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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I much enjoyed this one, Steinbeck's characters always come to life and the way he breathes specifics into them is always a pleasure to experience. Then to behold them stomping about in the only way they know how makes for a great study in the human condition and in the dilemma of all of our hopes and dreams.
A bit of a slower read for my tastes, makes sense after reading a few fast paced modern novels prior to but that is the pleasure of Steinbeck. His gear is lower and nothing really outlandish happens but inside each character, everything happens.
A bit of a slower read for my tastes, makes sense after reading a few fast paced modern novels prior to but that is the pleasure of Steinbeck. His gear is lower and nothing really outlandish happens but inside each character, everything happens.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Wayward Bus was my 10th book by John Steinbeck. How to summarize this one, a group of unlikely people on a bus to San Juan. I think I put this book down too long because when I picked it back up, I kept stopping to remind myself of who the characters were. I might need to read it again m there wasn't anything remarkable about anything or anyone. Another study in character from Steinbeck
The Wayward Bus is another gem of a short novel by Steinbeck. Like a number of other Steinbeck works, this novel is set in Salinas Valley, particularly at a gas station/convenience store/restaurant/car repair place called Rebel Corners. The owner of Rebel Corners owns an old bus named "Sweetheart" which he uses to transport customers between two Greyhound bus stops. As the story begins we learn that Sweetheart has broken down, resulting in the six people being stranded at Rebel Corners with the two owners, Juan and Alice Chicoy, and their two young employees, "Pimples" Carson, and Norma. The six waiting passengers consist of a wealthy businessman named Elliott Prichard, his wife Bernice, and their college aged daughter Mildred; Ernest Horton, a war vet and salesman; Van Brunt, and old curmudgeon; and a young lady whose name we don't know (she made up the name Camille Oaks while at Rebel Corners) and who has a background in adult entertainment.
The first half the novel takes place at Rebel Corners while the bus is being repaired. The six stranded passengers are allowed to sleep in the owners' and staffs' bedrooms while the latter sleep on the floor. The characters are all unique and all currently have issues in life which we gradually learn about, and there are some interesting interactions and conversations as they all get to know each other and the staff, and co-exist in the cramped quarters. The staff have their own personal issues - there is marital tension between the Chicoys and the junior staff members have self-esteem issues and don't know what they want out of life. These issues are magnified with the arrival of the six passengers who add tension to the their lives in a number of ways.
The second half of the novel takes place on Sweetheart as Juan drives the passengers and junior staff members through a storm to their Greyhound connection. The plot takes a wayward (!) course which results in swelling tension as the inner turmoil for some of the characters starts to bubble up and you wonder how this is all going to end up.
Despite the novel's short length Steinbeck's characters are really well developed (per usual) and not surprisingly most have a dark streak to them. This isn't the feel good story of the summer. Very little happens in the way of action but the novel is hard to put down as the way the characters are unveiled is mesmerizing. And Steinbeck's writing is always fantastic. Always. 4.5 stars.
The first half the novel takes place at Rebel Corners while the bus is being repaired. The six stranded passengers are allowed to sleep in the owners' and staffs' bedrooms while the latter sleep on the floor. The characters are all unique and all currently have issues in life which we gradually learn about, and there are some interesting interactions and conversations as they all get to know each other and the staff, and co-exist in the cramped quarters. The staff have their own personal issues - there is marital tension between the Chicoys and the junior staff members have self-esteem issues and don't know what they want out of life. These issues are magnified with the arrival of the six passengers who add tension to the their lives in a number of ways.
The second half of the novel takes place on Sweetheart as Juan drives the passengers and junior staff members through a storm to their Greyhound connection. The plot takes a wayward (!) course which results in swelling tension as the inner turmoil for some of the characters starts to bubble up and you wonder how this is all going to end up.
Despite the novel's short length Steinbeck's characters are really well developed (per usual) and not surprisingly most have a dark streak to them. This isn't the feel good story of the summer. Very little happens in the way of action but the novel is hard to put down as the way the characters are unveiled is mesmerizing. And Steinbeck's writing is always fantastic. Always. 4.5 stars.
I can see why this falls back when ranked against his greatest works, but it’s still Steinbeck so the writing is strong and beautiful and the people and the setting are equally full and real characters.
I would have liked to see a bit more at the end, but really enjoyed it overall.
The Wayward Bus is about a dozen very different people who by coincidence end up on the same old bus. It tells what happens to these people during 24 hours, how they interact with each other and most importantly, describes their personalities on a raw but clever way. I know that might not sound like a recipe for a thought provoking, engaging and genius novel, but Steinbeck can turn a boring bus ride into an exiting event by closely picturing the minds and actions of typical Americans. His knowledge of human nature is quite something. I very much enjoyed this side of Steinbeck, The Wayward Bus might be the most humorous of his works I´ve read so far and definitely the slowest in pacing. The more I read from him the more I want to read more from him. For a while now I´ve picked up one of his novels every month and I plan to continue on that fashion at least until the end of year, perhaps even until I`ve finished all of them.
Steinbeck slays me. Why is this book so underrated!?
I really enjoyed this book!! Very literary and very amusing, actually-a few parts were definitely laugh out loud moments haha