Reviews - Farewell, My Lovely

458 reviews for:

Farewell, My Lovely

Raymond Chandler

3.91 AVERAGE

blakeisgreene's review against another edition

3.5

challenging mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mhwriter2024's review against another edition

4.0

The classic noir Philip Marlowe novel, as Marlowe investigates a murder for his clients, and some of the people associated who are not good people. Reread for its vivid language and dialogue by Chandler, and so I could eventually rewatch the two Marlowe-inspired movies with Robert Mitchum, when the cold weather sets in. (Fair warning, the book was published in 1940, and the language and slang is both vivid and racist.

emma7mae's review against another edition

3.75

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

only giving it 3.75 starts because i barely processed it bc i read it for a class but like my favorite book for that class so far (i also rarely read detective novels or anything like that so…)

mhall89446's review against another edition

3.0

Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely", published in 1940, stands as a key
novel within the noir genre. Chandler's laconic prose weaves a web of intrigue and dark
charm that captivates readers from the opening chapter. The novel
follows the adventures of Philip Marlowe as he delves into the
seedy underbelly of Los Angeles in search of a missing woman. With a gripping
plot (though at times perplexing) and well-crafted characters, one of the
novel's most noteworthy aspects is Chandler's exceptional use of wit and cynicism, offering readers a sharp and insightful commentary on the complexities of life.

Chandler's wit is often evidenced in the dialogue between characters, or it gets inserted into the vivid descriptions of the cityscape. The novel is written in the first person--his
protagonist, Philip Marlowe, exhibits Chandler's razor-sharp
and often provides still timely observations. And this novel has some of Chandler's best, for example:
“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. I put them on and went out of the room.”
It also the novel that has the comment on attractive blondes and bishops kicking out stained glass windows. Marlowe's quick wit becomes a crucial tool in navigating the treacherous world he inhabits, providing both levity and a shield against the darkness that surrounds him.

Chandler's creates real characters--whether Marlow, Moose Malloy, Velma Valento--some with a distinctive charm, and others that openly show their flawed humanity and/or cruelty.
The characters themselves become vehicles for Chandler's observations on the flaws and foibles of
the human psyche. Whether it's the duplicitous femme fatale or the corrupt official, each character serves as a mirror reflecting Chandler's acerbic take on the moral ambiguities of the world they inhabit.

Chandler's narrative style is marked by a terse prose style that is sharp and evocative. His use of metaphor and simile paints a vivid picture of the noir landscape, infusing the novel
with a distinct atmosphere. The language itself becomes a tool for Chandler to convey his worldview, blending a poetic sensibility with the
hardboiled grittiness of the genre.

In conclusion, Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely" is a remarkable novel
that has an intriguing story, beguiling characters and shows the reader
the grit and grime of Los Angeles--with clever commentary to boot. The
novel's Los Angeles is a city of contrasts — glittering on the surface but rife
with corruption underneath. Chandler's wit exposes the hypocrisy and moral ambiguity
that characterize the society. The author's keen observations on human nature, morality, and societal norms elevate "Farewell, My Lovely" beyond a mere detective story, turning it into a reflective exploration of the human condition.

PS--okay a bit vague, but the ansence of plot details makes sure no spoiler alerts!

coralinejones's review against another edition

3.5

Too much racism in this one. Understand it's the time period and blah blah but I don't care. Unnecessary. It was good that aside. Loveeeeeee the noir aesthetic and how ruthless Marlowe is. I can envision every scene in my head like an old, golden Hollywood, movie. So fun

joenicholl's review against another edition

3.0

Oh boy...well...this is a re-read of Farewell, My Lovely for me...I read it again because the FB crime-fiction pg. I sub to, Point Blank, is doing an upcoming podcast on FML...I read all the Marlow's years ago...after doing so I said to my self, "Self...other than The Long Goodbye you can set this collection aside...I...have...read...them! Basta! Finito!" And I gotta add...Raymond Chandler is not my P.I./Detective guru...I have issues with both his writing & the man himself. I didn't have any kind of break through with Chandler, or Marlow for that matter, by re-reading FML...in fact, I ended up with my prior views solidified. My main issue with the Chandler/Marlow is booze. I don't drink, but I used to, Big Time...more nearly half-my-life I was a drunk...so, believe me I know the life. And when I read Chandler, a well known alcoholic, I can smell the booze come floating off the pages 100% of each and every novel he wrote...his complete body of work is saturated in liquor, and it suffers from it. FML is no different...first scene, Marlow runs into Moose, they enter Florian's where all are drinking in the middle of the afternoon...Moose kills the bar owner...next Marlow approaches the dead bar owner's wife, AND, gets her drunk to talk...and that sets the tone for the whole book. You get the same from the characters personas...take Velma..Moose sees her as the perfect beauty queen, but in reality she's a conniving bar-fly with a history of manipulation. (***You know, I'm writing too much on a book I don't have passion for but millions of others do...I should let this novel be...this is one book where my personal opinion doesn't matter much...I love the genre but not this author...out of respect I'm going to wrap it up as quick as I can...***) So a factor of the writing that sticks out like a sore thumb is it's so obvious that this novel'is a number of short stories stitched together...Moose & Velma > the jewelry heist and Marriot getting bumped off > LT. Randle of the L.A. cops heading the investigation, but then it switches over to the Bay City cops > over to the private hospital where Marlow gets pumped full of drugs....and on & on...the short stories are loosely stitched together to form a novel...But...I will give it credit, the story line does resolve back to Moose & Velma, more-or-less, with a spiteful ending...Velma ties up the Marriot murder and the love sick Moose in one nasty scenario...-Now, as I mentioned, I think Chandler's The Long Goodbye is a classic and worth of a re-read and analysis...as well I found Lady in the Lake and The High Window to be very good, solid and entertaining (please, nobody mention Poodle Springs)...but that's about it for the Chandler catalog for this reader...the rest including FML suffers from a drunk driver at the typewriter....