hannhsmth's review against another edition
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
obscuredbyclouds's review against another edition
3.0
On Goodread the first line about this book is: "Cannery Row is a book without much of a plot" and this is certainly true and the major reason I didn't love it. I liked the feelings it evoked, the description of people and scenery but I'd lie if I didn't also say that it was a bit boring at times. A story about "the bums, prostitutes and common folk living on the California coast south of the San Francisco bay area in and about Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea during the Great Depression" actually sounds like something I'd very much love, but the more books I read the more I realize most of the times I prefer books that are pretty straight forward and have a clear narrative. The prose is still great and I definitely need to get around to reading Steinbeck's novels at some point.
aurooora's review against another edition
4.0
Kertoo köyhistä tyypeistä, jotka haluaisi vaan tehdä hyvää arvostamalleen ihmiselle.
andrew_russell's review against another edition
3.0
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck is very much a work that is reflective of the economic climate in the US at the time of publication (1945). It's themes are elusive to the casual reader and yet more than anything else, it is a study of the characters described on it's pages.
Steinbeck has a knack for making a joyful reading event out of the seemingly banal. The descriptive prose used to illustrate the attempts of Mack and his crew to capture some seven hundred frogs, is an example of exactly this. Further to this, the atmosphere of social isolation and the individual insecurities and sense of 'otherness' that each character possesses, as well as the sense of community within Cannery Row are the main themes, the overarching 'take aways' from this work.
Coming in at just shy of a hundred and fifty pages, this novel doesn't have the breadth or depth of the likes of The Grapes of Wrath and yet, given the constrictions of it's length, Cannery Row performs admirably in creating reasonably well fleshed-out characterisations and the intriguing trials and tribulations that such characters are forced to face.
Steinbeck has a knack for making a joyful reading event out of the seemingly banal. The descriptive prose used to illustrate the attempts of Mack and his crew to capture some seven hundred frogs, is an example of exactly this. Further to this, the atmosphere of social isolation and the individual insecurities and sense of 'otherness' that each character possesses, as well as the sense of community within Cannery Row are the main themes, the overarching 'take aways' from this work.
Coming in at just shy of a hundred and fifty pages, this novel doesn't have the breadth or depth of the likes of The Grapes of Wrath and yet, given the constrictions of it's length, Cannery Row performs admirably in creating reasonably well fleshed-out characterisations and the intriguing trials and tribulations that such characters are forced to face.
mackpark's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
royo2319's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fa3th0n's review against another edition
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
meganborgeson's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kiironekolady's review against another edition
3.0
Mundane view of the mundane lives of a few people (and animals) in a small town, as they do some mundane things. And we just follow along, sad and mildly disinterested
rgreader's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0