Rating: 5 stars
Cover synopsis: Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
This novel is Epic with a capital "E." Incredibly well-written and mind-blowingly insightful. I tried to boil it down into one main theme, but that was impossible! This novel is about love, jealousy, agency, inheritance, good, evil, race, guilt, forgiveness, ambition, America, and character -- just to name a few.
I struggled with whether to award this book 4 or 5 stars. The first half of the book moved rather slow for me, and although it was interesting, I had a hard time relating to the characters. But the second half made up for it, and tied everything together from the first half. And I must admit, that the more time that passes after my completion of the book, I like it more and more. There's so much to think about.
I'd love to discuss this in my book group! But when I casually mentioned that I was reading Steinbeck, I got a lot of groans and averted eyes that said, "please, don't make me read it!" I can see how he's an acquired taste, but this book was well worth any effort.
