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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Murder
Minor: Violence
Having seen this movie more than a few times I wonder why I never really considered reading the book? I've, in fact, never read anything by Dashiell Hammet and I'm glad I remedied that. This is why I joined a book club in the first place. And this was written so much better than any hard boiled detective novel has a right to be.
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
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
This hard-boiled, gritty private detective novel from 1929 elevated this type of novel to true literature. A sarcastic detective, a femme fatale, and a variety of thugs converge as they all search for a priceless treasure. Lies and diversions keep the plot twisting and turning. Spare writing and a bleak and menacing tone help the reader enter another era easily. This is a generally quick read that will appeal to fans of noir fiction.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Was okay. Unclear why this book ranks so high in some lists.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Good stuff. Great finale. Lost a point for the descriptions written during the first third. Every movement and mounds of character traits were offered, sometimes twice in a paragraph. I'm guessing Hammett wasn't quite into the moment of the story yet and was forcing himself to be there, or it was too short and he padded it out. In the end, still definitely worth checking.