🔍 Book Review - さよなら、愛しい人 - レイモンド チャンドラー, 村上 春樹 Farewell My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
A Japanese Audiobook Gem for Murakami & Crime Fiction Fans
Plot Summary: Twists, Murders, and Noir Atmosphere
This is a quintessential private detective noir story featuring the iconic Philip Marlowe. What begins as a simple missing-person case soon spirals into a double murder mystery, full of deception, backroom deals, and classic noir characters.
Even though my main goal was improving my Japanese, I found myself genuinely gripped by the plot. It’s full of twists and unexpected turns, all delivered in a moody, smoky atmosphere that fans of film noir and pulp fiction will love.
Why I Recommend It for Language Learners
This isn’t an easy read linguistically. The Japanese translation is advanced, with lots of idiomatic expressions and tricky phrasing that had me regularly consulting DeepL and my Kindle dictionary. That said, I still found it manageable—and enjoyable—thanks to the fantastic narration in the Audible version.
In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I’m already on my second listen. The narrator’s voice is excellent—smooth, expressive, and fitting for the noir tone—and the second round is helping me catch nuances I missed the first time.
JLPT Level: I’d recommend this book for JLPT N1 learners, or very strong N2-level students who enjoy a challenge. The dense prose and 1940s-style dialogue won’t suit beginners, but it’s a great immersion tool for advanced learners looking to boost comprehension and vocabulary.
Why Murakami Fans Should Try It
If you’ve read Murakami before, especially his more noir-flavored works (Hard-Boiled Wonderland, A Wild Sheep Chase), you’ll probably feel right at home here. Murakami and Chandler share a similar dry, introspective style, full of subtle wit and atmosphere.
It’s no surprise Murakami chose to translate Chandler. You can feel the respect and care in the phrasing. For fans of both authors, this book is a rare literary intersection worth experiencing.
Format, Length & Links
One reason I picked Farewell, My Lovely was the length—the Japanese audiobook is over 11 hours long, making it great for extended listening sessions or study practice. Whether you’re commuting, walking, or relaxing at home, there’s plenty of content to dig into.
👉 Japanese version audiobook *if you want the Japanese audiobook you may need to make an account for Audible Japan (I have noticed many foreign languages books are now available in Audible Japan but I'm not sure if that holds true for Audible sites in the rest of the world).
👉 Read on Kindle or paperback from Amazon
Final Thoughts
Farewell, My Lovely has it all—a compelling mystery, a sharp narrative voice, stylish prose, and immersive atmosphere. For Japanese learners looking to level up, and fans of noir fiction or Murakami’s translation work, this one is a standout.
