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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
«Πιστεύω πως η κλασική εκπαίδευση σε προστατεύει από την επιτήδευση που έχει κατακλύσει τα σύγχρονα μυθιστορήματα»
Raymond Chandler
Αψεγάδιαστος!
Raymond Chandler
Αψεγάδιαστος!
mysterious
Continuing my read through of the Philip Marlowe series. I originally read this is college. I had forgotten how much racist language there was in this book, that was an unfortunate rediscovery. The use of racist stereotypes is also problematic. If you can get past that, it's an entertaining read with plenty of adventure.
The plot starts with Marlowe following a suspicious man into a bar. The man claims to be looking for a woman named Velma. He's not in the mood to take no for an answer and kills someone when they don't have the information he's looking for. The man turns out to be "Moose" Mallow, an ex-con just released from prison. Marlowe decides the best way to find Moose is to look for Velma, but before he can get far he gets tangled up in another murder. Wealthy playboy Lindsay Marriott calls Marlowe asking for protection while paying ransom for some stolen jewels. The night goes badly and, Marlowe is taken from behind and when he comes to he finds Marriott has been killed. Fortunately the spunky and resourceful Anne Riordan stops to help. And so Marlowe begins to untangle two seemingly unrelated deaths and a fair amount of police corruption besides.
The mystery was okay, but not a jaw-dropping surprise. The portrayal of an honest private eye trying to make a living in a corrupt city is the main draw of these novels, and Philip Marlowe is definitely a fun character to read about.
The plot starts with Marlowe following a suspicious man into a bar. The man claims to be looking for a woman named Velma. He's not in the mood to take no for an answer and kills someone when they don't have the information he's looking for. The man turns out to be "Moose" Mallow, an ex-con just released from prison. Marlowe decides the best way to find Moose is to look for Velma, but before he can get far he gets tangled up in another murder. Wealthy playboy Lindsay Marriott calls Marlowe asking for protection while paying ransom for some stolen jewels. The night goes badly and, Marlowe is taken from behind and when he comes to he finds Marriott has been killed. Fortunately the spunky and resourceful Anne Riordan stops to help. And so Marlowe begins to untangle two seemingly unrelated deaths and a fair amount of police corruption besides.
The mystery was okay, but not a jaw-dropping surprise. The portrayal of an honest private eye trying to make a living in a corrupt city is the main draw of these novels, and Philip Marlowe is definitely a fun character to read about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
I read the first two Philip Marlowe novels sometime in high school, but I honestly couldn't make heads or tails or what was going on. I am mightily relieved to discover that Chandler recycled and reused his short stories to make them into his novels! So the problem wasn't with me, the reader, but more with Chandler, the author. I enjoy Chandler's work more knowing that the plot is going to be somewhat incomprehensible, and that readers should sign up just for the noir atmosphere and barbed, hard-boiled dialogue.
All the same, I had a hard time getting through this book. It's bogged down with racist epithets and descriptions, and it was really difficult for me read certain parts of the novel and stomach some of the ideas that were prevalent at the time. I usually really enjoy hard-boiled detective novels, and Chandler writes fabulously, but racist language and depictions of black people, Native Americans, Asian folks really took me out of this one.
All the same, I had a hard time getting through this book. It's bogged down with racist epithets and descriptions, and it was really difficult for me read certain parts of the novel and stomach some of the ideas that were prevalent at the time. I usually really enjoy hard-boiled detective novels, and Chandler writes fabulously, but racist language and depictions of black people, Native Americans, Asian folks really took me out of this one.
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyable Marlowe business. A highlight: when he goes a little mad toward the end, fearful of the past, present and future...then goes nostalgic when that fear is unwarranted. Love Marlowe's brushes with human feeling. It's a fleeting few paragraphs but nice. Not my favorite of the Marlowe books but I've yet to meet a Chandler novel I haven't liked.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great story but the racism is pretty appalling.
dark
funny
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs