What is noir literature?

I think it refers to novels where things don’t work the way they are suppose to work. Cynical, pessimistic, the good guy doesn’t always win, type of writing. Any of the James Cain or my personal favorite, Raymond Chandler, classics would be examples.

Dark or bleak

Read The Maltese Falcon that should give you an idea

Dark literature. Its like film noir where everything is dark and gloomy. The above two answers are correct. The Maltese Falcon is a great noir read because I personally think it portrays the genre of noir even better than the movie. But I do suggest the both.

Thanks everyjelly… I’m a literature teacher, but that’s one genre I’ve never ventured into so I find myself at loss!! Thanks!

But, how is it different from horror?

Horror is like scary or blood and gore, noir is usually like detective stories set in dark streets, rainy gloomy weather or the shadows. Noir usually has a dark tone set to it like murder but you don’t usually see it performed in gruesome detail that you would in a horror flick

I think noir refers to the setting and the mood, rather than what the story is about. You could have just about any kind of story in a noir setting/mood, but it’s most associated with hard-boiled detective novels.

Here’s a definition that I agree with: Of or relating to a genre of crime literature featuring tough, cynical characters and bleak settings.

I’ll find some Noir literature to read including the Maltese Falcon. Again, thanks everyone!

I’m going to try my hand at writing noir…..I’ll let y’all know how it turns out :D

@linguaphile, didn’t the piece you were reading make reference to any particular works?

I’m not familiar with the term in reference to literature either, but I didn’t think at once of horror. Rather, I thought of those novels that are known for being gritty and dark, much in the way of film noir. Would that describe the work of Chuck Pahlaniuk, for example? I haven’t actually managed to read any, so I don’t really know, but his name sprang to mind when I saw the question.

@Jeruba What I got was “dark, gritty, crime based,” that’s it—no reference to particular works, which is why I felt stuck and wanted to ask the collective for examples, which turned out to be excellent!! Using your and everyone else’s suggestions, I did a google search and came up with this

I’ll look up Pahlaniuk- I’ve never read his works.

Frank Miller’s Sin City is very noirish, in a more modern sense. It’s a graphic novel, but it should count.