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Rating: 5/5
Review:
I absolutely loved this book. John Steinbeck is officially one of my favorite authors. So many people have recommended East of Eden to me, and I finally got around to reading it. I am so glad I did because it truly is a remarkable book and absolutely deserves its place among the great American classics.
Steinbeck’s writing is effortlessly beautiful. You can’t help but be in awe of the way he describes everything, from the landscape to something as simple as stormy weather. His descriptions are so vivid that you feel completely immersed in the world he creates. The characters were also incredible—I loved each of them. Steinbeck writes them with so much depth and humanity that they feel like real people, complete with their own flaws, struggles, and complexities. Lee will forever hold a special place in my heart and was probably my favorite character in the entire book.
One of the most interesting questions Steinbeck explores is whether we have the ability to choose between good and evil or whether our lives are predetermined for us. The novel’s exploration of free will and the choices we make is one of my favorite aspects of the story. The ending is also incredibly fitting and brings the story together beautifully.
While the book is lengthy, it is 100% worth reading. You become invested in these families and get to watch their lives and relationships evolve across generations, while also seeing the world around them change.
Trust me—you have to read this book! If nothing else, read it because it is one of the most remarkable American classics I have ever experienced. But I have a feeling you’ll fall in love with Steinbeck just like I did.
Rating: 4/5
Review:
Ann Patchett never ceases to amaze me. My first book by her was Bel Canto, which I absolutely loved, so I wanted to try her most awarded book, The Dutch House. I can definitely understand why this book received so much praise and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.
This story follows a brother, Danny, and his sister, Maeve, as they navigate the hardships of having a mother who left and a mentally absent father who remarries a woman neither of them cares for. The relationship between the brother and sister is incredibly well done. The characters are simply lovely and portray a realistic, complicated family going through years of drama, love, and hardship.
One of my favorite things about Patchett is her ability to create intricate and unique stories that feel like nothing I have ever read before. It is truly a wonder how she comes up with these beautiful stories that carry such meaningful messages.
I found the ending heartbreaking yet completely fitting for the novel. I cannot wait to read another one of her stories.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves coming-of-age stories, family drama, and strong brother-and-sister dynamics. Everyone should try an Ann Patchett book at least once in their lifetime—they are truly magical.
Rating: 4.5/5
Review:
WOW! I randomly picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore, and I was immediately intrigued. I had never read anything by this author or even heard of her before. The only research I did was discovering that this was considered her second-best novel out of all her books.
Let me just say, this book took me through every possible emotion and left me with so many questions, all in such a short novella. The synopsis is intentionally brief, so you never quite know what is going to happen next, which I absolutely loved. Because of that, I won’t dive too deeply into the plot—you really should just pick it up and experience it for yourself.
Her writing is breathtaking and truly beautiful. It is definitely a work of literary fiction, with so much meaning packed into such a short story. The ending left me too stunned for words. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. This book is truly a testament to kindness and the power of found family.
All I can say is that it was truly beautiful. I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work. In fact, I just picked up her most awarded book, Small Things Like These, which was also adapted into a movie, so stay tuned!
I would recommend this book to everyone. I think it is an important story about kindness, compassion, and found family. Truly breathtaking.