Mildred Pierce
by James M. Cain
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 232)
Read in June, 2008
James M. Cain's writing style in "Mildred Pierce" isn't terribly interesting, especially when compared with that of fellow Los Angeles crime novelist Raymond Chandler, and most of the characters are relatively one-dimensional, but the plot and the depiction of pre-war Los Angeles -- specifically the suburbs of Pasadena, Glendale and Laguna Beach -- make up for many of the book's weaknesses. And has there ever been a villain as much fun to hate as Veda Pierce?
While hating Veda is fu...more
While hating Veda is fu...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Lisa by:
bought at library book sale
I'd give Mildred Pierce 2.5 stars if I could: the writing is uneven and the characters are rather flat, but the story itself, about the Great Depression and social class is interesting.
Mildred is a memorably ruthless and pulpy character, endowed with fine legs, embarrassed to become a waitress, and entranced by her nasty daughter's uppity ways. She treats the men in her life poorly, though they often do not deserve much better.
I particularly enjoyed passages where Mildred feels ...more
Mildred is a memorably ruthless and pulpy character, endowed with fine legs, embarrassed to become a waitress, and entranced by her nasty daughter's uppity ways. She treats the men in her life poorly, though they often do not deserve much better.
I particularly enjoyed passages where Mildred feels ...more
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Read in January, 1978
How could a woman who wanted to get married, start a family, and open up a pie restaurant stir up so much angst? When you read the novel (well worth it, even if you think you know the story from the movie) you'll be happy to ride along with her.
Cain's an amazing writer, paving the way (along with Chandler) for all of the LA mystery and noir that's followed, from Ross McDonald to Michael Connelly.
I was re-reading Jerry Wexler's autobiography (he wa...more
Cain's an amazing writer, paving the way (along with Chandler) for all of the LA mystery and noir that's followed, from Ross McDonald to Michael Connelly.
I was re-reading Jerry Wexler's autobiography (he wa...more
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Read in July, 2008
This book is by far the best James M. Cain book I've read. After reading Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice, I was curious about how Cain would translate his hardboiled crime style into a story about a 1930s housewife who is down on her luck but cannot give up, due in part to her aristocratic, haughty daughter. I've always been interested in that decade, and this book did more to illuminate it (and what it might have been like to be a woman in that time) than any other novel fo...more
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Read in April, 2008
Funnily enough, the movie is more Cain than the book is. I kept waiting for the mystery or the twist or some sort of crime to start. Never happened. This is more of a straight drama about what it was like to be a divorced working woman with 2 children in the early 1930s. (Short answer: Really Difficult.)
I also found the characters hard to like - in fact, the omniscient narrator seemed to find them hard to like, too.
I really enjoy the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, or if you go into th...more
I also found the characters hard to like - in fact, the omniscient narrator seemed to find them hard to like, too.
I really enjoy the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, or if you go into th...more
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Effective depiction of a woman who does the wrong thing for the right reasons. By doing what she thinks is best for her spoiled daughter's future, Mildred Pierce ends up tearing apart her family and plunging herself into despair.
This has probably the most fully fleshed-out prose of any of Cain's typically minimalist work. It's interesting to see him tackle a female character who isn't a femme fatale.
The novel is far superior to the film adaptation starring Joan Crawford and directed by ...more
This has probably the most fully fleshed-out prose of any of Cain's typically minimalist work. It's interesting to see him tackle a female character who isn't a femme fatale.
The novel is far superior to the film adaptation starring Joan Crawford and directed by ...more
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how can a writer with such a clumsy style become famous and sell many books ? the style is so distracting that i could barely read it. when i read great writers like thomas wolfe and william faulkner,steinbeck,hemingway, i can barely read people like cain but he s on my 100 best list so i have to read him. sometimes i read a book to see how poorly some writers write. the characters were fake with fake emotions. i didn t even root for mildred.
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Read in March, 2007
I picked up this book because I'm a HUGE fan of the movie and teach it in my Film class. It moves a bit slower than the movie, and the narrative smacks of cheesy 1930's patois, but that oddly makes it interesting. Unfortunately, it wasn't interesting enough to finish, BUT I can credit this book for motivating me to rent another movie based on a Cain novel, Double Indemnity...
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Better known for his crime noir novels, in this book, James Cain portrayed a self-made woman who fought for a place in her world despite it being against the odds, in a time where running her own business and making her own way were much more difficult. Compelling.
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recommends it for:
all you guys
James Cain understands the fragile balance between melodrama and the spiral staircase, and fondly fondles the membranous touche, blurry, between them.
He is as good as the genre gets. 4 stars because his Double Indemnity and Postman are so incredibly good.
He is as good as the genre gets. 4 stars because his Double Indemnity and Postman are so incredibly good.
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Way different from the movie. It definitely has familiar elements of Cain's crime novels, and it's written in the same pared-down style. But Mildred Pierce really has more in common with Revolutionary Road.
It's still awesome.
It's still awesome.
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Not as venomous as Cain's more famous works but still very engrossing. Especially interesting for the detail & empathy Cain shows in documenting Mildred's brush with total financial collapse. Veda just as memorable as in the movie!
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Worth a read but not because it's brilliant but because it is so very strange. Odd characters, odd development, Cain's writing can be really rough.
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Read in July, 2008
The book is well written but depressing. Mildred works so hard, succeeds so beautifully and screws up so often. Her daughter made me so mad!
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Read in June, 2008
This is a classic. I really enjoyed the characters. All are definitely flawed and their interactions drive the book.
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It takes place in Glendale, Pasadena, and Laguna Beach during the 40s. That pretty much ensures I love it.
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So far, very engaging with clean language. I'll have more when I'm finished reading it!
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Read in August, 2006
Great book about old Southern California. Beware, the characters are horrible.
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Read in April, 2008
Much more detail and slightly different story than the film.
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Read in July, 1978
recommends it for:
Noir fans
Like the movie? The book is 1000 steps ahead.
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