Highest Rated Review by the Community
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Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community May 20, 2004
Pros: pretty, detailed description sets scenes; airplane and automobile scenes; social commentary
Cons: characters; story; biblical framework and preachiness
Summary: John Steinbeck’s East of Eden is not the Holy Bible. It’s certainly not original, unique spiritual teaching in my opinion. It’s also as much of an autobiography as Dr. Freudine’s Sex Therapy is one for me because we both show up as ... read more
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Rated a Somewhat Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Mar 10, 2013
Pros: Magnificent language, belles lettres style, and a very interesting plot.
Cons: Misogyny, overtly conservative values.
Summary: While I loved and enjoyed the book much, while I found it riveting and wonderfully written, I also had some unpleasant feeling about it. Probably it is only my personal feeling or opinion, but I detected an undercurrent of misogyny in East of Eden. I ... read more
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Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Aug 17, 2011
Pros: Great story, engaging characters, sprawling in the best sense of the word.
Cons: Pedantic, unsubtle.
Summary: ‘East of Eden' is one of John Steinbeck's later works. Published in 1952, it is apparently semi-autobiographical: Samuel Hamilton, the patriarch of one of the two families around whom the novel revolves, was the name of Steinbeck's own ... read more
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Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Aug 6, 2004
Pros: Well written multi-generational epic novel. A classic you don't want to miss.
Cons: Dare I say a tad too long? But, who am I to criticize John Steinbeck!
Summary: Required reading in some class I took, probably back in high school, Steinbeck's lengthy East of Eden is the only book (besides the Bible) that I have ever re-read in my life. I don't recall particularly enjoying it the first time around, but I ... read more
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Rated a Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Dec 30, 2003
Pros: great characters, strong storytelling.
Cons: none
Summary: "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck is one piece of literature that stands the test of time. After you get past his first couple of (boring) pages describing the landscape of Salinas,California, you jump right into the Trask family history. You are ... read more
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Rated a Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Dec 1, 2003
Pros: A moving novel, 55 chapter masterpiece
Cons: Oprah had to approve it for people to go out and purchase it!
Summary: "A fantasia of history and myth... a strange and original work of art" - New York Times Book Review East of Eden is an awesome novel! Some say it is Steinbeck's best and that is huge praise considering the work that man Steinbeck put out (Grapes of ... read more
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Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Feb 26, 2002
Pros: Steinbeck's “carefully planned reflection on national and personal identity.”
Cons: None
Summary: This extraordinary autobiographical novel is considered to be John Steinbeck's “carefully planned reflection on national and personal identity.” When he spoke of East of Eden, he said, “I’ve been practicing for a book for 35 years.” He ... read more
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Rated a Helpful Review by the Epinions community
May 25, 2001
Pros: Strong Theme, Great Details, We can learn a lot from this book =^)
Cons: Certain areas of the book drag a bit and don't really go anywhere.
Summary: In literature, the proper use of irony helps to develop the character’s persona in the story. When a reader finds out that there is something unexpected in the story, this is usually the result of irony. In John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, the quite ... read more
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Rated a Somewhat Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Oct 2, 2000
Pros: well written, great characters
Cons: none
Summary: Upon growing up in the Salinas Valley one of the requirements is to read John Steinbeck's novels. One of the first ones I picked was "East of Eden" because I saw the movie with James Dean and loved it. So I eagerly grabbed the book and I ... read more
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Rated a Very Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jul 28, 2000
Pros: Wonderfully crafted by an amazing painter of words and craftsman of plot and symbolism.
Cons: The plot seems to stretch thin in places and the novel is quite long, but these are truly minor complaints that have little baring on my love of this novel.
Summary: Adam Trask is a good man. He is fair and decent in his behavior, if a bit misguided with some of his judgements. Adam is, in so many ways, the Adam. He is God's son, God's pride, and God's test.
Using his literary paintings Steinbeck ... read more
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Rated a Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jan 22, 2000
Pros: Fascinating & hard to put down
Cons: None
Summary: East of Eden was a book I was "forced" to read in high school. I am so glad! This book has had such an impact on me.
It revolves around the lives of the Trask family: patriarch Adam, his brother Charles, Adam's twin sons, Aron and ... read more
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Rated a Somewhat Helpful Review by the Epinions community
Jan 20, 2000
Pros: demonstrates the authors good writing skills
Cons: is a long book which gets more exciting and involved as it goes on
Summary: East of Eden by John Steinbeck is one of my favorite books. It shows the amazing writing styles of the author in a historical sense. He describes all the surroundings of the town of Salinas very well, even describing the people and their every day lives. ... read more
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- Express Reviews
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Rated Show by the Epinions community Mar 19, 2007
Pros: This is not just fluffy reading. It is deep and thought provoking.
Cons: The book is not easy to get into. The beginning is very slow.
Summary: East of Eden is possibly my favorite book now. It takes a hard look at sibling rivalry, the blindness of love, and sin. The story is set first in New England and then in the lush fertile valleys of California at the turn of the century. The story centers
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