East of Eden
by John Steinbeck
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Book Reviews of East of Eden
Book Review: a masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
I really am not sure how I should review this book. East of Eden is mind blowing. It is, without a doubt, Steinbeck's greatest creation. I have not read all of the Steinbeck canon but I have read enough of his major works to know that this tops them all.
You'll hear everyone throwing around stuff like "retelling of Cain and Abel" but that is misleading. Yes, it *is* a retelling of Cain and Abel (twice, actually) but it is so much more than that. Don't constrict your enjoyment of this book based on its parallels. Take it for what it is. It's a magnificent epic story that has some of the deepest characters in American literature. As an example, Kate is one of the most evil characters I've ever read, but she's not just a cardboard character that generally represents evil. Underneath her vile loathsome exterior you can catch the stirrings of a great conflict within her, a desperate desire for love. But Steinbeck doesn't spell it out for you. He doesn't plop it in your lap and say, "Think this now about this character." He let's you figure it out. He lets you fill in the blanks. And it's not always too easy to figure out. Don't expect a facile read. But don't expect a boring read either. I never wanted to put this book down.
John Steinbeck's characters are amazing. That is his charm. Nobody is all good or all evil, nobody is unconflicted, nobody is always a certain way. And isn't that how we are in real life? "East of Eden" has characters that are so real that they almost seem unreal. It's not until one looks deeper within the characters that one sees that what a character says isn't always what he means, or that what a character does is not always what he wants to do, etcetera.
This book is absolutely mandatory for anyone who calls themself a Steinbeck fan. This book is mandatory for anyone who claims to be a lover of American literature. I would suggest this book to aspiring authors and even actors and directors to get insight into real characters, developed characters, characters that are so human that they don't make sense sometimes.
Anyway, read this book. It's worth all 600 pages and then some.
Book Review: East of Eden - Lessons on Life
Summary: 4 Stars
John Steinbeck's East of Eden goes back in time to describe what life was like in the early 20th century for people in the U.S., more specifically California's Salinas Valley. Steinbecks' novel however goes a lot farther than just describing life for a specific group of people; his novel is an absorbing yet often times disturbing telling of life itself. The novel is loaded with numerous significant themes including love, good vs. evil, and jealousy. In his book, Steinbeck makes several allusions to the biblical story of Cain and Abel (hence where the title comes from) and even models their tale in his own character's actions. In two different situations in the novel, two brothers find themselves fighting each other for the approval of their father. Ironically however, both times, their father end up loving the son whom does not really desire nor covet their father's approval. In both instances, jealousy plays a major role in their actions that followed. The classic battle between good vs. evil finds itself time and time again in Steinbeck's characters. Steinbeck however, chooses to emphasize his belief that good and evil are both inherent parts of society, and that the main battle is the character's CHOICE of good or evil. Steinbeck's last and probably most enduring theme are the effects of love and the consequences of its absence. Every significant conflict in the story finds itself in the middle of a struggle between characters for the love or appreciation of another. Whenever love is absent from a specific situation, the results become disastrous. In East of Eden, Steinbeck emphasizes the importance of the presence of love in the lives of all people and its powerful role in every outcome. Perhaps my main problem with this book is its organization. Steinbeck seems to jump from one story to another, losing the reader through confusion. Many stories seem to be brought up out of nowhere and end up having no real weight in the novel's "big picture." In the end however, the book is an excellent read as well as an intriguing look into life.Book Review: a worthy read
Summary: 5 Stars
the first book i read by steinbeck was "the grapes of wrath" which was quite a feat at the time. while i enjoyed the book i wasn't sure i wan't to read more steinbeck. then i picked up "of mice and men" and knew i had to read more books by this author who had left me in tears at the end of a mere 150 pages. (by the way, i highly recommend both of those books)when i picked up east of eden i had no idea what i would be beginning, besides a whopping 650 pages. the book started off a little slowly, but was intriguing becuase i live in california and have spent some time in salinas valley. then the story started to pick up, and i was into it. steinbeck put together a web of stories that introduced characters and wove together to from a massive literary net. i found each character to be as alive as my best friend; they were all developed to the fullest. every character spends their time as the main character of the book, and while it sounds confusing it is amazingly effective and paints a rich picture of each person. this makes the whole experience of the general story unique and more detailed than most authors could hope to achieve.
