James Cain's very best work was published in 1934 to 1943, and includes 'The Postman Always Rings Twice,' 'Mildred Pierce', 'Serenade,' and 'Double Indemnity'. Cain wrote Galatea in 1953, after a string of lesser works, and it does not match the quality of his earlier novels. Nevertheless, with renewed interest in James Cain's work (through release of an elaborate televised mini-series of 'Mildred Pierce'), some readers will be seeking out his other novels.

Galatea has an original and detailed plot, with unusual and well - constructed characters. The style is unmistakeably Cain's, and as is common in his fiction, the story is told in the first person. The setting is southern Maryland, and the protagonist is Duke Webster, an ex-boxer, who has been convicted of a petty robbery and who is trying to go straight. In a shady deal, he is sentenced to work indefinitely for a restaurant owner (Valenty) and his rich wife, Holly. Duke gradually falls for Holly, discovers Valenty's plan to kill her, and tries to rescue her. A climactic scene results in a death, for which Holly and Duke are put on trial. The plot holds the reader's interest, and an atmosphere of foreboding suffuses the book. What's more, the historical and geographical allusions show that Cain (who had moved back to the Maryland of his childhood) knew his setting intimately. However, the prose suffers from a lack of clarity and coherence that leaves the reader puzzled and confused about what's going on, and not simply due to regional slang. This major flaw was noted by professional reviewers when the novel was first published.

The book's title comes from a Greek myth, in which a statue sculpted by Pygmalion is brought to life by Aphrodite, goddess of love. (Here Holly is the beauty brought to life by Duke, in ways I willl leave to the reader to discover). Fans of James Cain's work may be interested to know that he orginally gave the book a tragic denouement, over which the publishers expressed misgivings. Cain changed it to a happier ending, although arguably at some cost to integrity of the story.

In sum, realistically Galatea will be of interest only to readers who wish to explore all of Cain's fiction. However, to readers who have yet to sample his writing, I would strongly recommend his earlier novels. ( )