Mildred Pierce

By: James M. Cain

Narrated by: Christine Williams

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

Mildred Pierce had gorgeous legs, a way with a skillet, and a bone-deep core of toughness and determination. She used those attributes to survive a divorce in 1940s America with two children and to claw her way out of poverty, becoming a successful businesswoman. But Mildred also had two weaknesses: a yen for shiftless men and an unreasoning devotion to her monstrous daughter.

Out of these elements, Cain created a novel (later made into a film noir classic) of acute social observation and devastating emotional violence - and a heroine whose ambitions and sufferings are never less than recognizable.

©1941 James M. Cain (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[James M. Cain is] the poet of the hard-boiled school of the American novel." (Washington Post)
"A novel that, once begun, will almost surely be read to the end....it reflects no codes, no restrictions, and none but the primordial necessities. It is a bath in sensation." (New York Times Book Review)

The True Story of Mildred Pierce

If you could sum up Mildred Pierce in three words, what would they be?

Mother Love Awry

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Mildred is a single mother struggling to deal with her obsessive love for her elder daughter, Vida, who is unusually beautiful, intelligent and determined to live a life of wealth and luxury. She has the potential to be a force of both joy or destruction in Mildred's life. As Vida gets older, Mildred's competing drives to raise her daughter properly and indulge her, hoping to draw her near, force her to take more and more dangerous risks. The question is whether or not Vida will succeed in a) elevating Mildred's life or b) ruining it. This keeps the reader on the edge of his seat.

Have you listened to any of Christine Williams’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first exposure to Ms. Williams's narrations. I thought she did a wonderful job capturing Mildred's anxiety about social class both as a single mother and woman from a blue collar background whose first husband helped her move up in the world--then walked out on her. She also conveyed Mildred's sensitivity toward her elder daughter, Vida's sometimes ruthless treatment of her. In addition, she easily conveys the resourcefulness of a successful entrepreneur.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Mildred's affection for Vida borders on something between religious devotion and physical attraction--pretty racy material. As these are two of the strongest impulses in human nature, I found it a fascinating and at times frightening story. However it was impossible to see Mildred Pierce as a victim. The visceral pleasure she takes when in close proximity to her daughter (she is overwhelmed by her beauty, her scent, her skin) seems unwholesome and raises question marks. I empathized with Mildred's struggle but did not shed a tear for her.

Generally speaking, I found each of the characters in the novel compelling. What happens to each of them never seems random. For example, even the illness (I am trying to avoid spoilers) of the younger daughter of Mildred's, Moiray, seems a foreshadowing of the doom Mildred invites into her life when she runs off swimming with Monte the weekend Moiray gets sick. That was a sad note in the book, but sends such a clear signal that Mildred has taken a wrong turn it was hard to get too worked up about it.
NOTE: I was thrilled to learn that the original movie with Joan Crawford is only partially based on the novel; the two stories are completely different. The HBO special Mildred Pierce is faithful to the book and does a wonderful job of bringing the real Mildred Pierce to light. I love both screen versions of Mildred Pierce.

Any additional comments?

One of the most unique things about the novel is its handling of the tragedy teenage Vida undergoes when her hopes of becoming a concert pianist are dashed and she is forced to join the civilian species for a brief time until she accidentally stumbles upon her greater talent. The journey of a "wundakind" whose dreams go awry is not something written about a great deal. I found it fascinating. It is not something we expect to happen to Vida and comes as a great surprise. When Vida's real talent is revealed, her achievements come too quickly, an error that can be easily corrected. (I am surprised it was not corrected in the HBO Series Mildred Pierce. Perhaps that is because it is a film so very loyal to the book.)

strange book

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

well i read the book before and in fact practically read every other book by james m. cain.this is one of the few that are told in third person rather than first person mode. i always thought cain was trying to imitate jane austen here. there was a certain "gay" undertow in that auctorial voice, so i would have liked to hear it in some post-menstrual slightly odd female impersonator type male voice. but no, audible gives it to us in a straight female reading. a bit dull, really

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

like most cain novels it has a nicely twisted plot. cain didn't start writing fiction till he was 54, so most of his books were written by a man over 60 or 70, way back in an era when everybody was hugely uptight about anything to do with sex or religion or whatever. the most interesting aspect of the story is that philip roth used it as a template to write one of his books, i forget the title just now

What three words best describe Christine Williams’s voice?

is that the woman reading the book? "thank you nursey"

Was Mildred Pierce worth the listening time?

it seemed like a lesser book, even though i thought it was one of his better ones, when i read it originally myself

Any additional comments?

try again. this is one of the better third-rate american writers, and he's still being read now, 80 years after publishing his first book.

Gripping story!

I knew the book wasn’t going to be like the movie which is great, but the intensity of what goes on with characters of Vida and Monty is spellbinding!
Highly recommend!

Wow

This is a fabulous book and the narration is wonderful. Mildred is something else indeed, and not necessarily the Joan Crawford version. Having seen the movie for years, and not having read the book, it was interesting how Mildred came into her own in this book and the Joan Crawford Mildred faded away quickly in my mind.

Better Than The Movie

I’m thinking specifically of the one with Joan Crawford. Mildred Pierce is a far more sympathetic and interesting character than the portrayal in that movie. She’s resilient, a survivor who starts with practically nothing and makes an empire for herself out of her one skill. She’s kind and generous to her friends and lovers. In return she’s often treated badly or taken for granted.

Her one flaw or failing is that she loves her child and cannot see her for what she is. Her tremendous success is crushed under the weight of that flaw.

The narrator is not the best. She uses her stage voice throughout and as a result the delivery is too loud and too earnest. At times the characters practically shout. She seems to see some of them as loud, brash and dominant. The delivery is also too fast. I had to slow it down to 90% and reduce the volume. Then it was fine.

Good story. "Iffy" narrator.

It's been a bit since I've listened to the book, but I do remember enjoying the story and not caring for the narrator's tone. A lilt at the end of her sentences left me thinking the thought wasn't completed. I found her voice to be a bit overly dramatic.

Good Story---narrator ???

The narrator was way too loud at times. After some time you seemed to not notice it but then there it was back again.

Engaging

Gritty story about life, sacrifices and final rewards. Surprisingly engrossing. A good read. And a good story

Very LA California mentality

This story could easily be updated to modern times. I found the personalities and motivations of the characters to be very LA Californian.

Ho Hum

reading this book was part of my american literature college course. i read a lot of books, but this was just not my cup of tea. i can see how it was controversial when published and the scandals that mildred would have caused. but the plot line was almost too predictable and for me, "just there". i appreciate that it is well written for its time, and considered a classic, but it is just not for me. good performance by the narrator.