Negative Positive
Title: a very strange, ..and not very good..., effort by James M. Cain
Review: 'Serenade' is one of the oddest books I've read, and unfortunately it is not among the author's better efforts. Although quite readable and, at fleeting moments, very interesting I found 'Serenade' to be a rambling mess. The characters were not well developed, or believable, and the plot was absolutely ludicrous. I think it would be merciful for fans of James M. Cain, and indeed mankind, to let 'Serenade' and his equally miserable 'The Butterfly' go quietly out of print.Oh, let me add some words about the plot. We have a washed up American opera star trying to scratch a living in Mexico, circa 1935. He meets a prostitute, falls in love, then brings her back to America. Miraculously his voice is restored to Caruso-level brilliance. Oh, they then run into misadventure. And we also discover our opera star had a homosexual dalliance with a rich British promoter. Shock, horror, boredom.Bottom line: a real mess.
Is the review positive or negative? 