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gullevek's review against another edition
4.0
I really like this one. After I read the first book Raymond Chandler wrote, I was not sure if I would want to read any other one. Too many old clichés and it felt more like reading a really bad pulp story.
But this one changes it, this is a really great story, well written, well told.
[Doesn't change the fact that every body smokes, and there isn't a page where there is nobody smoking ;)]
But this one changes it, this is a really great story, well written, well told.
[Doesn't change the fact that every body smokes, and there isn't a page where there is nobody smoking ;)]
circularcubes's review against another edition
3.0
the plot in this one is, as always, near incomprehensible, but that dialogue! those descriptions!
jarrodm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
roshk99's review against another edition
3.0
Marlowe always has great dialogue and this mystery did not fail to entertain.
aphraclare's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rossf3's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Not my favorite of Chandler’s but the man is still a master of style and a breeze to read - found the women in this one to be even more fatalé-ized than the norm for a hard boiled novel, but damn this boy can write
One of my favorite authors of all time
One of my favorite authors of all time
samedi's review against another edition
4.0
I think this is my favorite Philip Marlowe novel so far. I briefly thought I was getting a better handle on the language, but about the time I got to “gaudy as a chiropractor’s chart,” I realized I might just be getting numb to knowing what something means without knowing why it means that (Chandler is great for this: even when he uses the most opaque metaphors, you can always get the gist). The mystery was maybe a bit over-complicated, but overall I liked this one a lot.
frenesi's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
baxtervallens's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
cnorbury's review against another edition
5.0
The more I read Chandler, the more I appreciate his skillful brilliance. He tells a compelling story that moves forward but doesn't skimp on details like settings or body language or sharp metaphors and similes that are either unique or fit the scene perfectly.
He challenged readers to keep up with Marlowe's thought process in this story (and the others I've read), his deductive reasoning, and his analysis of the facts. Additionally, he gives Marlowe the ability to understand what the characters did NOT say or do, which is often more important than what they do say and do.
The vocabulary is rich and varied as usual. The character of Marlowe is a quintessential noir private eye, and the supporting players are well-developed individuals who aren't stereotypical.
Not only do I enjoy reading Chandler's work, but I also find it to be a great intellectual exercise to see if I can solve the crime before he does--and I don't think I have in any of the five novels I've read.
He challenged readers to keep up with Marlowe's thought process in this story (and the others I've read), his deductive reasoning, and his analysis of the facts. Additionally, he gives Marlowe the ability to understand what the characters did NOT say or do, which is often more important than what they do say and do.
The vocabulary is rich and varied as usual. The character of Marlowe is a quintessential noir private eye, and the supporting players are well-developed individuals who aren't stereotypical.
Not only do I enjoy reading Chandler's work, but I also find it to be a great intellectual exercise to see if I can solve the crime before he does--and I don't think I have in any of the five novels I've read.