone else’s blood.


Shop it on Amazon
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
06/17/2025 06:37 pm GMT

You can find several of Lehane’s books and more in our storefront, Slowestuff Books From The Blog storefront.


book review of small mercies by dennis lehane

Small Mercies: Review of the stunning novel by Dennis Lehane

We hope you enjoyed our book review of Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane. If you pick it up, let us know what you thought of it once you read or listened to it!

If you loved this one, and can think of other books to recommend, please let us know what they are. We love to get book recs from fellow readers!

If you want more book posts, check out the Slowprose section of the blog where we have more book reviews, book lists, favorite authors and more. If you are looking for more great reads, check out our list of the best books we have read so far this year.

Hey Book Nerds! Lets be friends on Goodreads and BookTok!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Slowestuff newsletter for year-round content! We love to talk about seasonal topics, and keep an ongoing discussion about books and scrapbooking all year long!

Happy reading!

Slowprose – Book Division of Slowestuff

Love Reading Book Reviews? PIN THIS POST!

Related posts:

  1. Killers of the Flower Moon
  2. Review of the Popular Dark Romance Book – Butcher & Blackbird
  3. Review of the Book Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
  4. Slewfoot: Tale of Bewitchery by Brom – A witchy book review

Posted In: All Book Posts, Book Reviews, Books

Trackbacks

  1. 2024 Best Books So far - Mid Year Wrap Up - The Slowestuff Blog says:
    July 1, 2024 at 2:07 am

    […] Check out our full review in this blog post. […]

Welcome to Slowestuff!

Slowestuff is your go-to hub for seasonal inspo, creative scrapbook ideas, real product reviews of things I love, and a sprinkle of book talk - all wrapped up in one cozy lifestyle space.

