East of Eden by John Steinbeck
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Book Reviews of East of Eden
Book Review: Epic novel
Summary: 5 Stars
This book has it all--sweeping themes which are common to all people, fascinating and flawed characters, and an interesting interweaving of people's choices and the impact this has on those around them. The novel is based on the Biblical account of Cain and Abel in the book of Genesis. Steinbeck dwells on the sibling rivalry which pits one brother against another for their father's love. This occurs in two generations with Charlie and Adam in the first generation and Adam's twin sons Cal and Aron in the second. There are fascinating characters, such as the wicked Cathy who finds men's weaknesses and preys on them for her own gain, the wise and philosophical Chinese servant Lee, and the wonderful dreamer named Samuel Hamilton. The Hamilton family is patterned after Steinbeck's maternal family and he sometimes takes side-trips to the plot in order to tell some family tale which has been passed on to him by oral tradition. Another interesting theme has to do with dreamers, like Adam and Aron, who only see what they want to see, and realists, such as Samuel's wife, whose view is likewise narrowed by her practical nature. Abra starts out as a dreamer, but grows into a woman who sees the greys in life and learns to accept them without letting them detroy her. A favorite theme seems to deal with paternal expectations and how these can overpower and sometimes detroy a son. Steinbeck delves into the question of inherited predisposition towards sin and resoundingly concludes that we all have choices and we are not driven totally by our genetic disposition. This is a fascinating study of human nature and of good vs. evil and is a wonderful read.Book Review: Must Read
Summary: 5 Stars
The ability of John Steinbeck, to place 'you' the reader psychologically into the story is the true power of his artistic gift. You 'feel' the characters. You 'see' the unfolding and changing landscape. You are emotionally pulled into the unfolding drama. You laugh at outrageous hilarity. You cry over intense sadness. You literally feel the rain on your face when he alerts you to a storm blowing in.For the most part, the characters spanning several generations are biographical depictions of his real relatives; mostly on his mothers side. The only weakness in the novel that I feel worth mentioning is that the character Kate appears too mean, inhuman, and damaged to seem real.
John, in a paragraph or two using real nonfictional characters, actually puts himself into the story by name at two different times. The first is when he and his sister Mary at around age 10 or 11 discuss a very funny situation with their Uncle Tom at a Thanksgiving dinner. The second time he appears in the story is again with his sister Mary where they are depicted as peeking out of a second story window down upon a visitor walking up to their house in Salinas.
The existential theme of "individual choice" being more fundamental than "Heavenly Mandates" is a topic he repeats often causing one to believe that John himself must have believed this to be an important idea. But he also demonstrates that choice itself is often not powerful or useful enough to provide solutions to complex tragic situations.
This novel is a must read. But then again, I believe that any of his novels will not disappoint.
Book Review: More Stars, Please
Summary: 5 Stars
What I want to know first is why, until now, no one had told me to read this book. If I could break the 5-star rule and give this book a 9-star rating, I would. It is currently, through the rose-colored glasses of my own perception and taste, the best book I have ever read. Steinbeck is my new favorite writer.
For books of this caliber, it seems a waste to relate the story in some kind of abridged synopsis. When one says a book recently read was good, people tend to ask the question, "What's it about?" The better question for a book like this might be "What makes it good?" The first question forces the reader to relate the storyline like a plot-spoiling movie trailer. The second encourages the reader to explain why the story is worth reading while preserving the integrity of the book. After all, the purpose of the book is just that--to relate the story.
I believe that good books entertain you, better books teach you, but great books inspire you. This book does all three. It is an ornate and cogent poem of a novel--relational, affecting, captivating. Every other sentence is profound. Steinbeck wastes no words. There is no filler--though the book is 600 pages--and not once did I feel as though I were working to get through it. The writing is absorbing and the content stirring, heart and mind.
For the first time in a long career of novel consumption, I did not binge on this book. It was so spectacular that I forced myself to moderate how much I read in a sitting. This is a filet mignon of a novel. Read it. Savor it. Tell someone else to do the same.
Book Review: Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
East of Eden is a beautiful work that is multi-thematic, complex, and yet very personal. In the saga of the Trask and Hamilton families, Steinbeck weaves a story that explores, above all, people. Siblings, parents, births, deaths, sorrows, joys, truths, lies, and the perceptions in between, this novel has it all. Headed by Sam Hamilton, the Hamilton family is trying their best to live with dignity on the poorest land in their area. They are the kind of people who are so decent and joyful in each other that it's hard to remember that they are struggling to get by. Adam Trask, emerging from what we would now call a dysfunctional family, buys up the best land in the area with money that he inherited, somewhat mysteriously, from his father. While he wants desperately to make his new bride happy and be the father/patriarch he never had, Adam has the misfortune to have picked a wife that is not interested in settling down and becoming a mother. Immediately after the birth of her twins, Adam's wife disappears, turning up later as the madame of a whorehouse reputed for "providing the sort of services that shouldn't be available". The story is large, somewhat complex, but never tedious. Unlike most novels of this length (600 pages), there is never one place where the story becomes bogged down. Steinbeck does such a good job with his beautiful prose, true characters, and honest emotion, that the reader floats through the 600 pages effortlessly. I loved this novel and have every intention of reading every other piece of Steinbeck I can get my hands on.
Book Review: simply a must-read
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to admit, when I felt the length of the novel weighing in my hands as i picked it up from the bookstore, I was a bit intimidated by what I could expect. I knew that East of Eden is probably one of the most renowned and famous piece of American literature of all time, but nevertheless, I was pessimistic when I began reading. However, that soon changed when I began to realize the brilliancy of the novel and recognized the masterpiece that it really is. This novel is truly one in a million.
The story is set in Salinas, California, where Steinbeck himself grew up, and follows two generations of the Trask family, the main one with Adam and his sons, Aron and Cal. The characters of Aron and Cal are purposeful allusions to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, and Steinbeck parallels them with great success. Not only does he follow the storyline, but Steinbeck is one of the few authors that is able to dig deep into the human soul and come out with something truly revolutionary: their inner-most vulnerability. His brilliant portrayal of these characters make them almost life-like, and in some ways, by spilling out their souls for me to see, I felt somewhat connected to them, and was able to share in their triumphs and falters, joys and miseries. Steinbeck so expertly integrates the story of Cain and Abel, a son crying out for a father's love, and the sibling rivalry that reins over it. This book has what every reader wants, wit, humor, perspective, and insight, all brilliantly tied together by the classic tale of two brothers.