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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars. The quintessential noir detective novel, which was interesting and I'm glad I read it, but maybe isn't my favorite genre. Recommended by my husband.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I couldn't wait for The Maltese Falcon to be over, yet I was determined to finish, because it's supposed to be a noir classic. I don't get the hype and I think classic noir is just not my genre.
It's a "mystery," I guess...in that Sam Spade, private dick extraordinaire (emphasis on the dick) is trying to solve the murder of his investigative partner who he didn't really like...to the point that he was banging said partner's wife. Women all seem to love Sam, who "looked rather pleasantly like a blond satan" and manhandles them as he pleases (violent grabbing, slapping, etc.). At one point, he says he doesn't know what to do with women except seduce them. In addition, there's the question of who has the titular "foot high jeweled bird" that various people are willing to kill to obtain.
There's plenty of running around, casual violence, implied sex, shootings, and double crossings (all wrapped up in a sexist, racist, homophobic candy shell), but not a lot of actual detective work of the type that I enjoy from the likes of Monsieur Poirot and modern literary detectives. Spade is more interested in what he can get out of the situation than in solving the mystery, although he does invoke his detective moral code at the end to justify his actions.
While I enjoy [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418715271p2/7622.jpg] and [a:James M Cain|22141903|James M Cain|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], I think Mr. Hammett and [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] are not for me.
It's a "mystery," I guess...in that Sam Spade, private dick extraordinaire (emphasis on the dick) is trying to solve the murder of his investigative partner who he didn't really like...to the point that he was banging said partner's wife. Women all seem to love Sam, who "looked rather pleasantly like a blond satan" and manhandles them as he pleases (violent grabbing, slapping, etc.). At one point, he says he doesn't know what to do with women except seduce them. In addition, there's the question of who has the titular "foot high jeweled bird" that various people are willing to kill to obtain.
There's plenty of running around, casual violence, implied sex, shootings, and double crossings (all wrapped up in a sexist, racist, homophobic candy shell), but not a lot of actual detective work of the type that I enjoy from the likes of Monsieur Poirot and modern literary detectives. Spade is more interested in what he can get out of the situation than in solving the mystery, although he does invoke his detective moral code at the end to justify his actions.
While I enjoy [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418715271p2/7622.jpg] and [a:James M Cain|22141903|James M Cain|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], I think Mr. Hammett and [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] are not for me.
What a great yarn! I saw the movie many yrs ago and remember nothing but it had Bogey and Peter Lorre in it. Now wanting to see the moving again. In reading the book I was thinking how the Cairo character was so well suited for Peter Lorre to play. Now I'm looking for another Dashiell Hammett book to read and sorry to hear that Maltese Falcon was the only one with Sam Spade.
dark
mysterious
tense
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