Reviews

Have to read Grapes of Wrath to be sure, but y'know what? I think I like Steinbeck. Might just be because it's a novella, but there's not a single useless sentence in it - even later 20th century literary classics still seem bent on wasting my time with unnecessary prose, which I've ALWAYS hated about classics - and the pacing was perfect. Snappy dialogue, all of Chekhov's guns go off (haha.... ;-; ), perfect bitter ending. Goddamn. Almost felt like a contemporary read, considering.

annegillette's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

whatholliereads's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

hannabell's review against another edition

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dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bellsss's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a sad, lonely little book about sad, lonely little people. I cried at the ending. This teeny novella holds so much weight in my heart, and I was absorbed inside of the etching of each scene. I loved that each character had a certain depth to them, each a story to share but no one to share it with. I could almost imagine myself being there. If Steinbeck’s other novels are anything like this one, then I may have found a new favorite author.
And while it was rather short and may even seem plain, it was raw and pure and beautiful in its simplicity. I adore books that focus more on the characters on the plot, and this did that for me.
George and Lennie’s story quieted with a miserable ending. The kind of ending you’d never suspect would happen. But I guess that was what would’ve happened, then and there, in a place so desolate and hopeless.

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