Just finished The Postman Always Rings Twice
I read this last year. I never understood why Cain picked that title, but it's a classic roman noir (and I enjoyed both Hammett and Chandler, so I thought I'd give Cain a try).
I have to say that Frank Chambers is a frustrating character. He is audacious, selfish, and has no ambition, foresight, or self-control. He's an aimless drifter, not exactly villainous but wafts into villainous behavior because he has no goals. He lacks a moral compass that would prevent him from hurting other people. He's interesting because of his flaws.
Cora Smith/Papadakis has been called 'sleazy' by some, but I prefer to think of her in terms of her ambition, desperation, and melancholy. Her unhappiness in her loveless marriage is palpable. This isn't Nick's (her husband's) fault; he's a nice guy, not too bright, but he loves his wife, likes Frank and has small dreams for his diner.
On their own Frank and Cora aren’t saints, but neither is malicious. Frank’s a petty crook and womanizer, but nothing worse. Cora is smoldering frustration in a dress, but she’s resigned to the life she chose. Together they have a chemistry, a connection with each other. But Nick is in their way, so they have to get rid of him. They plan the perfect crime. But of course nothing is perfect in noir.
This is as much a psychological novel as a noir one. Are Frank and Cora in love, or just in lust? Nick loves Cora and counts Frank as a friend, so how can Frank and Cora trust each other, given that they each know the other is perfectly capable of killing someone who wanted nothing but good for them?
That’s perhaps the most noir thing about Postman. It's a black hole of a novel where weak people do terrible things because none of them have the strength to resist their situation. This is a novel of an ugly crime carried out by small people. It’s brilliant, and if you have any interest in the noir genre, you owe it to yourself to read it.
