A review by adolbeare
Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler

2.0

I just don't think this was a very cohesive story. It kind of meanders wherever it wants and you're left wondering why his editor allowed him to keep certain scenes and characters in. There are some good parts for sure, but I think Chandler sits on a rare shelf of writers that straddle literature and genre writing--this one leaning towards the latter.

I guess I could forgive him for the kind of racially uncomfortable beginning if it really made sense in context of the story. It comes off more like he's just taking a swipe at black people as it stands. To be fair, he swipes at everyone kind of unrelentingly but I felt like it was just unnecessarily invoking stereotypes more than pushing forward some greater plot point.

In short: it's just not as good as The Big Sleep.