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Title: Cain was able.
Review: Serenade by James M. Cain, the story of an opera singer, has an ambitious, over-the-top plot. A plot which, quite befittingly, could be turned into a pretty good modern day opera.As the novel opens, John Howard Sharp, once the toast of Europe because of his magnificent operatic voice, is now penniless in Mexico. He meets and falls in love with an illiterate prostitute who turns his life around. Together, they enter the United States, where Sharp's singing ability again brings him fame and wealth. But, Sharp carries the seed of tragedy within him and by novel's end tragedy is in full bloom.Had Serenade been written in today's world, it would correctly be criticized as homophobic and racist (toward Mexicans). But, when first published in 1937, it must have been described as risque and avant garde. This is a bold, full speed ahead example of fiction writing. Despite its over-the-top storyline, Serenade is well worth reading.
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