Janet shannon

Review of Realms of Gold

Revisado: 01-25-19

A beautifully assembled compilation of biographical materials, such as family history and letters of Keats, in addition to a rewarding selection of his poems set in the context of the time in which he lived accompanied by the occasional few bars of what seems the most soothing and appropro classical piano.

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The True Story of Mildred Pierce

Revisado: 09-09-16

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.)

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