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dellaposta's review against another edition
3.0
I can definitely understand why Chandler is so admired and influential as a prose stylist. But with a story featuring major logical gaps combined with the casual misogyny, homophobia, and racism laced through the story, is this still worth going out of your way to read in 2020? Maybe for some, but for me, there are plenty of other skilled detective fiction writers out there worth giving a try instead. If you are anything but a straight white man, be warned that you may have to hold your nose to get through some of the lines in this one.
woodpusher's review against another edition
4.0
Novela fundacional del género negro. Sin una sola línea desperdiciada.
slipybeans's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
bertwagner's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
avalete's review against another edition
4.0
This is definitely noir fiction. Metaphor heavy and creative. I more so got a laugh from the title of the book being one of the last things you read. I can’t see me reading anymore of Chandler’s books but yeah this is definitely what I imagine when I think “American Noir Detective.”
sebyreads304's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
arytaco's review against another edition
5.0
“When has crime ever been so romantic?”
That may not be a quote found in Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep,” but it may as well be. The novel is loaded with snappy one-liners, congruent dialogue and sharp remarks, all brought together by Chandler’s gorgeous writing, which paints vivid descriptions of both mundanity and larger-than-life experiences. Private eye Philip Marlowe has ascended into the ranks of literature’s most memorable protagonists, with his cynical, hard-boiled nature perfectly matching the novel’s setting — seeped in cigarette smoke and deceitful civilians. Genre defining in its mythological approach to Los Angeles crime, “The Big Sleep” is both realistic in its disillusionment, yet simultaneously fantastical in its portrayal of criminality. Along with its 1946 film adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, this story is one for the ages — endlessly spellbinding in its atmosphere and characterization, whilst the narrative remains a puzzle itching to be solved.
That may not be a quote found in Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep,” but it may as well be. The novel is loaded with snappy one-liners, congruent dialogue and sharp remarks, all brought together by Chandler’s gorgeous writing, which paints vivid descriptions of both mundanity and larger-than-life experiences. Private eye Philip Marlowe has ascended into the ranks of literature’s most memorable protagonists, with his cynical, hard-boiled nature perfectly matching the novel’s setting — seeped in cigarette smoke and deceitful civilians. Genre defining in its mythological approach to Los Angeles crime, “The Big Sleep” is both realistic in its disillusionment, yet simultaneously fantastical in its portrayal of criminality. Along with its 1946 film adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, this story is one for the ages — endlessly spellbinding in its atmosphere and characterization, whilst the narrative remains a puzzle itching to be solved.
mcmoon's review against another edition
5.0
I love the loose and messy plot of this book, as it follows a lone man's struggle against corruption. The sentences and descriptions are strangely beautiful. As a nerdy English teacher who sometimes knits, I wonder, what is the allure of this hard boiled world? Maybe it's the romantic cynicism.