aqualing's review against another edition
4.0
The story doesn't ask for much guessing and deduction, a detective story rather than whodunit one. Being a diehard fan of the classics, it's quite lovely to have a easy stroll with a bit of action like this sometimes. The writing is very classic, witty yet unpretentious. I didn't have to crack my brain to find out all the hidden clues. All I needed was to relax and even have a good laugh from time to time. And to know that Raymond Chandler actually came up with the title in the first place makes it all the more fun.
mayoroffailure's review against another edition
4.0
It was the cover of this book that first drew me in when I saw it lofted up onto the "New Mystery" section at my local Barnes and Noble. Maybe it was the Marilyn Monroe esque face or the bright and bold titles but there was something that made me need to pick it up. I was even more thrilled when I learned that it was a detective story set in the early fifties (I hadn't heard of Phillip Marlowe before this book) and I knew that at some point I was going to need to buy this book.
A couple of months passed and after repeated trips to Barnes and Noble to read it more I finally cracked down and bought it. The Black Eyed Blonde then sat on my shelf for a while but once the books I needed to read before it were past then I opened it back up and began to read in a feverish state.
For those that don't know The Black Eyed Blond follows what is perhaps the most famous private detective ever put to page, Phillip Marlowe. In this new story our troubled hero finds himself under the charming spell of a Mrs. Clare Cavendish, a rich and beautifully intoxicating woman who tasks Phillip to find a long lost lover of hers. Quickly into the investigation Marlowe finds out that this man of hers is actually dead, but when she reveals that she saw him walk down the street Marlowe gets entangled into the most dangerous investigation of his career.
I don't think that many people out there are writing good old fashioned noir any longer and I certainly think that that's a sad fact. Maybe it's simply for a lack of fans or maybe it's just slipped from mainstream view, either way more books need to be written like this one. As someone who hasn't read Mr. Chandlers Marlowe I cant attest to how it matches up, and I'm sure that its no contest, but I do think that Mr. Black had written a really solid piece of noir fiction. The novel is hard boiled and does a fantastic job of sucking you in from the very beginning, but the best part by far in this novel is the tone.
Mr. Black does an incredible job of not only establishing the tone for this piece, but does an even better job of sustaining that tone for the next two hundred and eighty pages. There is such an overwhelming feeling of sadness within the pages that simply swallows up the reader and really makes them feel as though they understand the pain and sorrow that Marlowe feels over his all-but-broken life. The tone is also enhanced by some masterful dialogue both externally and internally, and this gives the reader the ability to really see that most of Marlowe's issues are self wrought, he knows that it's his own fault for ruining most of his life and Mr. Black makes sure that we know it too.
I think it takes a masterful writer to be able to create a first person novel, or at least one that is both engaging and well written. And while I've sung the praises of this novel for my whole review I must say that I was hoping to like it a lot more than I ended up actually feeling about it. I so expected to be able to put this book into my all time favorites but for some reason when I closed the back cover I knew, somewhere within my mind, that I simply wasn't going to be able to. I can't put my finger on what it is that's wrong but I just feel like something between these pages is missing, some crucial piece that seperates a masterfully written book and a masterpiece.
The Black Eyed Blond is a great book, especially if you love noir but much like our detective suspects of the femme fatale before him, there's just something missing.
A couple of months passed and after repeated trips to Barnes and Noble to read it more I finally cracked down and bought it. The Black Eyed Blonde then sat on my shelf for a while but once the books I needed to read before it were past then I opened it back up and began to read in a feverish state.
For those that don't know The Black Eyed Blond follows what is perhaps the most famous private detective ever put to page, Phillip Marlowe. In this new story our troubled hero finds himself under the charming spell of a Mrs. Clare Cavendish, a rich and beautifully intoxicating woman who tasks Phillip to find a long lost lover of hers. Quickly into the investigation Marlowe finds out that this man of hers is actually dead, but when she reveals that she saw him walk down the street Marlowe gets entangled into the most dangerous investigation of his career.
I don't think that many people out there are writing good old fashioned noir any longer and I certainly think that that's a sad fact. Maybe it's simply for a lack of fans or maybe it's just slipped from mainstream view, either way more books need to be written like this one. As someone who hasn't read Mr. Chandlers Marlowe I cant attest to how it matches up, and I'm sure that its no contest, but I do think that Mr. Black had written a really solid piece of noir fiction. The novel is hard boiled and does a fantastic job of sucking you in from the very beginning, but the best part by far in this novel is the tone.
