moon_custafer: neon cat mask (Default)
moon_custafer ([personal profile] moon_custafer) wrote2010-07-28 11:14 pm
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The High Window

Finished reading The High Window; Chandler continues to win at writing supporting characters. I think my favourite is the old elevator operator in the run-down office building.

The ending of this one is the nearest thing I've seen to a victory for Marlowe - most of the guilty who haven't been killed off by each other are still walking free, but at least he's rescued the innocent party from the whole mess. Also, I think he manages to avoid getting beaten up. Yay team Marlowe!

[identity profile] moon-custafer.livejournal.com 2010-07-29 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
The law of action-movie biology seems to be that heroes and villains can take far *more* damage than normal humans, while supporting characters can take far *less* (i.e. any minor guy who gets shot dies instantly without even a scream; a senior who trips and falls expires within a few minutes rather than going into a long slow decline which finally leads to their death three years later, etc.) At least Victorian novels tend to feature realistic chronic ill health.