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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
The Maltese Falcon is a great introduction into hardboiled crime fiction. Protagonist Sam Spade is the quintessential private eye, a tough guy of the streets who approaches his job with dedication and without fear of the police or danger. But through Spade's interactions with other characters, Hammett suggests that perhaps Spade has given up something of his humanity.
Hammett employs an intriguing third-person style which is limited to Spade's experiences, but is very exterior to the characters, leaving the reader guessing about Spade's emotions and motives. This can make for good discussion, but it can also be frustrating. But if stylistic things like that fascinate rather than bother you, this book is for you! I'd also recommend it for fans of the film or people thinking of watching it.
Hammett employs an intriguing third-person style which is limited to Spade's experiences, but is very exterior to the characters, leaving the reader guessing about Spade's emotions and motives. This can make for good discussion, but it can also be frustrating. But if stylistic things like that fascinate rather than bother you, this book is for you! I'd also recommend it for fans of the film or people thinking of watching it.
Concise, vivid, noir, San Francisco... what more can one say?
Cairo and his boyfriend were a cute couple. Literally be gay do crime.
Good, classic story, but the dated language is distracting.
Hammett draws you in with his deceitful characters, and at times you question the morals of his main character, Sam Spade. You don't know who is good or who is bad, but it keeps you reading, trying to find some sense in the chaos that all started with a girl.
-Christina S.-
-Christina S.-
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's been far too long since I've read this for me to put my thoughts down in any sort of coherent fashion, but an interesting note is that we read both this and Red Harvest for my book club, and the men in the book club seemed to enjoy Red Harvest more, and the women seemed to prefer this.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
That thick , wise cracky dialogue pulp detective novels are known for is a characteristic of many works that sit on the top shelf of my literary cabinet. I have been meaning to take a look at the originators and am glad I jumped into the Maltese Falcon. This is bang up stuff that the genre has been mooching off of for close to a century.