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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
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:
Yes
I'm completely unfair. I'm judgmental and arrogant and egotistical. I purposefully read books I will not like, heck I read books from genres that I actively dislike then act indignant when I don't like it. So take this review with a grain of salt. Or better yet, the whole shaker.
My problem with mystery novels is there is rarely any mystery. The audience is often led by the hand through a series of red herrings before a big reveal. There is very little room for speculation, especially when the audience learns how to read the signs. If you are reading just to past the time I suppose there are worse ways to amuse yourself, but I get bored easily. After a handful of similar stories I check out then start spouting pretentious bull. And here comes the brown deluge.
I understand Hammett contributed to the genre (I do not pretend to be an expert on these kinds of stories, but I am a fantastic parrot, and Hammett is a big name in this genre) and though the characters trad some amusing dialogue, way too much of the story was two dimensional. Nearly all of the women are ditsy and emotionally unstable. The men are slimy mysogynists. Nothing is at stake, especially when very early on it is clear Marlowe will come to absolutely no harm over the course of the novel. I'll admit there is something engrossing about the dark, nihilistic environment but this is by no means the best foray into that rough country.
Mystery comes from speculation, uncertainty, but all too often mystery novels refuse to let go of the reader's hand. This ride is set firmly on the rails and passengers must keep their arms and legs within the vehicle at all times. There is no ambiguity in the plot, the characters, the worldview. When I want a mystery, I want a maze with branching paths and dead ends, not a steady slog. Let me wonder and get lost at times.
Or if this is going to be a thriller, give me something shocking. Characters standing around talking about how much they want the loot is hardly engrossing action.
But then again, as I said before, I like to read books I know I will dislike so I can gripe. I bet there is something in the DSM that can explain this compulsion.
My problem with mystery novels is there is rarely any mystery. The audience is often led by the hand through a series of red herrings before a big reveal. There is very little room for speculation, especially when the audience learns how to read the signs. If you are reading just to past the time I suppose there are worse ways to amuse yourself, but I get bored easily. After a handful of similar stories I check out then start spouting pretentious bull. And here comes the brown deluge.
I understand Hammett contributed to the genre (I do not pretend to be an expert on these kinds of stories, but I am a fantastic parrot, and Hammett is a big name in this genre) and though the characters trad some amusing dialogue, way too much of the story was two dimensional. Nearly all of the women are ditsy and emotionally unstable. The men are slimy mysogynists. Nothing is at stake, especially when very early on it is clear Marlowe will come to absolutely no harm over the course of the novel. I'll admit there is something engrossing about the dark, nihilistic environment but this is by no means the best foray into that rough country.
Mystery comes from speculation, uncertainty, but all too often mystery novels refuse to let go of the reader's hand. This ride is set firmly on the rails and passengers must keep their arms and legs within the vehicle at all times. There is no ambiguity in the plot, the characters, the worldview. When I want a mystery, I want a maze with branching paths and dead ends, not a steady slog. Let me wonder and get lost at times.
Or if this is going to be a thriller, give me something shocking. Characters standing around talking about how much they want the loot is hardly engrossing action.
But then again, as I said before, I like to read books I know I will dislike so I can gripe. I bet there is something in the DSM that can explain this compulsion.
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:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Given how much I love Hammett's Continental Op stories, this one was extremely disappointing. I'm glad I have read it and it wouldn't put me off trying more of his, but this one did not go as well as I had anticipated.
Back to the Continental Op. I suppose.
Back to the Continental Op. I suppose.
Maybe reading Noir just isn't for me and I should just stick to the movies. This was way, WAY better than The Big Sleep, though. Spade and O'Shaughnessy were fine, but my favourite character was Effie. Not much else to say, had fun reading it.
A fantastic read that not only shows how much justice the film did to it, but also answers a few questions the film left open. Lovely read.