Reviews

I think there is something that everyone can take away from reading this American classic. The part of the novella that most disappointed me but struck a chord with me was the characterization of Lennie. A gentle beast, Lennie was constantly being victimized by his companion George. Lennie's pure yet often deadly actions lead to his ultimate demise, which really saddened me. George was a character that really made me angry! He never failed to suppress Lennie and never gave him opportunity. Had George been more kind to a clearly mentally handicapped Lennie, could things have turned out differently? The irony of the situation around Lennie's death was also interesting, especially since it was George who finally pulled the trigger. A short and simple plot was nicely supplemented by Steinbeck's writing style. Vivid imagery especially of nature was always breathtaking to read. A book that definitely is up to par with the hype.

sophia_a_a's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

i enjoyed this book a lot more than i thought i would! i usually dont like books that are assigned for school (though i read this on my own, willingly, the point still stands that it is assigned in schools), but this one really stuck with me after finishing and i loved it. one of my favorite things about it was the parallel between the dog being put down and

Spoiler

lennies death.

the dogs owner, candy, had no one else except for the dog, but the dog only brought trouble to people. he (the dog) struggled more than anything else and was put down for his own good, as he was deemed worthless and trouble by people around him. candy felt sorrow at the fact that no one stood up for the dog and said that he should be allowed to live, but couldnt even voice that himself. he regretted not putting down the dog himself. i felt that all of this could apply to lennie.

Spoiler

his body was too big for him and he unknowingly brought harm and trouble to other people, accidentally killing little animals with good intentions. after killing that girl, he was deemed too much trouble than he was worth and needed to be killed. george didnt really want lennie to die, but couldnt say anything because he knew that it wouldnt be heard. so he took it upon himself to kill lennie, instead of letting someone else do it, because he remembered candy saying how he regretted not killing the dog.

this book was very emotional for me and i felt very struck with sorrow upon finishing it. the characters were all written very well and had immense depth. i loved it very much and plan to read it again soon.

abigailcooper's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

I started reading this book, knowing I’d need to give my opinion with a grain of salt. I love history—I love older books. I had never read this in school, and I considered reading it to teach it to my students. But I’m not so sure.

Here’s a rundown of my thoughts while reading this book that I rushed to keep track of as soon as I thought them.

Spoiler

…Wasn’t Steinbeck a white guy?

Why is George so mean to Lennie? Like unbelievably mean. I felt so bad for Lennie. It’s not his fault he was born that way. George never had to stick with him, either, so why is he so upset? Ugh.

Is the boss really a nice guy? You ain’t fooling anyone.

shut up curley

Can I like the old man with the ratty sheepdog? I don’t know if I want to.

Vaseline?????????????

Never heard someone call someone a tart. Funny. Had to look that one up.

White guy from the early 1900s, right?

Poor Lennie’s ear

Drowned the dogs? That’s it. I’m done. Bye.

Lennie :((

Any time I play solitaire now, I’ll think of this book.

My copy has a typo on page 44. Penguin Books… why?

Good lord let the man keep his dog

Lennie :((

You tend to them rabbits, Lennie. I’m rooting for you.

They keep saying “awright” and I’ve come to the realization that sometimes, that’s exactly how I say it, too.

Dammit Candy

Oh god Lennie

Oh damn. Oh, that's devastating.

fvrrest's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

onyxicca's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad medium-paced

3.5

More...