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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I'm probably doing The Maltese Falcon an injustice with only three stars but it has dated a bit particularly the dialog which now just sounds comical. I found myself reading this book with a Humphrey Bogart accent which was a little disconcerting.
I wish I'd read this before any of Raymond Chandler's books. Mr. Hammett wrote 20 years before Mr. Chandler, in the '20s and '30s. Sam Spade is the predecessor to Philip Marlowe, though not the same character. So I couldn't help comparing the two detectives. If you're read any Marlowe stories, or anyh Easy Rawlins stories for that matter, you may do the same.
The characters are all liars. You can't be sure they are who they seem to be. That includes Spade. The quest to find the Maltese Falcon gives the story a bit of a treasure hunt feel, but just a bit. The twists are pretty damn good and the ending is as messy as real life, which is great. Whilst I generally prefer happy endings, I think they can be contrived or forces quite easily. So the final twist was a god one.
If you like classical mysteries, then this is a must. If you're just looking for a good read, then I'd steer you to the aforementioned Chandler but that's just me. Others may prefer Hammett's work and there's nothing wrong with that. He's a damn good writer.
The characters are all liars. You can't be sure they are who they seem to be. That includes Spade. The quest to find the Maltese Falcon gives the story a bit of a treasure hunt feel, but just a bit. The twists are pretty damn good and the ending is as messy as real life, which is great. Whilst I generally prefer happy endings, I think they can be contrived or forces quite easily. So the final twist was a god one.
If you like classical mysteries, then this is a must. If you're just looking for a good read, then I'd steer you to the aforementioned Chandler but that's just me. Others may prefer Hammett's work and there's nothing wrong with that. He's a damn good writer.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Definitely a great classic mystery that everyone should read. Twists, femme fatals, and notorious suspects abound in this novel!
3.5
Not my genre, but PACKED with Noire if you're into that. Fast read. Many plots and pithy one-liners.
Not my genre, but PACKED with Noire if you're into that. Fast read. Many plots and pithy one-liners.
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sam Spade was on a list of great literary characters from 1900 on so i read the book. I concur.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really? That’s what all the fuss was about?