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The Big Sleep and Other Novels - Community Reviews back

by Raymond Chandler
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"So it goes."
"So it goes." rated it 6 years ago
I wanted to read Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe series, but I was worried that I might be too influenced by 50 years of watching movies. I was concerned that I might keep picturing Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, but once I started the novel, the characterization is so well done that my worry ...
Lillelara
Lillelara rated it 7 years ago
PI Philip Marlowe´s first case and he gets more than he has bargained for. Starting of with a case of blackmail, he suddenly has to deal with multiple homicides, gun-wielding thugs and crazy women. I really enjoyed this book, even though I had some issues with it. I loved the atmosphere that Raymo...
Garden-of-Stars
Garden-of-Stars rated it 9 years ago
“The Big Sleep” is one of the novels for the Los Angeles component of my university course, one I wasn’t particularly looking forward to. I’ve never had that pull for Hollywood or the romanticized version of the city. Some people find the dark underbelly appealing but I’m terrified by it. Similarly,...
TrevorPTweedleD
TrevorPTweedleD rated it 10 years ago
"The entrance door was set far back in the middle and there was a copper trim on the windows, which were backed with Chinese screens, so I couldn't see into the store. There was a lot of oriental junk in the windows. I didn't know whether it was any good, not being a collector of antiques, except un...
Angel's Book Reviews 2.0
Angel's Book Reviews 2.0 rated it 10 years ago
This reminded me so much of the "writing like an old white guy" thing. Which is no surprise, since I imagine Raymond Chandler and other noir authors were the primary inspirations for that. I spent great parts of this book laughing out loud because of that...I should probably do some soul searching t...
Stop Making Sense
Stop Making Sense rated it 10 years ago
I actually read Farewell, My Lovely (his second book) first, so I was a bit rearranged in Marlowe's timeline. But it doesn't really matter--Chandler hits it out of the park again.This time, Marlowe is assisting a millionaire invalid whose two daughters just can't seem to stay out of trouble. We have...
Book Goodies
Book Goodies rated it 10 years ago
I've never been one for mysteries, and I think I know why now: I simply hadn't read any Raymond Chandler. Beautiful imagery, sharp dialogue, and a twisty plot. The pacing felt perfect as well. I loved this story, and it's got a hell of a title to boot.
blackguysdoread
blackguysdoread rated it 10 years ago
3.5. Private dick Philip Marlowe takes a blackmail case involving an old rich man and his two crazy-ass daughters and ultimately gets more than he bargained for in the form of racketeering and dirty picture-book smut. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I read somewhere that Chandler c...
bookaneer
bookaneer rated it 11 years ago
~~Moved from GR~~ The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler The Big Sleep is the quintessential hardboiled detective novel. While not the first, this novel was close, and I believe has had the strongest influence on the detective noir genre (and its odd stepchild, urban fantasy). Philip Marlowe is the f...
Proctosophy
Proctosophy rated it 11 years ago
Wonderful book! A little rougher than Farewell, My Lovely, which I'd read first, but that's OK because Marlowe's supposed to be tough, and here he shows both the grit and the smarts he is famous for. As always with Chandler, the most beautiful metaphors and descriptive prose you could want. Highly r...
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