Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

8 reviews

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 didn’t 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 that’s still relevant now.

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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

arszania's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cursing, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

carpetconcretecrocodile's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

(4.5 Stars)

One of John Steinbeck’s greatest writing strengths, to me, is his ability to craft realistic scenarios that connect with people and encourage examinations of human life. And despite my love for East of Eden, I find that The Grapes of Wrath truly exemplifies that strength the most, and it makes perfect sense that it was banned upon release.

The way economic and social disparity is described in this book is often harrowing. The way each character in the Joad family portrays different personalities’ reaction to these disparities is part of what makes it so harrowing, as often times you can relate these characters to people that may be in your life, or perhaps even yourself. And I believe that’s how Steinbeck riled so many people up with this book- showing average, realistic people taking on the horrors that the Great Depression befell onto them, which allows for a much deeper connection and emotional response to the themes.

I found this book amazing, and it’s hard to describe in detail why that is. So I implore anyone who hasn’t to read it, and find out themselves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Murder, and Police brutality

Minor: Racial slurs

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....

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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

calamityin's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Child death, Classism, Death, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dementia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Moderate: Murder and Slavery

Minor: Kidnapping

annapox's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

The story was good. The writing was so detailed as to become boring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, and Animal death

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Cursing, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, and Domestic abuse

nisha_27's review against another edition

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, and Cursing

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Miscarriage

carracarmenchu's review

adventurous reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Some days ago, I came across a list made by a group of authors, each mentioning a book that had helped them deal with the Covid situation. I wondered what would be my pick. I didn't know at the time but now I would say The Grapes of Wrath. I understand that some would prefer some fantasy and escapism, but in some ways, I found it comforting to see how optimism, kindness, and love persist among the characters despite all the misery.
The novel places the focus on the period of the Great Depression, but it speaks also about the history of America, the relationship of men to the land, human nature, emigration, and injustice. All these serious ideas are encapsulated in a story that is entertaining as well as reflective.
It is a read that I had delayed and it was not until learning about the journal that John Steinbeck wrote parallel to the writing of this work, that I got really curious to see the outcome of the writer's struggles. And I was pleased; it is a masterpiece.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Sexual content