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janacutie's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
biancatocitu's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful little book. I knew I loved Steinbeck’s style, and this book was no exception.
mortenpless's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
jtellis's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books by one of my all-time favorite authors.
mcmurdoc97's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
First time reading Steinbeck since high school. I really enjoy his writing style. This reads like you just jumped into life on Cannery Row as a local. A good story about flawed people trying to do good for someone else.
brandonpytel's review against another edition
5.0
Reminded me so much of Winesburg, Ohio with its ability to create a community through tis characters. Steinbeck blends perfectly the elements of nature with his sad, stagnant characters like Doc, Lee Ching, or Henri. It is a true novel about the human ability to empathize with others, while in the midst of economic depression: a wealth of a man is judged by character, yet the sad reality of life sometimes dictates other philosophies. I haven't seen such distinct and sympathetic characters in a while.
teresatumminello's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very different from what I thought it would be. I envisioned mostly reading about the work in the canneries (it's mentioned but not a focus) and I thought it would be depressing (until I read a friend's review, which is, sadly, no longer on this site). Instead, it's a deceptively simple story (in terms of language) that evokes a range of emotions, humor and sadness all mixed up together, but it's never depressing.
At first I was reminded of [b:Winesburg, Ohio|80176|Winesburg, Ohio|Sherwood Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391639013s/80176.jpg|191520] in that its focus is on one community and the stories are more like vignettes (though they do end up connecting in many ways); but it's quite different from the Anderson. Anderson can be philosophical from what I remember, while Steinbeck, for the most part, lets his story speak for itself, which may seem surprising coming from the man who wrote [b:The Grapes of Wrath|4395|The Grapes of Wrath|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511302892s/4395.jpg|2931549]. Anderson's characters can't, or won't, communicate with each other; the denizens of Cannery Row don't have that problem. They certainly don't always communicate in words -- they read each others' faces, vocal tones and mannerisms; they remember past history, but they know each other -- and ultimately themselves -- very well. Most of them would never say the actual words, but they love each other too.
The character of the young boy, Frankie, and the story of a gopher simply broke my heart. This slim book reinforces the idea that beauty and truth can be found in the unlikeliest of places, one of my favorite themes.
At first I was reminded of [b:Winesburg, Ohio|80176|Winesburg, Ohio|Sherwood Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1391639013s/80176.jpg|191520] in that its focus is on one community and the stories are more like vignettes (though they do end up connecting in many ways); but it's quite different from the Anderson. Anderson can be philosophical from what I remember, while Steinbeck, for the most part, lets his story speak for itself, which may seem surprising coming from the man who wrote [b:The Grapes of Wrath|4395|The Grapes of Wrath|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511302892s/4395.jpg|2931549]. Anderson's characters can't, or won't, communicate with each other; the denizens of Cannery Row don't have that problem. They certainly don't always communicate in words -- they read each others' faces, vocal tones and mannerisms; they remember past history, but they know each other -- and ultimately themselves -- very well. Most of them would never say the actual words, but they love each other too.
The character of the young boy, Frankie, and the story of a gopher simply broke my heart. This slim book reinforces the idea that beauty and truth can be found in the unlikeliest of places, one of my favorite themes.