Lifestyle & Seasonal

If your dream fall porch whispers warmth in shades of pumpkin and turquoise, wrapped in soft neutrals and layered textures, then welcome home. These Gorgeous & Cozy Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations feel like a love letter to autumn, full of flickering charm, gathered blankets, heirloom pumpkins, and that quiet magic only this season brings. This post features some Gorgeous & Cozy Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations To Inspire your fall decorating. The Fabulous Katy! We are showcasing the amazing Halloween porch designs by Katy, known as The Porch Club on Instagram. Her porch is the focus of a series of posts to show her amazing seasonal porch designs! You can find her amazing Halloween Porch Decorations, Easter Porch Decorations and 4th Of July Porch Decorations, with more to come throughout the year. Please also go check out her page, as we love to support other creators. Slowestuff Fall Section Fall arrives like a whispered spell—painting the world in golden light, the scent of cinnamon and mahogany in the crisp air, and wrapping everything in the hush of cozy season dreams. We absolutely love fall. We know there are people our there like us, who search for fresh porch ideas and autumn home decor, fall scrapbook spreads, and epic books that pair perfectly with a sweater and a steaming mug of pumpkin spice. The Slowestuff Blog's fall section is full of decorating inspiration for cozy days, creative nights with your scrapbook or journaling, and even easing back into the school year with our back-to-school posts. For many, fall begins and ends with Halloween magic and Thanksgiving warmth, so not to worry. Each of those are deserving of their own section of the blog, carefully curated with an abundance of festive ideas to make the season feel extra special. Gorgeous & Cozy Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations To Inspire Fall is probably the most universally loved season, with arguably the most immaculate ambiance. There’s just something magical about the fall aesthetic: the plaid scarves, the cozy mustard yellow, burgundy, and hunter green color palette, the chill in the air, the sound of Friday night football games in the distance, and that first whiff of woodsmoke curling from a chimney. Or as Taylor Swift put it best, “Autumn… the season to revel in the golden light of the dying day.” YES PLEASE. It’s no surprise that fall is one of the most loved decorating seasons of the year. Front porches start to come alive with stacks of pumpkins, hay stacks, layered textures, and all the earthy, cozy vibes that we love so much. From casual front step setups to show-stopping garlands, these ideas are full of inspiration for making your outdoor spaces feel like a little slice of autumn heaven. If this is your favorite time of year too, then you’re going to swoon over these looks. Door 1 - Natural Richness Door 2 - Muted Autumnal Beauty Door 3 - Touches of Burgundy Door 4 - Pumpkins & Mums We love to see the progression and changes that Katy makes to her front porch decor every fall! Like with everything, design gets better the more you do it. You can see Katy's progression in her design aesthetics, and we just love to see the evolution in these pictures. She started strong with natural textures and real pumpkins, and every year since, she’s just taken it to the next level — more color, more texture, and even more design inspiration. Each look brings a fresh, creative twist on outdoor fall decor, showing off just how many cozy, stylish ways there are to embrace the season. Her garlands are incredible, and adding to them fall wreaths and overflowing garden pots filled with fall flowers, she’s mastered that perfect balance of effort and ease. And that porch swing setup with the mix of neutrals and pops of orange and teal? Magazine-worthy. If you’re looking for fall front porch ideas that feel warm, welcoming, and totally doable, this post is packed with inspiration to help you create your own cozy little corner of fall magic. Disclosure: Affiliate links may be included for convenience and ease of reference. If used for purchase, they will result in a small commission at no extra cost to the buyer Natural Richness The more we see natural themed outdoor fall porch decorations, the more we fall in love with them. This decor is a prime example because how freaking gorgeous is this garland!?!! This front door setup is all about natural texture and that warm, earthy vibe we crave this time of year. Instead of your typical orange pumpkins and corn stalks, this one goes all in on soft neutrals, dried florals, and muted greens. Offset with the rich brown of the door and the perfectly situated tri colored wheat themed fall wreath and this look is absolutely stunning. We love how the natural elements do all the talking here. You’ve got layers of wheat, dried grasses, soft browns, and beige tones — it’s giving cozy countryside but with serious curb appeal. This is one of those looks that makes you stop scrolling on social media and think: okay wait, I need to try this. It’s soft, it’s cozy, it’s fall perfection. Some natural and neutral garlands you can use to achieve this look: beige fall garland, greenery, beige eucalyptus, wheat stalks, pampas grass, dried flowers. Muted Autumnal Beauty This muted color riot of autumnal flowers and textures is straight up gorgeous. The garland around this bold and cozy front door is full and fluffy, but instead of going all-natural, it mixes in the prettiest non-traditional colors like dusty pinks in with traditional ones, all in muted tones. Look at how amazing these soft oranges, sagey greens, golden yellows, and warm tans all work so beautifully together. It still feels totally autumnal, just with a fresh, slightly elevated twist. Accented with a white pumpkin and darker, olive green pumpkin makes it so chic and cohesive. Stunning. Along with the dark stain on the door, the door mats pull in the look, and we love the layered ones here. The orange pumpkin color scheme is consistent, with the chevron and “hello pumpkin” top layer that adds interest and texture. This is a great way to tie the whole look together. If you want a porch that’s festive but not overdone, this one’s got all the fall decorating energy you may be looking for. Here are some garlands and products you can use to get the look: dried daisies, garland, garland with pumpkins, dusty rose tails Touches of Burgundy We love watching a porch glow-up in real time. This was the first time she created a fall garland for the porch, and you can already see the vibe coming together: soft, pretty, and totally unique. The mix of mini pumpkins in dusty rose, white, soft green, and a hint of burgundy gives the whole thing a dreamy, romantic feel without losing that cozy fall energy. We especially love the way she played with paint colors in this version — the muted tones let the textures shine. It’s one of those setups that gives you instant fall inspiration, whether you’re working with a historic home, a coffee table on the porch, or just a small stoop. Pair it with a few hay bales, a basket of miniature pumpkins, and maybe a candle or two, and it’s fall perfection. Get the look: burgundy flower garland Pumpkins & Mums Before she created her incredible wreaths, Katy decorated with some of our favorite things that scream fall - pumpkins and mums. This is classic outdoor decor for autumn, with the white pumpkins mixed with the traditional orange, in all of the different textures. You can't beat a planter bursting forth with a huge spray of colorful mums as an iconic seasonal decor once September rolls around. There is a reason this inviting atmosphere is a classic for front porch steps. Charming, simple and beautiful. Rocking Chair We love the mini rocking chair in the perfect orange shade along with the fall dormat combo. We also love the weathered pain on the porch, a sign of a house well lived in, and we love the texture and interest that gives. Get The Look: Mini rocking chair, chevron mat, pumpkin mat, pumpkin accent no writing. Pumpkin & Turquoise Fall Front Porch Swing OK, now let’s talk about this porch swing — because WOW. This is what outdoor fall decor dreams are made of. You’ve got garden pots overflowing with fall flowers, pumpkins in various colors, and the coziest vibe ever thanks to that throw blanket in turquoise casually draped across the seat. The mix of soft blankets, cozy pillows, and the focus plaid throw pillow with Gather written on it being in the same color palate pulls the whole look together in the most effortlessly chic way. We love the blend of traditional orange and that pop of teal is such a unique color combo that we cannot get enough of. It is so gorgeous and works so perfectly for the fall season. The whole scene feels like the perfect little cozy seating area to curl up with a mug of hot apple cider and watch the leaves fall. If you're looking for great ideas on how to layer up your fall decorations with texture, warmth, and style, this one's your sign. Get the look: Orange accent pillows, neutral pillows, accent pillow, chunky knit blanket Fall Perfection Gorgeous & Cozy Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations To Inspire Of course, these porches are perfect to greet the trick or treaters on halloween night, but they’re also amazing if you’re hosting a halloween party or are lucky enough to live in a neighborhood where people really get into Halloween. We love those kind of neighborhoods! Small porch decorations can be just as fun and show stopping as bigger outdoor decorations. Plus, it is such a fun and easy way to celebrate spooky season! We hope this post gave you inspiration for your own Gorgeous & Cute Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations! Have a look through our fall section of the blog for more inspo. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Slowestuff newsletter for year-round content! We love to talk about seasonal topics, and keep an ongoing discussion about books and scrapbooking all year long! Let’s be friends on Youtube & TikTok! 🎃🧡 Happy Halloween! 🕸️🎃👻 Slowestuff Pin This Post So You Can Find it Later!

Gorgeous & Cozy Outdoor Fall Porch Decorations To Inspire

outdoor halloween porch decorations

Spooktacularly Cute Outdoor Halloween Porch Decorations

beyonce halloween costume ideas

Run The World! Beyonce Halloween Costume Ideas

More in Lifestyle & Seasonal>

Books

book dragon dragon wreath

Book Dragons! A Dragon Wreath Is The Perfect Home Decor

Slowestuff Reads: Our Top 10 Books of 2024

More in Books >

Scrapbook & Junk Journal

red Scrapbook Ideas

25 Fiery Red Scrapbook Ideas & Junk Journal Layouts

purple scrapbook ideas

25 Magical Purple Scrapbook Ideas & Junk Journal Layouts

More in Scrapbook & Junk Journal>

Get on the List

Pages

  • Affiliate Policy
  • Category Index
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Video Reviews

Copyright © 2025 The Slowestuff Blog · Theme by 17th Avenue