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thewomanintheattic 's review for:
The Red Pony
by John Steinbeck
I was really confused reading this until I realized it was episodic! The story isn't really about a red pony at its heart, but about going back in time, to the before, whether that's regarding heroism in the eyes of a younger boy, a simple mistake that cost a life, or returning to the life you had decades ago, knowing it will always be out of reach.
For such an interesting theme, the 4 chapters each have a different take on it. However, I personally didn't think the theme was as developed as it needed to be to really resonate with readers. Is his message that there is no return? What do we do with those feelings? And if it is simply meant to make the reader think, I think the questions it asks could be drawn out even further.
Despite my personal distaste for episodic stories (especially as novellas-- so short!), this was still a reflective read that held me in suspense (as Steinbeck does so well). However, I think with its half-developed ideas (one of which ends up more drawn out in Of Mice and Men, a novella he wrote shortly after) and tendency towards graphic descriptions of gore, I might have to pass on ever reading this one again. It does not keep me from picking up his other stories though, many of which I am excited to read (Grapes of Wrath, here I come!!!).
For such an interesting theme, the 4 chapters each have a different take on it. However, I personally didn't think the theme was as developed as it needed to be to really resonate with readers. Is his message that there is no return? What do we do with those feelings? And if it is simply meant to make the reader think, I think the questions it asks could be drawn out even further.
Despite my personal distaste for episodic stories (especially as novellas-- so short!), this was still a reflective read that held me in suspense (as Steinbeck does so well). However, I think with its half-developed ideas (one of which ends up more drawn out in Of Mice and Men, a novella he wrote shortly after) and tendency towards graphic descriptions of gore, I might have to pass on ever reading this one again. It does not keep me from picking up his other stories though, many of which I am excited to read (Grapes of Wrath, here I come!!!).