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I can't believe I let this one go so long before reading it. After all, it was made into a movie long before I was born, so it's not like it wasn't around for my entire life. Many books from this era are so dated as to be unreadable, but I found Postman to be still relevant and very readable. In fact, I read it all night long. Cain has an economy of verbiage that rivals that of Hemingway: he was able to cram this engaging story of lust and betrayal into a mere 119 pages.
A caution to anyone abo ...more
A caution to anyone abo ...more
Jan 24, 2021
Nadine in NY Jones
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
Shelves:
classic,
historical-fiction,
suspense-thriller,
audio,
hard-boiled,
era-mid-20th-c,
crime,
noir,
women-on-the-edge
This book starts at full speed - Frank and Cora meet and they are right away going at it, biting each other and practically wrestling each other to the floor - and it keeps going pell mell and doesn’t let up.
Good thing it’s short, because I knew I had to keep reading until I was done.
It’s just chock full of that snarky no ...more
I had to be drunk, because that other time had cured me of this idea we could pull a perfect murder. This was going to be such a lousy murder it wouldn’t even be a murder.
Good thing it’s short, because I knew I had to keep reading until I was done.
It’s just chock full of that snarky no ...more
I knew the basic theme beforehand, but the actual plot became familiar when I saw Ossessione (1943). I've also seen the American version with Lana Turner and John Garfield, so there wasn't anything new left when I started to read this. In this case seeing the film(s) before reading the book was even worse, because I couldn't really get anything out of this psychologically or in a deeper level than just the events.
Cain's writing style does fit this genre quite well, but the economical way of usin ...more
Cain's writing style does fit this genre quite well, but the economical way of usin ...more
Loved it! A fast read, but well plotted out and developed. It's amazing what he was able to accomplish in just a few pages!
...more
Written in 1934 this short classic novel garnered lots of publicity for its mixture of sexuality and violence. The book was banned in Boston when it was originally published. Today, this book reads like a standard crime novel, fast paced, original and creative. See the full review on my blog at
www.booksnob-booksnob.blogspot.com
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www.booksnob-booksnob.blogspot.com
...more
The precursor to Raymond Chandler's noir style, this short book about a series of failed, then pointless murders/deaths is really a black comedy. You're put in the mind of a feckless, not-very-smart loafer overtaken by a sudden burst of passion - and everything ends in sad fireworks.
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Creepy and gritty with tremendous narrative tension throughout - like an especially gruesome accident in slow motion. Cain's prose is tightly wound and he doesn't shy from the harshness of his characters. A powerful punch wrapped in a tiny package.
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sjort sparce writing , a perfect example of noir.
Aug 20, 2009
Vesra (When She Reads)
added it
Jan 04, 2013
Mirja
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
1001-books-you-must-read-before-you
Sep 01, 2016
Katy
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-and-thriller
