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gjmaupin's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
You know whether or not you enjoy Chandler but these annotations are exactly the kind of thing I love.
leela_wij's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
cherrie_bluhd's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining and compelling. The sheer density of phrases in the book was astounding. Really communicated a tone, and an ambiance -- everyone in chaos, everyone corrupt, everyone witty as fuck, battling against each other to see who can have the flashiest intellect. Of course, it's treatment of women feels chaotic, derisive, overly sexual, and wholly dismissive. At the same time, the power (?) of a woman fucking up everything under everyone's noses is kind of enticing. Some plot holes and drawn-out conflicts kind of lost me at times. I wish, like in other detective novels, I could have found clues that led me to the killer in the text, but there wasn't much there. Overall an engaging read from a witty, dense, observant writer.
smartinez9's review against another edition
3.0
More guns than characters, and can only be read in Humphrey Bogart’s voice.
cmayes's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not big on detective novels, but this one is pretty well-written. It's the first Raymond Chandler book I've read, and I may look for others...
wintrovia's review against another edition
4.0
My first Raymond Chandler novel but the style was very familiar as it is parodied so frequently. It's a good story but it's been copied so often that it doesn't feel particularly original even if it was at the time it was written.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
An elderly, wheelchair-bound millionaire hires private detective Philip Marlowe to handle the blackmailer of one of his two troubled (and troublesome) daughters. Before he knows it Marlowe is immersed in a complicated web of crime that involves much more than just extortion. Seduction, gambling, pornography, adultery, and murder are just some of the issues he’s faced with.
This is the novel that introduced readers to Philip Marlowe, and what an introduction it is! Chandler is a master at crafting a plot that is complicated with more twists than a mountain road. The action is quick, but with surprisingly little violence, given the genre. (Well, there IS violence, but it is mostly left to the reader’s imagination; ditto for the sex.) The characters are some of the least savory in crime fiction. Even the “good guys” – i.e. Marlow’s clients – are pretty shady. Marlow, himself, isn’t above bending the law to the breaking point, when it serves his purpose, but he has integrity and professional code of ethics that prohibit him from doing anything that would harm his client.
The star of the novel, in my opinion, is Chandler’s way with words. His style is often imitated, but no one uses the simile and metaphor so well. Some examples:
She brought the glass over. Bubbles rose in it like false hopes.
Beyond the garage were some decorative trees trimmed as carefully as poodle dogs.
The calves were beautiful, the ankles long and slim and with enough melodic line for a tone poem.
She gave me one of those smiles the lips have forgotten before they reach the eyes.
The purring voice was now as false as an usherette’s eyelashes and as slippery as a watermelon seed.
All told, this was a fun, fast read. I’m glad I finally read this book that has languished on my tbr for so many years.
This is the novel that introduced readers to Philip Marlowe, and what an introduction it is! Chandler is a master at crafting a plot that is complicated with more twists than a mountain road. The action is quick, but with surprisingly little violence, given the genre. (Well, there IS violence, but it is mostly left to the reader’s imagination; ditto for the sex.) The characters are some of the least savory in crime fiction. Even the “good guys” – i.e. Marlow’s clients – are pretty shady. Marlow, himself, isn’t above bending the law to the breaking point, when it serves his purpose, but he has integrity and professional code of ethics that prohibit him from doing anything that would harm his client.
The star of the novel, in my opinion, is Chandler’s way with words. His style is often imitated, but no one uses the simile and metaphor so well. Some examples:
She brought the glass over. Bubbles rose in it like false hopes.
Beyond the garage were some decorative trees trimmed as carefully as poodle dogs.
The calves were beautiful, the ankles long and slim and with enough melodic line for a tone poem.
She gave me one of those smiles the lips have forgotten before they reach the eyes.
The purring voice was now as false as an usherette’s eyelashes and as slippery as a watermelon seed.
All told, this was a fun, fast read. I’m glad I finally read this book that has languished on my tbr for so many years.
rhodas's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
howtobebooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is a classic. Most people will probably know the Humphrey Bogart big screen version but Raymond Chandler was clearly the original. Gritty, dark and twisted - unusual for its time - he broke boundaries with some of the themes described. As brilliant as it is written, the plot at times gets too complicated and if you're not concentrating, you'll end up missing important clues.