Happiness destroyed was worth wrapping your arms around because it always hugged you back.What I found Lehane to be best at was his characters. Bob jumped off the page for me as a subtle, thoughtful man who was far more on the inside than he outwardly appeared. His dedication to his faith made sense and the nuance with which Lehane writes him prevents him from spiraling into Catholic cliché. Bob is plagued by guilt and self-flagellates in the form of limiting his interaction with other people, effectively enforcing a crippling loneliness on himself, denying himself the key relationships that human beings require in order to survive. This isn't made clear to the reader immediately until he's contrasted on the page by Torres, another seemingly devote Catholic. As we get to know Torres we realize that his devotion to his church seems little more than lip service. He sins, confesses, and takes communion, never really displaying any guilt or regret in the way Bob does. Bob prevents himself from confessing and taking communion out of a deep guilt, and constantly feels the pressure of his religion, feeling he does not deserve to be forgiven for what he's done. I liked the depth.
The Drop is an enjoyable novel, perhaps a bit scattered between its many viewpoint characters (for its size, at least), but its explosive climax and twist more than make up for its shortcomings. An entertaining read with some sufficient character depth to keep your mind satiated.
⭐⭐⭐
