A review by mdpenguin
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I can see why Chandler is the standard for noir detective novels. He's an excellent storyteller and character builder; the plot is very well devised and played out; and he plays with language like Wodehouse. There are things in here that prevent it from being perfect, though, like the homophobia or that scene near the end with Linda Loring that's as absurd as a Pete and Dud sketch. I wasn't too happy with the ending itself, either: the way the plot turned out was fine and pretty much what I was guessing, but the final confrontation just didn't live up to what it was wrapping up. Overall, though, I really enjoyed it a lot.