Do I have a book for you, fellow readers?! I was blown away by this recent read, an epic saga of two families through generations in their pursuit of happiness and success, intertwined with biblical motives through which the characters explore their morality.
First thoughts are that everyone should read this monumental novel. Despite my wavering between a rating of 4 and 5, I firmly believe that almost everyone, regardless of personal taste, will enjoy it. The book is unputdownable; I seized every opportunity to dive back into the story, even switching to the excellent audio version narrated by Richard Poe while preparing meals or doing other activities that don't require mental focus.
This is a multigenerational epic saga about the Trask and Hamilton families and their settlement in the Salinas Valley, on the American West, in pursuit of fertile land and the realization of the American Dream. In its complexity and ambition, the author connects historical facts (the settlement of the West, war, the exploitation of the poor and other races) with the biblical story of Cain and Abel through a multitude of cleverly crafted characters.
First and foremost, this is a novel about the struggle between good and evil—an internal struggle. Through his versions of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck paints the rift between brothers who are the exact opposites of each other—one is beautiful, accepted, and an idealist; the other is alienated and torn apart inside, aware of his dark side and desperate to eradicate it. The intriguing characters include a demonic woman who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights); these parts of the book where the lady in question is involved read almost like a thriller, which was a real surprise. There are so many other interesting characters like a shrewd Chinese man who reads Marcus Aurelius or a kind-hearted, extremely smart American whose kindness keeps him poor.
The main message concerns each individual's freedom to choose their own path, regardless of their blood and inheritance. This is also a story about cowardice and courage to face reality, to breaking the illusion, or a lack of courage. A comfortable life sometimes does a disservice, creating false expectations and failing to prepare us for the real state of things. You'll see how people struggle when they are faced with truth they were so fearful to hear. It's also about the depths to which evil can reach, and the desire for redemption.
“I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one. . . . Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?”
At times, I was resigned to the characters' inability to snap out of it, to finally do the right thing for a change. But it’s often the same in reality; we are taught certain patterns that are hard to break free from, so we repeatedly do the only thing we know.
Although the novel is massive, at no point (except for the initial few pages where the context is set) does it feel stagnant or lose focus; every sentence is skillfully inserted. The story jumps from one character to another, so we suddenly encounter new characters whose connections to the rest are only revealed later. Everything has its purpose, even if it’s not immediately obvious. Some of the main characters are only introduced in the last part of the novel.
I honestly loved this book even though it didn't teach me anything new. I guess one of it's goals was to make readers consider their actions and morality by sending a specific message. Despite me being familiar with all of it, the book was so well put together and fun to read that I loved it for the pure enjoyment and the Steinbeck’s brilliant gift of storytelling. And I am you sure you will love it too if you give it a chance.
4.75/5