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A review by cassreadshere
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
5.0
East of Eden is a book I’ve put off reading for years, partially due to its intimidating size, and partially because the blurb just never attracted me.
This book is a masterpiece, a retelling of Cain and Abel through two generations of brothers. John Steinbeck is masterful in his storytelling.
This story explores the nature of good versus evil, of freedom, love, and triumph over darkness. At its core, East of Eden is about a complicated family dynamic repeated for generations.
Unlike his father before him, Adam Trask is not trying to pit his sons against each other. He is a well-intended man struggling to always do the right thing but human nature makes this an almost impossible task.
What I loved most about this book was despite the real tragedies, and setbacks all the character face, in the end, Cal is able to have hope and change for the better. His characterization was so lovely and heartening to me. Even thinking he is doomed to be evil and unloved, he still tries and longs for goodness. Unlike the other characters, Cal battles his inner darkness. To me, this makes him the most ‘good’ and the most human of all.
This book is a masterpiece, a retelling of Cain and Abel through two generations of brothers. John Steinbeck is masterful in his storytelling.
This story explores the nature of good versus evil, of freedom, love, and triumph over darkness. At its core, East of Eden is about a complicated family dynamic repeated for generations.
Unlike his father before him, Adam Trask is not trying to pit his sons against each other. He is a well-intended man struggling to always do the right thing but human nature makes this an almost impossible task.
What I loved most about this book was despite the real tragedies, and setbacks all the character face, in the end, Cal is able to have hope and change for the better. His characterization was so lovely and heartening to me. Even thinking he is doomed to be evil and unloved, he still tries and longs for goodness. Unlike the other characters, Cal battles his inner darkness. To me, this makes him the most ‘good’ and the most human of all.