The Postman Always Rings Twice
by James M. Cain
reviewed by Abigail Martinez
The Postman Always Rings Twice, by James M. Cain, is a mystery and adventure novel that constantly keeps its reader on the edge of her seat. The main characters of this book are Frank Chambers, Nick Papadakis, and Cora Papadakis. Frank “knocked around” for many years, and in the beginning of the book is where he comes to the end of this. This happens because he ends up at the Papadakis’ restaurant, and Nick asks him to work for him, because he had just lost another worker. When Frank sees Nick’s wife, Cora, he decides to stay, even though this is nothing like the life he had been living for all of his life previously. Cora and Frank are secretly falling in love, and will do anything to get each other, but Nick, Cora’s husband, is in the way. Throughout the book, the three of them go through quite a lot of scary and thrilling events. The way Cain writes is not like most writers. He keeps giving surprises and ongoing adventures, making the entire novel seem like the climax of the story. I enjoy this because, to me, it meant that I never got bored while reading it. What will Frank and Cora do to get Nick out of the way? Do they love each other enough to go to any extent? Will they end up with what they want, or in trouble? All of these questions can be answered by reading this thrilling novel that will keep you on your toes. This book is perfect for anyone who loves thrills, drama, love, adventure, and mystery.
The Postman Always Rings Twice
by James M. Cain
reviewed by Chase Hayes
Inside James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice you are brought into a world full of romance and mystery. The novel starts out with a man named Frank Chambers, who is always on the move. He makes a stop in Southern California at a diner and tells the owner, Nick Papadakis that he won’t be able to pay for his food if the people he’s expecting don’t show up. He then lands himself a job there. Frank meets Nick’s wife, Cora and is instantly attracted to her. Over time, their feelings for each other grow and the only thing holding them back from getting together is, of course, Nick Papadakis, who has no idea they even like each other. They plan to kill Nick so they can spend the rest of their lives together, but will they be able to go through with it?
If you love a good mystery, this book is for you. It’s a quick read and always leaves you wanting more. Cain does an amazing job of creeping you out, but at the same time you won’t be able to put the book down. He makes the conflicts chaotic to create more emotion, making you feel the panic and tension throughout the book. He uses exclamation marks and has Frank yell to create more urgency as he shouts, “There was a state cop out there, and he saw the stepladder! Phone for the doctor!” (Cain 20). Cain uses similes to describe characters and to give you a clear image of what they look like. Cora says to Frank, “You turned white as a sheet” (60). Cain compares Frank to a sheet of paper, meaning he was super pale and can give us an image in our mind.
At the beginning of the book, I was confused as to what was happening and who the characters were. I had to reread some paragraphs for clarification. After I understood what was going on, I was intrigued and wondered when the next surprise was going to sneak up on me. I couldn’t get enough of this book. I loved how suspenseful it was and it grew more interesting with each plot twist. I ended up enjoying the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in mystery books.
The Postman Always Rings Twice
by James M. Cain
reviewed by Grace Tighe
The Postman Always Rings Twice, is one of James M. Cain’s best works of fiction. James M. Cain is the author of many 20th century horror mysteries. In The Postman Always Rings Twice you will be filled with suspense and confusion, not knowing who to trust and what will happen next. I enjoyed questioning and analyzing this story to finally form my opinion of what happened. James M. Cain gives the reader two sides of the story and allows them to portray the story in their own way. If you are a fan of books that will leave you questioning the entire story and even more, then this is the perfect book for you.
The story starts with Frank Chambers finding himself at the Twin Oak Tavern in Southern California. Frank had previously hitched a ride in the back of a truck from Mexico. Here Chambers eats a meal however declines to pay saying a friend he is meeting will pay for it all. Chambers also tells the owner that if his friend does not arrive he will still be unable to pay for his meal. Mr. Papadakis who is the owner of the Tavern agrees to this then offers Frank a job. Frank then notices a beautiful woman named Cora, the wife of Mr. Papadakis. After seeing Cora, Frank agrees to work at the Tavern. Cora and Frank immediately like each other and form an aggressive yet loving relationship. With few options of how they can continue their affair, Cora and Frank think up the worst.
James M. Cain uses an unreliable narrator leaving the reader questioning the whole outline and outcome of the story. At first our narrator, Frank Chambers, comes across as a average man who is always on the move, however his later actions and events from his past question how reliable his word is. Cain’s story will have you full of suspense until the very last page. The reader will be left questioning if Chamber’s actions are ones based on love or wondering how true his love was for Cora. Cain’s complex storyline is not fully shown until you find the true meaning of the title. The title, The Postman Always Rings Twice, is not meant to be taken literally but to serve the purpose that doing something once is just not enough for everyone.
The Postman Always Rings Twice
