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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Similar to my thoughts on "L.A. Confidential", this is okayish for the bulk of the proceedings but fumbles in the resolution. The gritty, morally ambiguous cop/detective stuff is more effective here than it was in "L.A. Confidential" by virtue of being more grounded in reality, but in turn, it shoots itself in the foot with the true crime aspects. I'm a noted disliker of true crime and this doesn't escape the perils of incorporating real-life tragedy into the narrative. I can't profess to be an expert on the Black Dahlia case, but I can tell you that this is definitely an uncharitable portrayal of events. Suffice to say, I don't think I'll be reading another Ellroy novel anytime soon.
Also, part of me wonders if David Lynch is a fan of this novel given the similarities between the portrayal of Elizabeth Short and her influence on the characters in the novel and that of Laura Palmer in "Twin Peaks".
Also, part of me wonders if David Lynch is a fan of this novel given the similarities between the portrayal of Elizabeth Short and her influence on the characters in the novel and that of Laura Palmer in "Twin Peaks".
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meh. I wanted to like this, but I just couldn’t. The characters were hard to get behind, and some of the outdated language was just not what I wanted at the moment. The story was alright over all, but just not for me.
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship
challenging
dark
tense
slow-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
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book gets really dives into the sordid possibilities of Post World War II Los Angeles. The book is loosely based on the real life murder of Elizabeth Short, and the mystery of the case turns into an obsession for a pair of boxing nemeses turned partners. This mystery is dark, not just due to the horrific nature of the crime, but also due to the flaws of main characters and their complicated relationships. Once I started reading this, I was really sucked into it.
My version was a movie tie-in, and it contained an interesting author post-script. It talks a bit about his personal connections to the real Black Dahlia and his mother, who was a murder victim, and his own obsessions about their violent ends. [a:James Ellroy|2887|James Ellroy|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1251268467p2/2887.jpg] has lived quite a life, and it is no wonder that his writing is so unflinchingly dark.
My version was a movie tie-in, and it contained an interesting author post-script. It talks a bit about his personal connections to the real Black Dahlia and his mother, who was a murder victim, and his own obsessions about their violent ends. [a:James Ellroy|2887|James Ellroy|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1251268467p2/2887.jpg] has lived quite a life, and it is no wonder that his writing is so unflinchingly dark.