Mr. Black does an incredible job of not only establishing the tone for this piece, but does an even better job of sustaining that tone for the next two hundred and eighty pages. There is such an overwhelming feeling of sadness within the pages that simply swallows up the reader and really makes them feel as though they understand the pain and sorrow that Marlowe feels over his all-but-broken life. The tone is also enhanced by some masterful dialogue both externally and internally, and this gives the reader the ability to really see that most of Marlowe's issues are self wrought, he knows that it's his own fault for ruining most of his life and Mr. Black makes sure that we know it too.
I think it takes a masterful writer to be able to create a first person novel, or at least one that is both engaging and well written. And while I've sung the praises of this novel for my whole review I must say that I was hoping to like it a lot more than I ended up actually feeling about it. I so expected to be able to put this book into my all time favorites but for some reason when I closed the back cover I knew, somewhere within my mind, that I simply wasn't going to be able to. I can't put my finger on what it is that's wrong but I just feel like something between these pages is missing, some crucial piece that seperates a masterfully written book and a masterpiece.
The Black Eyed Blond is a great book, especially if you love noir but much like our detective suspects of the femme fatale before him, there's just something missing.
yesteres's review against another edition
3.0
Very subjective score here: I would have enjoyed this much more had I read any of the Chandler books in the past few years, as the characters from previous stories left me struggling to remember Marlowe's relationships to a few people that I could remember precisely ????? about. Nailed the atmosphere, snappy dialog, but could have used more despair.
jumbleread's review against another edition
4.0
This wasn't exactly my wheelhouse. But many, many people like this book and the author, so I would say read it to know.
nonna7's review against another edition
4.0
I've been reading all of Benjamin Black's mystery novels for several years ago. Benjamin Black, by the way, is a pseudonym for John Banville, Man Booker Award Winner and writer of very literary novels. Perhaps they don't pay the bills. One of the reviews I read said that Banville had made less than flattering remarks about the mystery genre. Perhaps he's been a quiet reader despite that? His Quirke novels, featuring a 1950's pathologist with a disquieting past and a decided anti-clerical streak, are not easy reads by any means. You definitely have to pay attention. This one, written in the Chandler style, was not in that vein. I admit to not having read Chandler, something I will definitely have to fix. I guess the only discordant moment in the book is when Marlowe refers to cigarettes as "cancer sticks." (A NYT reviewer noted the same.) This is mid 1950's USA when everyone smoked and it was cool. Still, all in all, it was a fun read. Black/Banville notes in the afterward that Chandler wrote down several titles for later books. Marlowe is asked to look into the disappearance of one Nico Peterson, an oily con man. The requester is an absolutely stunning woman - the black-eyed blonde, and yes, Marlowe is once again led by a bodily part that is NOT his brain! I enjoyed this book although I do hope he gets back to Quirke soon.
lzhang221's review against another edition
4.0
I've never read noir before and I'm pretty much a fish out of the water here, but I enjoyed it.
sdramsey's review against another edition
4.0
It's always a risk to read (or write, come to think of it) a new chapter in the life of a well-known and loved character, but Benjamin Black hits all the right notes in this new Philip Marlowe novel. Black channels Chandler with care, grace and a soft touch, which I found very satisfying. I found that in the audiobook version, while it was very well done, the narrator's voice didn't really say "Marlowe" to me. In all other respects, though, the book is a fine echo of a classic Marlowe novel.
rlnj's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fun little mystery, a great summer time read. Essentially, a "black-eyed blonde" walks into the office of a private investigator (our main character), and from there all sorts of twists and turns ensue. Great for anyone who loves a mystery, 1950s LA, or simple tales without too much to make you think.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Benjamin Black is a decent writer. I keep meaning to get back to the Quirke series. This isn’t a bad book on its merits. But it’s not a good Marlowe book. It has him, as well as plenty of references to other Marlowe works but it lacks the lyrical fury of Chandler. Call him “Pete Manilow” instead and you’d have a generic 50s private eye tale set in some random city (Black’s LA isn’t a convincing one). It’s an entertaining tale but if you’re a curious Marlowe fan, I’d recommend keep looking.