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surdiablo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Not my favorite Steinbeck book but remarkable still and I don't have any complaints. It's rather light-hearted with occasional depressive moments, a slice-of-life story delving into the life of inhabitants of Cannery Row, although it's more of a collection of character sketches rather than a fully-fledged novel. As usual, Steinbeck is exceptional when it comes to characterization, realism, and scene setting which made it quite enthralling. This book also turned out to be quite funny as per hearsay, much to my delight. It managed to elicit a few laughs which is as rare as me crying somewhat while reading books. 😄 There isn't much of a clear-cut plot and the tone switches back and forth which might be jarring for some readers, but I think it's fitting as Steinbeck is trying to capture the unpredictability of life in general. I would say if The Grapes of Wrath were about the struggles and resilience of humanity, Cannery Row is about melancholy and finding happiness, focusing on the beauty of life rather than its ugliness. While this book didn't resonate with me as much as his other works, I would still highly recommend it to anyone, especially to those who love his writing style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Racial slurs
actingnerd101's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
abominablesnowaro's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Messy, sad, chaotic, funny, earnest, cruel, and kind. Maybe not a perfect book, but unquestionably human.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Alcohol, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
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