Title: Characters caught in a noir world
Product review: The short story is a great form for Woolrich -- he deftly illustrates the trajectory of characters caught in a noir world in streamlined, hard-boiled prose. There are no Raymond Chandler-esque prose stylings here: Woolrich's style is closer to Dashiell Hammett's lean style. The title story, originally published as written by William Irish (a frequent Woolrich pseudonym), has grown famous thanks to the Hitchcock film starring Jimmy Stewart. Well-written, it varies only slightly from the film, and Woolrich's clean style lets the reader easily see how Hollywood was attracted to Woolrich's stories as launch pads for movies. But "Rear Window," while good, isn't really the best tale in this collection. The others better typify Woolrich's work -- inexplicable events made believable and inevitable in a noirish, claustrophobic world. This collection is a good introduction to any reader new to Woolrich.
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