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After Dark, My Sweet
Jim Thompson Book Review

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Plot Summary of After Dark, My Sweet
"AFTER DARK, MY SWEET is a novel written by Jim Thompson in 1955.

Kid Collins has escaped from a mental hospital. On his way south, he meets Fay, an alcoholic widow, and the no good Uncle Bud who proposed he take part in the kidnapping of the little Charles Vandermeer. Kid, desperately wanting to be loved by Fay, accepts but soon becomes suspicious. Will he be cheated by his partners or does his paranoia make him feel that way ?

Another masterpiece of Jim Thompson. Ultra noir."

Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of After Dark, My Sweet
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - depressing/sad
Time/era of story: - 1930's-1950's
The crook is.... - Get treasure/money from another criminal - on the run from the law
Crime Thriller Yes
Mostly a criminal POV story Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - unemployed
Eccentric/Mental: Yes
Eccentric: - mentally ill - emotionally unstable
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Retarded
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - homemaker
Eccentric: Yes - emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - druggie/wino disease

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 1
Sex Yes
What kind of sex: - descript. of breasts
Unusual forms of death - perforation--bullets
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to After Dark, My Sweet
The Catfish Tangle by Charles Williams (2)
Big City Girl by Charles Williams (2)
The Golden Gizmo by Jim Thompson
The Getaway by Jim Thompson
Bonnie and Clyde by Bill Brooks


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