emmyarmstrong 's review for:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

4.5

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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very enjoyable considering what it is. it looks quite intimidating (and yes, it is as dense as it looks), but it was not as much of a challenge to read as i expected. i liked the blend of historical significance and fictional plot. it’s quite a depressing book, as the joads are constantly hit with hardship after hardship, but in the transitional chapters that act as very layered and complicated metaphors, we get a glimpse of nature (and the pinnacle of steinbeck’s writing in my opinion). the ending was a little unnecessary and the theme it conveyed could have been displayed in a different way, in my opinion, but this is a harder classic that i would recommend, mainly for its historical significance.