my favorite character in this book is lee, the chinese man who started off as a minor and creepy character but devolped into a person i could swear could visit me in the flesh and start an intriguing conversation. i recommend the book just for the experience of getting to know lee.
about halfway through there is a hefty discussion about the bible, and for an atheist like myself it was a bit of a turn off at first. but then i saw how steinbeck was using the moral of the story, and not examining the actual fictional or factual (whatever your belief) events of the story of eden.
i cannot comprehend how steinbeck turned out this monster of a novel. it is moving, exciting, somethines disturbing, and enriching, and is a feat of the human mind and spirit. i think steinbeck often is underappreciated as agreat american novelist, but after reading "east of eden" you will never be able to stop raving.
Book Review: One of the best books ever written
Summary: 5 Stars
If you do not have much time over the next couple days, DON'T read this book. Not only will it eat away your life, but also you will be distracted by whatever you need to do. Rather, wait until you have a nice week or so to spare. The book's masterful and entrancing writing had me awake in the wee hours of morning, unwilling to stop reading the story's beautiful progression.
Successfully paralleling the novels' tale of two families to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, John Steinbeck intertwines the aspects of the allusion to reflect the actions of the pairs of brothers in the story. Furthermore, he even corresponds the first letter of the brothers' name to be C(ain) and A(bel), with C jealous of A.
Each character is imbued with a collage of complexity and struggles. Adam Trask is overly trusting and inability to see people as they really are while his brother Charles Trask fails to attract the approval their father. Adam's twin sons, the next set of boys, subsequently have their troubles too. Aron suffers with moral sensibility, whereas Cal strains like Charles to find the acceptance of his father. Complementing these composite brothers are Cathy, Adam's malicious, yet pretty wife, Lee, the helpful Chinese assistant, and Samuel Hamilton, Adam's poor unfortunate, but kind neighbor in the Salinas Valley who aids him throughout the novel.
Steinbeck's style is plainly awesome. The captivating style entices all. Its eloquence mimics the Biblical allusion wonderfully. The contrasting characters bring layers of intricacy to the story. Each is supplemented by the question of an innate destiny and how much they truly are affected by it.
In conclusion, for your life to be complete, you must have read this book. The book is essentially the epitome of literature, the apex of novels, the zenith of stories. If you have some spare change, go out and add this masterpiece to your collection. It definitely is worth every half-a-penny.
Book Review: Life-changing experience
Summary: 5 Stars
John Steinbeck's East of Eden has been one of the most influential readings of my life. Within merely 600 pages, Steinbeck enlightens his readers with the most controversial and enthralling issue of life: its purpose. If you have ever doubted your existence or questioned who or what you are living for, this book will definitely pour you with insight. Contrastingly, if you have never encountered these doubts, this novel will force you to reevaluate your cordial acceptance. Steinbeck oversteps the boundries of traditionality and conservatism and audaciously expresses his unfiltered, most purest thoughts. There is never a dull or meaningless moment in this book. Although the plot of events may appear somewhat unorganized and haphazard, each incident has its unignorable significance within the novel and a single misplace or change of word would desecrate its message. Not only that, Steinbeck is amazing in his character analyzations. Through his detailed and meticulous descriptions, the readers are able to protrude into the character's deepest thoughts and scrutinize it from every single aspect. There is not one character that stands out as the main protaganist; each individual has his own complex personality and mindset and Steinbeck magnificently portrays this complication, inflating his characters into realistic, 3-D human flesh. He also addresses common themes, or rather experiences, that the common reader can relate to. The most developed theme within the book is that of the struggle between good and evil, but he also discusses issues such as a parent's favoritism of one child over another and the disastrous effects that are imposed upon the unpreferred child. We also see frequent themes such as love and rejection, which make the story a very personal experience. All in all, this is a mind-blowing masterpiece, as well as a heart-warming tale, that will leave you breathless and asking for more.