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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
The book is amazing! I was so excited to find out that it is also a movie. However...the movie was disappointing. But book it definitely a must read.
Boy, oh boy, was this a clusterfuck of a novel.
James Ellroy definitely partook in some creative "liberties" while writing the morbid tale of the Black Dahlia. The first few chapters of the novel were just about boxing, and it felt more like the Bruce Willis section of Pulp Fiction rather than a crime novel.
Not to give away any spoilers, but the Black Dahlia murder was never solved. In my opinion, the perpetrator was definitely someone with a medical background. The book veers so far from that popular theory and at the end it left me thinking "what in the actual fuck."
If you like crime novels, this could be for you, but don't have high expectations.
James Ellroy definitely partook in some creative "liberties" while writing the morbid tale of the Black Dahlia. The first few chapters of the novel were just about boxing, and it felt more like the Bruce Willis section of Pulp Fiction rather than a crime novel.
Not to give away any spoilers, but the Black Dahlia murder was never solved. In my opinion, the perpetrator was definitely someone with a medical background. The book veers so far from that popular theory and at the end it left me thinking "what in the actual fuck."
If you like crime novels, this could be for you, but don't have high expectations.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FIRST LINE REVIEW: "I never knew her in life." He sure gets to know her in death, however! Though it takes a long time for the knowledge to come fully into the light, Bucky, takes us through the minute slog of investigating and being personally destroyed by the gruesome murder of the title character. Darkly edgy, with no punches pulled, this is one of the more hard-hitting crime novels that I've written. Took a little while to develop, but then...boom!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
Ellroy likes to spend a lot of time on character development, which is great; I like to feel connected to the characters. However, this made for a slow beginning. Once the body was found and the mystery that is at the heart of this story begins, I could not put it down! So many details that could easily be overlooked as just details of the story were such meaningful parts of the story and when they were discovered, it was such a delicious treat! A page-turn to the very surprising end. Loved it.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not in any way a bad book, but by far my least favourite of the L.A. Quartet so far. Overall it’s an interesting tale of what obsessing over a case can do to a person. I found the first person style difficult to engage with and I think knowing the real life case lowered my interest in this story.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this book long long time ago. I vaguely remember. It is about the fame murder. Black Dahlia. I remember I can not really connect or even finish this book. The story is too gruesome and disturbing.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Absolutely devoured this book. Ellroys perverse mind translates beautifully into his prose.