I really enjoyed this novel, especially as I went into it cold.

Mildred Pierce kicks her husband out after she finds out he's having an affair. Not having many skills other than in the kitchen, she has to make her way in the world and support herself. She goes on to open several restaurants and become a good businesswoman.

Yay for feminism!

But...and there's always a "but"...her personal life kind of sucks. We know these people. One aspect of their lives is brilliant, but the other pieces are kind of crappy. For whatever reason, they can't pull it together.

I enjoyed the depth of the mother-daughter relationship. I do realize that not all things in your children are your fault. Some children are born sociopaths. Some children have mental and physical limitations. But in this story, Mildred was the ultimate cause of her daughter. She was indulgent, modeled haughtiness and pride early on, and created a monster. Mildred was easily intimidated by daughter Veda and handed over the power in the relationship to her, leaving Mildred a wilted flower, and their relationship became a vicious circle.

Mildred's taste in men sucks too. It really makes you want to know more about how she was raised and what caused all these disastrous relationships, but alas we find out very little about her life growing up.

Will Mildred's business acumen help her surmount her personal issues? Will she find true love? Will she stand up to her daughter? The ending seemed true-to-life, and I find the story fascinating.

The HBO miniseries was very faithful to the book, and I enjoyed that too.