Farewell, My Lovely is actually the second of Chandler's Philip Marlowe novels. I went to the library in search of the first, The Big Sleep*, but it wasn't there, so I started with number two. I don't think it makes much of a difference, really. I don't think there is a single character that carries over from the first book to the second, except for Marlowe himself.
I can't help but compare this book to The Maltese Falcon, which I read a couple of months ago. I really both of them--I am kind of a sucker for the whole hard-boiled detective thing, I guess--but I think Philip Marlowe works better as a main character than I liked Sam Spade*. He seems like less of a caricature and more of a real person. The love story, such as it is, in The Maltese Falcon didn't really work for me because Spade seemed so utterly devoid of emotion. Marlowe is more... vulnerable, I guess is the word I'm looking for, even though it sounds lame and cliched. He has this great line about slippers that made me fall in love with him a little bit. I can't quite remember it now, but if you ever read this book you should keep an eye out for it.
I was kind of surprised at how much action the book had. I guess never really think of the detectives in these kinds of novels every doing anything except sitting in their office smoking and drinking and flirting with their secretary. Marlowe does a lot of stuff. He drives around, he gets held hostage and shot up with heroin, he breaks onto a boat. He gets hit in the face an astonishing number of times. He doesn't even have a secretary.
I wouldn't have minded a little less action, frankly. I really like it in books and movies when people just sit around talking.***
Page count: 304
Up next: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
*Mainly because I feel like I should read it before watching The Big Lebowski for the first time. Everyone loves The Big Lebowski so much, I am kind of excited that I haven't seen it yet.
**It's funny, both characters were played in movies by Humphrey Bogart, so when I picture them in my mind they look identical. Identically awesome.
***I expressed a similar opinion to Greg the other day with regards to the Star Trek movie. He looked at me like I was crazy.
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