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gabriella_'s review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
God, what a great read.
Let me start with the problems.
I have some critiques. First - I felt like it didnβt capture the breadth of displaced Americans for the time. Second - It was very white-centric and seemed to buy into Manifest Destiny shit. I take major issue with both of these. These are my narrative issues
Clearly not as pressing but the pacing at point was inconsistent and dragged on. But I know at points that was the point.
Now the pros.
I really loved the way Ma and Tom were characterized throughout. The family relations at points felt complex. There were really moving moments throughout, and great commentary thatβs still relevant now.
Let me start with the problems.
I have some critiques. First - I felt like it didnβt capture the breadth of displaced Americans for the time. Second - It was very white-centric and seemed to buy into Manifest Destiny shit. I take major issue with both of these. These are my narrative issues
Clearly not as pressing but the pacing at point was inconsistent and dragged on. But I know at points that was the point.
Now the pros.
I really loved the way Ma and Tom were characterized throughout. The family relations at points felt complex. There were really moving moments throughout, and great commentary thatβs still relevant now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
larseneiii's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
....why the fuck did it end like that....
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Classism, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Cursing
Minor: Confinement, Genocide, Slavery, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck π
πππππ
π The plot: When Tom Joad is released from prison and returns to his family's farm in Oklahoma, it is to find them packing up to move west. The 1930s Dust Bowl crisis has decimated their land and the corporate farmers who own it are driving them out, toward the too-good-to-be-true promise of prosperity in California. The trials and tribulations of the Joads' journey mirrors the broader story of workers at this point in the development of modern capitalism.
If you'd have told me when I'd just started this book and read a whole chapter about corn that this would turn out to be a five star read, I wouldn't have believed you. There are significant caveats to those five stars, but overall, this one really surprised me!
With chapters alternating between the Joad family's story and the broader plight of migrant workers, the scope of this novel is incredible. I think a lot about how separated I am from the production of most of the things I need to live, and this book charts the rise of this separation in America, as machines enable corporate farmers to put profits before people. The chapter in which an angry farmer has it explained to him that a company is not a person, and there is nowhere he can go and no person he can reason with to change its doing, is a perfect illustration of how capitalism works to alienate and disempower workers.
The novel highlights the solidarity and humanity found in migrant camps, as well as the deep corruption of the US police. If you think the Defund movement is only a few years old/ only relevant to Black Americans/ that one of the key functions of policing isn't to protect property of the rich, read this book.
On that note however, as I said before, there are caveats to my praise for this novel. Firstly, it focuses solely on the white migrant experience, so its depiction is by no means comprehensive. You'd also think from this book that there were 10 men for every one woman in America. And finally there's some evidence Steinbeck plagiarised a lot of it from a woman whose notes he read without her knowledge. So definitely let that inform your reading!
π Read it if you like books that deal with how individual stories fit into overarching historical trends, particularly capitalism.
π« Avoid it if you're avoiding stories featuring police violence or stillbirth, if you don't like novels that read a bit like fables, or if you'd rather invest your energy researching an intersectional history of the Dust Bowl crisis (very fair if so, this is a big book)
πππππ
π The plot: When Tom Joad is released from prison and returns to his family's farm in Oklahoma, it is to find them packing up to move west. The 1930s Dust Bowl crisis has decimated their land and the corporate farmers who own it are driving them out, toward the too-good-to-be-true promise of prosperity in California. The trials and tribulations of the Joads' journey mirrors the broader story of workers at this point in the development of modern capitalism.
If you'd have told me when I'd just started this book and read a whole chapter about corn that this would turn out to be a five star read, I wouldn't have believed you. There are significant caveats to those five stars, but overall, this one really surprised me!
With chapters alternating between the Joad family's story and the broader plight of migrant workers, the scope of this novel is incredible. I think a lot about how separated I am from the production of most of the things I need to live, and this book charts the rise of this separation in America, as machines enable corporate farmers to put profits before people. The chapter in which an angry farmer has it explained to him that a company is not a person, and there is nowhere he can go and no person he can reason with to change its doing, is a perfect illustration of how capitalism works to alienate and disempower workers.
The novel highlights the solidarity and humanity found in migrant camps, as well as the deep corruption of the US police. If you think the Defund movement is only a few years old/ only relevant to Black Americans/ that one of the key functions of policing isn't to protect property of the rich, read this book.
On that note however, as I said before, there are caveats to my praise for this novel. Firstly, it focuses solely on the white migrant experience, so its depiction is by no means comprehensive. You'd also think from this book that there were 10 men for every one woman in America. And finally there's some evidence Steinbeck plagiarised a lot of it from a woman whose notes he read without her knowledge. So definitely let that inform your reading!
π Read it if you like books that deal with how individual stories fit into overarching historical trends, particularly capitalism.
π« Avoid it if you're avoiding stories featuring police violence or stillbirth, if you don't like novels that read a bit like fables, or if you'd rather invest your energy researching an intersectional history of the Dust Bowl crisis (very fair if so, this is a big book)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Murder, Classism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Ableism
lexarobinson's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I want to pay tribute to my dad and say I love this book, but... I just don't. I'm sorry. It moves far too slowly, the intercalary chapters are simply unnecessary, and Steinbeck uses far too many words to describe the same things far too many times. It gains a few points for how well it tackles such a tragic event, but unfortunately, with the book's length and depressing writing style, I can imagine a lot of people will simply never get through the whole thing. Disappointing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Ableism
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