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4.46 AVERAGE
4.46 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Steinbeck's masterpiece. I keep returning to it, admiring his writing, his themes, his imagery, his characters, his thoughts. It's clear that he put his heart into this book. And it's actually a surprise, to me, how much this captured me, and how riveted I was, reading this book about fathers and sons (of which I am neither), about brothers (of which I am not one), about families and expectations and love. It feels like there is very little that happens, but in reality there is so much happening in the minds and emotions of the characters.
I want to make a note of how much I enjoyed the character of Lee. When Lee was introduced as a character, I was prepared to simply accept that racism is built into the time period. 'Pleasantly surprised' doesn't begin to describe my feelings as more and more of him was revealed to the reader. He's an incredible character, and the way he defies stereotypes and yet is still clearly Chinese is astounding to me.
The story of Cal and Aron is heart-wrenching, and because this is a story of Cain and Abel, you can see it coming from a mile away. Lee says,
The story of Cal and Aron is heart-wrenching, and because this is a story of Cain and Abel, you can see it coming from a mile away. Lee says,
I think this is the best-known story in the world because it is everybody's story. I think it is the symbol story of the human soul … The greatest terror a child can have is that he is not loved, and rejection is the hell he fears. I think everyone in the world to a large or small extent has felt rejection. And with rejection comes anger, and with anger some kind of crime in revenge for the rejection, and with the crime guilt—and there is the story of mankind.
But Steinbeck makes it real and grounds it, and I think when Cal says "Am I supposed to look after him?" I felt more sorrow than I had ever simply reading the story in the Bible. And that ending is simply transcendental. Lee implores the dying Adam to bless Cal and forgive him. "Free him! Bless him!" And this not only frees Cal, it's a blessing upon us, upon humanity, a reminder that 'thou mayest' rule over sin. We have a choice, in what we do.
I like steinbecks cut and dry writing style, but this felt a little too slow for the fable type writing. I felt myself craving a stronger finale in the end.
Really good book. Took me a long while to get through but worth it. Didn’t love some of the prejudices - but understanding it was a thing of the time. Cathy was irredeemable
We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes