Mildred Pierce Audiobook

" Great book that deals with relationships. I kept wanting to read to see what was going to happen. The characters were not very nice but I was still interested in what was going to happen to them. I think this book may have had more of am impact if it was read closer to the time period of which it was written. It takes place during the depression. Quite interesting to see what some people will do to survive and become more prosperous during difficult times. "

" This is one of those books that will always be better than any movie video version, though the HBO series did make a serious effort to track the book as written, and though I do have a lasting soft spot for the Joan Crawford film version, which barely tracks the book as written. The reason no film can compete is that Mildred herself, like all the characters as written, is only human, not a film-friendly super mom whose daughter betrays her. This does not detract a whit from the poignancy and appeal of the book. The underlying story is fascinating,a great modern riff on the classic wheel story strcture (person loses all, gains all, and loses all again) and the characters ring true. And Cain's sparing prose and perfectly pitched dialogue takes us right back to Depression era California. Reading this book is like living in a film noir. Great stuff. "

" Wow! It was hard to put this one down. Never a dull moment. The life of a woman set during The Great Depression focuses on her ambition and determination, her bad choices of men, her tragic personal losses and her obsessive devotion to her psycho daughter. "

" Female characters are hateful. Very discussable soap opera. "

" A strange upheaval of the genre Cain helped invent. This isn't a crime novel, in the way that "Double Indemnity" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice" are, but in some ways, the wrongs and misdeeds perpetrated are far worse. Our protagonist is repeatedly undone by a femme fatale, as reprehensible a being as I've ever encountered in fiction. The caveat? The protagonist is a woman, and the femme fatale is her own daughter. "

" I liked this book, and I like how closely the HBO miniseries followed the book as far as plot and dialogue. My biggest problem was that since I had already watched the series and knew what was coming, I had a difficult time reading it. Sometimes I can do it, other times I can't. This was one of those times I couldn't. Still, it was a good read. "

" Left with the message to not live your life for someone else. It isn't spelled out, but that is what I took away. "

" weird noir incest book "

" While I appreciated the new TV mini-series of this novel-- its essence is better captured by the classic film noir with Jian Crawford. The Mini-series made her too frumpy and took away her edge. "

" Loved it - much more interesting than the movie which I also liked. More character development in the book. "

" Damn, this is a good book! "

" Most uninteresting book ever. Don't waste you're time. "

" one of my faves this year! "

" I am not sure whether I dislike Mildred or... "

" Really enjoyed the book; now want to see the movie. "

" There was no climax through out the whole novel, and felt like there was something missing in the book the whole time that didn't really make much sense from start to end. But overall it was an okay read. "

" I really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and entertaining; just scratching the surface, it chronicles the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and the sacrifices inherent of pursuing the American dream without much reflection. "

" Fantastic. Not a Cain mystery, but writing but a sordid human affair just the same. "

" I loved this book. It was nothing like I expected. I'll be studying this one for examples of "show, don't tell." In his greatest moments, Cain distills a life of petty worry and lost opportunity as a catalog of mundane calculations, and every penny counts. "

" the simplicity of the language belies the complexity of the characters. they're all selfish, which is notable because it more closely approximates reality than most books. could not put down. "

" Female characters are hateful. Very discussable soap opera. "

" I really wanted to like this book. Although not my usual fare, I was intrigued that it had been made into an HBO special starring Kate Winslet. The story caught and held my attention but I just couldn't bring myself to like, or care about, any of the characters. "

" REALLY liked it in the beginning - tappered off for me toward the end. Her blinding love for her daughter was a bit annoying to me and hopefully too unrealistic for most moms to believe. ...and OF COURSE you knew IT was going to happen. Read it - you'll know what I mean.. "

" I want Veda Pierce to become real. So that I may punch her. "

" WARNING - Once you pick up this book, you CANNOT put it back down!!! "

" Oh Veda how I despise you and Mildred... you keep getting drawn to her everytime! A great story about love, family, triumph and despair. "

" I found the ending to be ridiculous.... but, life can be that way sometimes. All the loose ends aren't always tied up....... Veda needed to be committed. I was happy that MIldred and her 1st husband seemed to have an understanding at the end. "

" Loving this book! And was so pleased to find out my grandmother was a fan of it, too. "

" I picked this up simply because I'd been seeing it in the airport bookstores and hearing about the HBO mini-series, and I loved it. It has made me want to read more of James Cain. "

" How could anyone have loved so deperately such an awful daughter? Not appealing characters but he is a good writer. "

" a rather dark story, but had some interesting twists and turns. Set in 30's & 40's & Muriel's struggles with being/becoming an independent woman "

" This book was so good. I felt torn for Mildred but happy for her in the end. This is a quick read but does not follow the movie with Joan Crawford very much. Check it out. "

" I really enjoyed the book as much as the mini-series and it was nice to see the (slight) differences between the two as well as to get more of Mildred's inner thoughts and feelings. "