Reviews

In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck

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trouserstrousers's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

kivt's review

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4.0

Mac did nothing wrong. Great book aside from Steinbeck's virulent, petty misogyny.

whimsicalmeerkat's review

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3.0

Very good. From the beginning, I considered this one of Steinbeck's lesser works when it comes to the characters. In some ways, I would still say that, but the last half is every bit as heart wrenching and compelling as The Grapes of Wrath or Of Mice and Men. The ending was incredibly well executed. From the standpoint of putting forward his view of the world, this is equally as strong as the Grapes of Wrath if not more so. Definitely worth the read, if you have the time.

bigaaal's review

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

frostap's review

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3.0

Something about IDB just didn't work for me. Maybe it was that I found Mac reprehensible and Jim robotically obedient?? Not Steinbeck's best, but a telling look at the Depression-era dynamics of fruit worker strikes (as always).