Mildred Pierce

By James M. Cain

Another oldy but a goody. This novel, published in 1941, focuses on the life of the title character, Mildred Pierce. She throws out her useless husband after they lose everything in the market crash, and now she is one of those dreaded single mothers. The mother of two girls, Veda and Ray, Mildred has to find a way to keep their roof over her head and deal with all those wonderful things that come with being a divorcee in the 1930s. Yeah, it wasn’t great.

Then there is Veda and the twisted and toxic relationship between mother and daughter. Veda is a snob and the most entitled little brat one has ever encountered. (I have met my fair share of Veda’s in the real world, which is its own tragedy). And as a reader, I cannot help but scream at every decision Mildred makes, because of her deep-rooted belief that her daughter is better than the person she is. Just trust me. It’ll make you upset.

This book is a glimpse into the complexities of being a single mother, social stigmas, and toxic relationships, all of which are still deeply relevant today. Honestly, one could change a few simple details, and this novel could easily take place today, because the sad truth is, we are not kind to single mothers. There is a lot going on in this book. Like SO SO much. It is a classic that is worth reading. Despite the rage feelings that you will inevitably feel.