Intermission

Now Playing -   
Supernaturally by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Life - 

We now take a break from our regularly scheduled recap of my vacation to catch up on some book reviews. (Primarily because I just realized that it was time for my quarterly review of reading and I'm VERY behind on my reviews.)

 

Reviews Of Unusual Size
Books

THE BIG SLEEP
by Raymond Chandler
1939, 139 pages, e-book
 

Re: The first Phillip Marlowe novel, published in 1939. Marlowe works a blackmail case for a millionaire that soon involves the millionaire's nutjob daughters, murder and more awesome dialogue than you can imagine.

Outstanding: Everything. I mean it. I love everything about this book, but if I have to tie down one particular thing, it'd have to be the dialogue. I wish everyone spoke like this.

Unacceptable: The daughter's antics got a bit old after a bit.

Summary: I've read this book a few times over the years and it never ceases to thrill. It's one of those books that I read when I'm feeling down, or that maybe I don't want to be a writer, or when I have a fedora, a cigarette, some whiskey and no case to occupy my time.

5/5    

 

 

 

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE 

by Stieg Larsson
2010, 630 pages, e-book

Re: Lisbeth Salander is on the run and still a bit crazy. Blomkvist and crew do what they can to prove her innocence - such as it is - and unravel the twists and turns that result.

Outstanding:That outline doesn't really give proper credence to the plot here, which is pleasantly twisted and pretty fun.

Unacceptable: Once again, I thought Salandar's character was all over the place, bouncing between manic and crazy and extremely professional, but not in a way that suggests it was intentional so much as in a way that suggests the author couldn't decide which way to go.

Summary: I still think these books are overrated, but the plot was better this time around, with tighter pacing and a gloriously over the top climax.

3/5