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angelineonvicodins's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
james m cain said hillbilly rights
grifmk01's review
2.0
I was taken aback by the choice to not use the female lead as the p.o.v of his story. Although I'll continue to read more of Cain, I do believe this piece is a nonessential read for anyone new or interested in reading lesser known Cain writings.
rebus's review
4.25
It doesn't quite rank with his masterpieces, but this is simply another solid effort by Cain to illustrate the lives of the economically marginalized. The plot it taut and nervy, the characters dangerous and warped, and the conclusion is thrilling.
The only crime novelist who compares is Big Jim Thompson, but Cain at his peak as better than the much more renowned and respected noir authors of the period.
The only crime novelist who compares is Big Jim Thompson, but Cain at his peak as better than the much more renowned and respected noir authors of the period.
nmoriconi's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jakewritesbooks's review
3.0
(2.5) It's an interesting story. I admire Cain's willingness to go there with the topic he examines. But the lead character isn't compelling enough to make the book itself rise into something competent. This leaves the reader with a mess of ideas and good prose but nothing to tie it all together.
barrypierce's review
1.0
James M. Cain wrote a book about a father who falls for his daughter. That's all you need to know. It has a nice final sentence but that doesn't save this trainwreck of a novel. Incest can be done well in fiction but not here.
scottyreadsstuff's review
4.0
This book is messed up but in an engrossing way. I was still interested in what happened in the plot whilst being incredibly disturbed.
lnatal's review
3.0
From BBC Radio 4 - The James Cain Series:
When Jess Tyler's two-timing wife left him he stayed on at the farm alone, growing corn and going to Church. Nearly twenty years later, a young woman turns up with a suitcase, and there's an immediate attraction between them. The problem is that the young woman is Jess's daughter, Kady. Or is she? Only the butterfly birthmark can settle the question for good. A tale of revenge, murder and forbidden love, adapted by Adrian Bean.
When Jess Tyler's two-timing wife left him he stayed on at the farm alone, growing corn and going to Church. Nearly twenty years later, a young woman turns up with a suitcase, and there's an immediate attraction between them. The problem is that the young woman is Jess's daughter, Kady. Or is she? Only the butterfly birthmark can settle the question for good. A tale of revenge, murder and forbidden love, adapted by Adrian Bean.
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