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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
By all standards a vast improvement compared to the big sleep, the plot is lucid and the prose feels more purposed and just as vivid.
The most significant departure in contrast is the issue of race, it is interesting to see the treatment of foreigners as though they were different breeds of the same animal, it is obviously quite racist. It’s treated as an obvious and casual fact that each race seems to be determinate of character, such as the Mexican in the hotel who smiles subserviently to the white hero Philip Marlowe, or the “stinking Indian” who I suppose could be a Native American given the language of the U.S. at the time? Marlowe’s world is one of obvious inherent supremacy of the white men, but the irony that makes the racism less brutal is the fact that the supposed supremacy of the white man is constantly undermined by a changing and criminal world. So on the one hand you have an inherent and harmful reactionary conservatism, and on the other the accidental highlighting of the displacement of the whole white man narrative with an ending that doesn’t necessarily settle his position back into place.
The sexism is also apparent, it is a femme fatale story in effect, but this should be obvious and kind of a banal point since we’re discussing 30s crime fiction.
Overall worth reading for the prose and thriller, and perhaps the additional factor of classic Americana culture.
The most significant departure in contrast is the issue of race, it is interesting to see the treatment of foreigners as though they were different breeds of the same animal, it is obviously quite racist. It’s treated as an obvious and casual fact that each race seems to be determinate of character, such as the Mexican in the hotel who smiles subserviently to the white hero Philip Marlowe, or the “stinking Indian” who I suppose could be a Native American given the language of the U.S. at the time? Marlowe’s world is one of obvious inherent supremacy of the white men, but the irony that makes the racism less brutal is the fact that the supposed supremacy of the white man is constantly undermined by a changing and criminal world. So on the one hand you have an inherent and harmful reactionary conservatism, and on the other the accidental highlighting of the displacement of the whole white man narrative with an ending that doesn’t necessarily settle his position back into place.
The sexism is also apparent, it is a femme fatale story in effect, but this should be obvious and kind of a banal point since we’re discussing 30s crime fiction.
Overall worth reading for the prose and thriller, and perhaps the additional factor of classic Americana culture.
I <3 Philip Marlowe and Raymond Chandler's writing is sublime. He's utterly untouchable and I adore him!
Check out Stephen's review for some choice excerpts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/173746814?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
Check out Stephen's review for some choice excerpts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/173746814?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
En este título nos encontramos al compasivo Philip Marlowe, quien tiene paciencia infinita por los errados derroteros a los que sus pobres (facinerosos) conciudadanos han sido orillados por los azares de la vida. Mientras tunden a diestra y siniestra a nuestro héroe en su camino por resolver casos nunca asignados a su competencia (y por lo tanto sin paga) y cuyo único fin parece ser esclarecer la vida y muerte de aquellos con los que fortuitamente ha tropezado en el día.
No se me malinterprete, aún me queda simpatía por el mordaz detective del vulgo nato y su sombrío y obsceno humor pero…
No se me malinterprete, aún me queda simpatía por el mordaz detective del vulgo nato y su sombrío y obsceno humor pero…
challenging
dark
mysterious
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I never read crime or noir fiction and this book has proved once again that it simply isn't my genre. I have really struggled to follow the plot, to the point that in some instances I had to check the plot summary on Wikipedia to understand what has happened so far. I reckon this is probably due to me not particularly liking this genre, and that could be a limitation in understanding Chandlers works. I finished it just to see how the story would have ended, but it was a big effort.
Always got that perfect noir prose around a tight little mystery with no frills.
A little olde time racism fyi, in regards to language.
A little olde time racism fyi, in regards to language.
Reading this right after Cormoran Strike novel highlighted just how sleek, smooth and silky Raymond Chandler's writing was!
I hardly ever DNF a book, in fact, you could probably count the times I did on one hand. In this case, I just can't bring myself to continue any further, though.
I usually start my reviews with a brief summary of the plot, but I have no clue as to what's going on in "Farewell, My Lovely". Yes, it is a detective story, that much I have gathered, but that's it. I find it hard to follow the storyline, not only because it constantly feels as if I've jumped over whole passages or my copy might be missing a few pages, but also because this book, to me, is extremely tiresome. Regardless of the time and place I constantly dozed off minutes after picking it up.
Also, there are comparisons and phrases littering this novel that just make no sense to me. I don't know whether that's because English is not my native language or if it's the same for everybody else, but whatever the reason, I find it very frustrating.
I would like to say something nice about this book, but I can't think of anything at the moment. It's just a way too exhausting read for me.
I usually start my reviews with a brief summary of the plot, but I have no clue as to what's going on in "Farewell, My Lovely". Yes, it is a detective story, that much I have gathered, but that's it. I find it hard to follow the storyline, not only because it constantly feels as if I've jumped over whole passages or my copy might be missing a few pages, but also because this book, to me, is extremely tiresome. Regardless of the time and place I constantly dozed off minutes after picking it up.
Also, there are comparisons and phrases littering this novel that just make no sense to me. I don't know whether that's because English is not my native language or if it's the same for everybody else, but whatever the reason, I find it very frustrating.
I would like to say something nice about this book, but I can't think of anything at the moment. It's just a way too exhausting read for me.