
A drifter named Frank becomes entangled in a stormy affair with a married woman named Cora, leading them to plot a murder. The narrative unfolds in a hard-boiled detective style without the mystery element, focusing on the characters' hardened nature and their willingness to do anything to fulfill their desires. The story is set in a depression-era America, showcasing dark and violent themes with spare descriptions and authentic dialogues.
The plot revolves around obsession, passion, murder, and violence set in a prosaic roadside gas station cafe. The characters, Frank and Cora, are portrayed as morally revolting yet compelling, leading to a shocking and abrupt conclusion akin to a hangman's noose. The book is described as a classic piece of noir fiction, exploring the dark tragedy of the human heart with a narrative that unfolds with a feeling of inevitability and moral logic.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers and content warnings include themes of violence, murder, infidelity, sexual violence, and racism.
Has Romance?
The novel contains a high degree of romance, characterized by a passionate and destructive affair between Frank and Cora.
From The Publisher:
An amoral young tramp. A beautiful, sullen woman with an inconvenient husband. A problem that has only one grisly solution-a solution that only creates other problems that no one can ever solve.
First published in 1934 and banned in Boston for its explosive mixture of violence and eroticism, The Postman Always Rings Twice is a classic of the roman noir. It established James M. Cain as a major novelist with an unsparing vision of America's bleak underside, and was acknowledged by Albert Camus as the model for The Stranger.
Ratings (9)
Liked It (5) | |
It Was OK (4) |
Reader Stats (23):
Read It (10) | |
Want To Read (12) | |
Not Interested (1) |
1 comment(s)
I didn't know what to expect from this book. At first I was excited because it's a famous classic crime story. But then I read that this book inspired Albert Camus to write The Stranger. I finished this book about two weeks ago and it wasn't my style. So I started to worry that I wouldn't like James M. Cain book either. It turned out to be good in the end, although I wish some things were different.
I really like when the main character of my books is a murderer, and the whole plot of the book is to hide the crime he has committed. This is one of my favorite themes. And I liked it here.
I liked the way Frank thought through the crime he wanted to commit. But also how coincidence interferes in his plans. Even if he had it really well planned. Frank is an intelligent main character who uses his cleverness mainly to ensure a comfortable life. Of course, he has a lot of flaws. I don't think I liked him, but I respect him to some extent. I certainly appreciate his intelligence.
I would say this is largely a psychological thriller. The author showed not only the thought processes of the main characters that led them to commit the crime, but also how they feel after the murder. It is also about a power struggle between Frank and Cora, as well as between this couple and others involved in the investigation.
The ending disappointed me a bit. But perhaps at the time this book was written, it could not have been different. Such was the aesthetics and morality of those years.
About the Author:
James M. Cain was a first-rate writer of American hard-boiled crime fiction. Born in Baltimore in 1892, Cain began his career as a reporter, serving in the American Expeditionary Force in World War I and writing for the newspaper of…
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