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123 reviews for:
Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History
John Steinbeck
3.33 AVERAGE
123 reviews for:
Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History
John Steinbeck
3.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You know, I don't really know how to review this. 90% of this book was bad. Really bad.
Then, the last twenty pages or so were pure genius to me. Simply incredible. I hate to give this book a five just based on the last twenty pages, but that's what I'll remember it by later.
Then, the last twenty pages or so were pure genius to me. Simply incredible. I hate to give this book a five just based on the last twenty pages, but that's what I'll remember it by later.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This reads like an episode of Drunk History, and sort of parodies our romanticization of pirates while shrewdly commenting on colonialism. You can practically hear Steinbeck laughing at the reader. 10/10 no notes.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s Steinbeck and Pirates. How could it possibly not be 5 stars?
It was interesting to read Steinbeck's first work and see how early some of his major themes present themselves. Something that has often attracted me to Steinbeck is a character archetype that pops up in a lot of his work: a sort of lonesome genius. It's a character that has great powers of thought, one that often sees beyond almost all horizons, but these traits separate him from others and leave him susceptible to the most first world of all problems, finding meaning in his life beyond living. Henry Morgan fits this archetype. Even though this isn't a perfect book by any means, I think that it's to Steinbeck's credit that he pursues this theme so doggedly throughout the rest of his career, never quite finding an answer himself.
"Cup of Gold" is Steinbeck's first published novel. Although it is not as well-written as his more famous novels--"East of Eden" or "The Grapes of Wrath"--it is still an entertaining tale with some interesting life lessons woven into the narrative.
I can read novels worth of Steinbeck writing descriptions of everything from landscape to feelings. He had a wonderful way with words. The plot certainly gives away the fact that this was his first published work, but it has its charm. I enjoyed that it pushed an envelope for sensuality and featured a strong heroine like Ysobel, who could fence and laugh in the face of danger. I genuinely liked This debut.