Mildred Pierce
In Mildred Pierce, noir master James M. Cain creates a novel of acute social observation and devasting emotional violence, with a heroine whose ambitions and sufferings are never less than recognizable. Mildred Pierce had gorgeous legs, a way with a skillet, and a bone-deep core of toughness. She used those attributes to survive a divorce and poverty and to claw her way out of the lower middle class. But Mildred also had two weaknesses: a yen for shiftless men, and an unreasoning devotion to a monstrous daughter.
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Community Reviews
Such a captivating read, which reads as smooth as ever. Cain manages to paint a detailed portrait, filled with nuanced and realistic characters, all fully rounded out and realized. This is my second novel from Cain, and I can very well say that I love the man’s writing style and cannot wait to get further into his works, because “Mildred Pierce” truly is a spectacle to behold.
I really adore Kate Winslet. I found out Kate Winslet was in a mini-series by the name of Mildred Pierce. I had to watch it.
(Clearly aired on HBO and not PBS)
Wowza. Right?? It was pretty damn good.
I found out a book existed after and just had to get my hands on it.
The mini-series followed the book pretty closely. I'd be hard pressed to find any huge differences. Yet for some reason, I just could not enjoy the book as much as the TV version. Maybe because I already knew too much. Maybe because once Mildred wasn't Kate Winslet, I could feel myself disliking her more and more as the book progressed. I think of Mildred-Kate as headstrong and admirable but still a little flawed. I think of Mildred as headstrong and admirable and then stupid and weak and never quite bouncing out of it (the few lines at the end did not redeem her in my eyes). The book did a great job of flushing out Monty, and his actions were (almost) justified by the treatment he received. Veda is equally despicable in both versions. A sly creature that I love to hate. I think Treviso became my favorite character with his description of her:
No by God, sure is not. You go to a zoo, hey? See little snake? Is come from India, is all red, yellow, black, ver' pretty little snake. You take 'ome, hey? Make little pet, like puppy dog? No - you got more sense. I tell you, is same wit' dees Veda. You buy ticket, you look at a little snake, but you no take home. No.
3.5 Stars
Bumping to 4 Stars because between the mini-series and the book, it's pretty damn unforgettable.
(Clearly aired on HBO and not PBS)
Wowza. Right?? It was pretty damn good.
I found out a book existed after and just had to get my hands on it.
The mini-series followed the book pretty closely. I'd be hard pressed to find any huge differences. Yet for some reason, I just could not enjoy the book as much as the TV version. Maybe because I already knew too much. Maybe because once Mildred wasn't Kate Winslet, I could feel myself disliking her more and more as the book progressed. I think of Mildred-Kate as headstrong and admirable but still a little flawed. I think of Mildred as headstrong and admirable and then stupid and weak and never quite bouncing out of it (the few lines at the end did not redeem her in my eyes). The book did a great job of flushing out Monty, and his actions were (almost) justified by the treatment he received. Veda is equally despicable in both versions. A sly creature that I love to hate. I think Treviso became my favorite character with his description of her:
No by God, sure is not. You go to a zoo, hey? See little snake? Is come from India, is all red, yellow, black, ver' pretty little snake. You take 'ome, hey? Make little pet, like puppy dog? No - you got more sense. I tell you, is same wit' dees Veda. You buy ticket, you look at a little snake, but you no take home. No.
3.5 Stars
Bumping to 4 Stars because between the mini-series and the book, it's pretty damn unforgettable.
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