Reviews

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

booker2666's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bekreads27's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

marisarc's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

marinalikeaboatyard's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

forever referring to myself as a “hell cat” 

oliviasawdon's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

alwill24's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.5

seamuscoon's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.25

nellyesc's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

boredreaderr's review against another edition

3.0

Its a nice short novel. I was drawn towards it because of its title. It sought of justifies the story. You can get away with something once but you can't do it again.

Its a nice read.

katykelly's review against another edition

4.0

I actually think I prefer the film(s). I love film noir, and I think the filmmakers took the best parts of this story and made more of it than its original.

It's not at all bad though. A drifter lists after a roadside café owner's wife, taking a job there to be close to her. They start the affair we see coming, and decide that they want to get her husband out of the way. Can they commit the perfect murder? Can their 'love' survive intrigue? Double cross? Detection?

Frank, our drifter, is pretty honest about himself - he knows he's not made to settle down, doesn't try to keep away from another man's wife. Cora is written to be the more scheming character, the cheating wife who might be using her new lover. I felt pity for her husband Nick ('the Greek'), who may not be a romantic hero but is just a regular, decent guy. Our lovers find him inconvenient though and the 100-page books ages to fit in murder attempts, court scenes, holidays, deaths and even a puma.

The dialogue feels a bit stilted and stereotyped occasionally (which also plays better on screen), and I felt some confusion with the lawyer-talk, but it's nice and dark, funny and very much of its period.