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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.
Loved this book, I'd read an unannotated paperback version and enjoyed it so much that I got the annotated release and re-read it. I feel like a real cheesehead because I missed a mountain of meaning, nuance and details on my first read!
Loved this book, I'd read an unannotated paperback version and enjoyed it so much that I got the annotated release and re-read it. I feel like a real cheesehead because I missed a mountain of meaning, nuance and details on my first read!
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2.5
Audiobook
Elliott Gould is a great narrator, but he doesn’t breathe the same life into literary version of Philip Marlowe that he did in the film version of “The Long Goodbye”. Maybe the character becomes more compelling as the series goes on, but I’m in no rush to listen to the other ones.
Audiobook
Elliott Gould is a great narrator, but he doesn’t breathe the same life into literary version of Philip Marlowe that he did in the film version of “The Long Goodbye”. Maybe the character becomes more compelling as the series goes on, but I’m in no rush to listen to the other ones.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
I'm a little baffled by this one. It wasn't bad, at all. The writing style was there, Chandler was nailing that hard-boiled noir tone. But you could also really tell that this was his first full-length novel.
It was enjoyable, but for me, it wasn't that perfect, snappy, clipped noir that I love.
It was enjoyable, but for me, it wasn't that perfect, snappy, clipped noir that I love.
I've read The Lady in the Lake and skimmed The Little Sister, but I liked this one best. It reads like literature that also has a murder and crime in it, rather than a detective novel. Chandler has something to say about how corrupt society is and Marlowe's attempt to be honest in the middle of all of it. In comparison to the other books, the cast of characters has more depth to them, everyone showing a range of good and bad. Then the main crime doesn't even show up until the end of the novel. This creates a lot of mid book rambling that almost feels like denouement. Amid this you begin to realize the point is this rambling; one sad old man's emotions compel Marlowe to keep digging. The message is that acting with integrity means never wavering from helping someone, even if it leads you through the muck and the mire. Helping someone has value in and of itself even if you never get rewarded or get the answer you want.
Quite beautiful descriptions, both indoor and outdoor. Made the setting feel cool and exciting to explore. Liked that Marlowe doesn't care about becoming wealthy. Also always liked the car chases.
Compassionate touch to not tell the General at the end was nice as well.
Compassionate touch to not tell the General at the end was nice as well.