Reviews

I'm on a bit of a Steinbeck kick here. His writing is so quintessential and true that I always feel comfortable and at home in his settings. I'm sure the fact that I lived in Monterey for a few years and so am intimately familiar with his locales only helps with that feeling.

This is a revisit to Cannery Row. In CR we are introduced to the neighborhood. The most important players being Doc, a marine biologist, Fauna and her whorehouse and the boys that live in the Palace Flop. In CR Steinbeck lulls us into falling in love with all of these characters, not despite their many flaws, but because of them. In Sweet Thursday, he shows us their love for one another and gives us the happiest of endings. Steinbeck seldom does happy so this is a welcome reprieve.

I'm pretty certain the rest of my year will be spent rereading Steinbeck's tops and I think that is a perfectly acceptable use of my time.

emmyrosem's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

baja's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.5

mattbeatty's review against another edition

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3.0

I read this right after Cannery Row, and it was really nice to feel that continuity, to be able to catch the many references to Cannery Row (Doc's birthday, Flora vs. Fauna, the failed party, Gay, etc.). The character of Doc is central to Sweet Thursday, whereas Mack mostly steals the scene in Cannery Row. Doc is well-developed and relatable. My one complaint is that Doc and Suzy's whirlwind romance is just a little too whirlwind (although Steinbeck does have a knack for making three paragraphs' worth of dialogue represent an hour!).

This was a great story in its own right, though a little more linear and a little less seemingly important than Cannery Row. It is, however, chock-full of Steinbeck's wonderful philosophizing and quotable one-liners. Overall I recommend this and really enjoyed it. Definitely read Cannery Row first, and maybe even Tortilla Flat.

sharonb's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved catching up with the inhabitants of Cannery Row again, the old and the new. Favourites are Mac and Hazel, Doc, Suzy and Fauna.

600bars's review against another edition

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I have no recollection of ever hearing about this book but I just found a journal from high school where I wrote my reviews by hand pre goodreads lmfao and this is in there? I have never read cannery row and this is a sequel so I must have been like what the fuck is going on. This notebook is pretty funny I should transcribe some of these 2012 era reviews by teenage me onto here

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