Review by Jodie Hook
Imperfect Women was contacted by the publisher and asked to read and write a review of the newly released novel, The Cocktail Waitress, written by James M Cain. Some of you may recognize his name, he was well known for “Milred Pierce” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” This work was found well after his passing, and using multiple versions of manuscripts, it was finished by Charles Ardai and finally published in 2012.
The long lost novel, The Cocktail Waitress by James M Cain, is a throw back to an older time with a writing style that is rarely seen in newly released novels. The novel follows the unique and often complicated life of Joan Medford, a very recent widow, who is faced with the risks of losing her son to a jealous family member, poverty and the prospects of dating. Her character is one that has a moral ambiguity, and always seems to be holding her real thoughts and desires at bay. The story weaves around a central theme of what people are willing to do when faced with the choice between desire and comfort. The story takes it’s time to build and at times feels slow.
In this time, the 1950’s, women are objectified at the same time that they are adored, they are belittled even when they show their strength, and they are forced to be practical even when their men are not. Joan is not a character that is necessarily easy to love or like, nor are the men that she chooses to have relationships with. You get the sense while reading The Cocktail Waitress that each character is holding back their real personality, their real reasons for their choices.
The enjoyment of the book comes when you can leave any preconceived notions behind of how a book should be structured and enjoy it for what it is, a well written, interesting look into the past of times long forgotten.
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Imperfect Women was given an extra copy of this book. We would love to be able to share this with one of our readers. If you are interested, leave a comment below and we will randomly select a reader to gift this book to.
About the Author:
For me, reading a great book isn’t just something to do for an hour or two, it’s something I get lost in. I can read half a book without realizing I have turned a page. If the book is really good, I dream at night that I am the characters and have even been known to walk around in the haze of the world created only in the fiction I have read. I hope to share my passion for reading all genres of books with you and hope that we can have some great discussions. You can contact Jodie at jodie@imperfectwomen.com
Jodie, thanks for the review. When I heard there was a new novel by James M. Cain, my interest was perked. I watched the HBO version of Mildred Pierce last year on HBO and loved it. I have viewed the earlier versions of Mildred Pierce and also the Lana Turner version of Postman Always Rings Twice. I do appreciate Cain focusing on women going against difficult odds to make something of themselves in a time that women’s roles were very narrowly defined. I too struggle with reading novels from the early 20th century. It’s just a totally different writing style and it takes some getting used to. Interesting and vibrant characters always draw me in though. It sounds like The Cocktail Waitress is worth checking out.