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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is not the type of book I normally read, but I'll read more. I can see why it was adapted for the screen - it's a very visual book. Terrific read.
“I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun.”
This is the apex of the hard-boiled detective genre. The language crackles and Chandler effortlessly juggles seemingly disparate mysteries to a satisfying end. I felt that the book was marred by the casual racism it contains, both in language and in the way non-white characters were drawn. It goes a bit beyond a "well that was how it was at the time" rational to me. Still, this book is not just style over substance as detective novels often are. It is written by a master wordsmith and reveals a surprising depth of insight.
This is the apex of the hard-boiled detective genre. The language crackles and Chandler effortlessly juggles seemingly disparate mysteries to a satisfying end. I felt that the book was marred by the casual racism it contains, both in language and in the way non-white characters were drawn. It goes a bit beyond a "well that was how it was at the time" rational to me. Still, this book is not just style over substance as detective novels often are. It is written by a master wordsmith and reveals a surprising depth of insight.
The thing you have to know going into a story written in the 1930's or 40's is that racism was an everyday, non-event. In many of Chandler's stories the interactions, dialogues, and monologues use language that is repugnant but was "normal" for its time. It was shocking to me so if you are not prepared to overlook this or see in context then just skip this author. The books are well written for the genre but not worth the heartache if this is a tender spot for you.
"It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window."
The Big Sleep deserves its praise, but here Philip Marlowe, P.I. really comes into his own. Raymond Chandler's writing seems more confident, effortless and - surprisingly often - genuinely hilarious. This time we really get to know Marlowe in all his self-defeating snark; his anti-social eccentricities; his pathetic coffee addiction; his slightly-rarer-than-expected flashes of kindness.
It may have helped shape a genre, but this book has so many quirky touches, fun turns of phrase and pure class that even today, it never fully enters the realm of cliche. Just lightly flirts with it.
The Big Sleep deserves its praise, but here Philip Marlowe, P.I. really comes into his own. Raymond Chandler's writing seems more confident, effortless and - surprisingly often - genuinely hilarious. This time we really get to know Marlowe in all his self-defeating snark; his anti-social eccentricities; his pathetic coffee addiction; his slightly-rarer-than-expected flashes of kindness.
It may have helped shape a genre, but this book has so many quirky touches, fun turns of phrase and pure class that even today, it never fully enters the realm of cliche. Just lightly flirts with it.
Perhaps the most surreal of the Marlowe stories, owing mostly to the extended passage wherein Marlowe is detoxing from having had heroin forcibly administered as a means of detention. Not my favorite of the books, but lots of dead bodies and cruel women, so it's entertaining nonetheless.
A classic noir mystery by one of the masters of the genre.
More character-driven and better written than [b:The Big Sleep|2052|The Big Sleep (Philip Marlowe, #1)|Raymond Chandler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1371584712l/2052._SY75_.jpg|1222673], but without the meaningful ending. I like Marlowe more here, but I'm still don't like him as much as the Continental Op. Anne Riordan is a fascinating girl, especially for a hardboiled detective novel, and I'm really sad that she isn't in the next novel! I'm down for more Chandler, but I think those will have to wait until next Noirvember.