The Black-Eyed Blonde

Melancholy. Let’s be sure we understand what we face in the novel, The Black-Eyed Blonde. John Banville is writing this under his pseudonym for non-literary fiction, Benjamin Black. He’s writing in the style of Raymond Chandler, including the reprisal of Chandler’s famous protagonist, Philip Marlowe. Is this rip off or homage? In my view, it’s a well-written homage that captures all the melancholy of Philip Marlowe. It took great skill by Banville to tackle a presentation of this beloved noir detective, and make him come alive for contemporary readers while not alienating fans of Chandler’s work. On all levels, Banville pulls this off. The character, dialogue, plot and atmosphere are all presented with consistency and at the same time with freshness. Fans of crime fiction, especially of Marlowe and Chandler, will find a lot to enjoy when reading Benjamin Black’s latest novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Black-Eyed Blonde from amazon.com.