Reviews

La camarera by James M. Cain

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just_danusch's review against another edition

1.0

Wow, it’s very hard for me to dnf a book, but I just couldn’t stand the sexism for another chapter. I enjoyed Cain’s “double indemnity” although it also contains sexism, but it felt more like a portrait of a time period than really sexist remarks. Don’t understand me wrong: I don’t have a problem if male writers write out of a female POV, but PLEASE...stop writing sexist bullshit that is your sexual fantasy of a femme fatal and sell it as a female POV. After 30 percent of the book I didn’t feel like I got to the mystery part of the story and I lost all interest after a love interest gets introduced through a sexual assault scene (and no ladies and gentlemen, being shitfaced drunk doesn’t excuse anything. To be the tip on the iceberg, the character doesn’t really feel any remorse about his behaviour at all). All in all I’m disappointed af because I was intrigued by the blurb.

author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition

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3.0

“Joan White…formerly Joan Medford…formerly Joan Woods…you are under arrest, for the crime of murder…”
Joan tells her side of this story in The Cocktail Waitress by James M Cain. Both Joan’s husbands and her lover are dead with the causes of death left in question. Beyond these unsolved mysteries, when Joan’s story ends, she is pregnant with a second child. Joan prays this child will be spared all the cruelties she and her first child endured. Unfortunately, Joan had been taking Thalidomide to help her through her difficult pregnancy. The story ends before the Thalidomide mystery is resolved.

This book was lost after Cain’s death in 1977. Through detective work and editing, it was published in 2012. Unless you are a dedicated Cain fan, I recommend you stick with the New York Times review: “It certainly entertains, but it also disappoints.”

For my detailed report: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-cocktail-waitress-by-james-m-cain.html
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for book recommendations.

emaether's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

mbondlamberty's review against another edition

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2.0

A lot of shaking my head with this narrator and many moments that didn't ring true.
Can totally see why the cops thought she was guilty!

alisa4books's review against another edition

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4.0

Nothing earth shaking here. Nice, engaging story.

ekeeller's review against another edition

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4.0

I enjoyed this more than I thought and I’m so happy to see kindle unlimited has a lot of the hard case crime books on it! I’m definitely going to be picking them up as I love a quick, easy light noir read. This really hit the spot of what I wanted and shocked as I am to admit I like this better than the Stephen King I’ve read in this series. This just felt better to read, it was more atmospheric more compelling and had enough back story and character development that I actually cared about what happened.