Finished this book, loved it! I would add my favorite character is Lee. Even for people who are not religious, I feel Lee is a portrayal of a prophet, or even more directly Jesus. He has a strange birth (immaculate conception) he also intercedes for Cal when Adam is on his death bed, insisting on him seeking forgiveness. I also think he embodies human desire to find meaning as he has his own cultural beliefs, studies the Bible passage and explores philosophy (Marcus Aurelius).
I was almost going to be sad you would not mention Lee but then finally you did, haha! Because honestly, Lee was just my most favorite character throughout the book, just how kind and selfless and wise, and fun he was. Caleb - I liked him too, maybe also because I get him, in a way, as a middle child; and in other ways too....Unfortunately. I guess, unfortunately :') But it's okay. Anyway, Caleb I liked him & I get it he was only a teen back then during the main events unfolding but he was so mean to Lee oftentimes! Haha. Makes me feel for Lee even more, too. Just how in general it was like he is just a servant, this whole racism thing (how other characters also treated him). Makes me sad. As a Central Asian myself, too, haha. Anyway! Either way. I am so happy and so thankful John Steinbeck included Lee as a character. Literally all the quotes, all the wisdom I highlighted and marked throughout the book- of Lee's. And representation, too. Just so cool he knew so much about the Chinese/Asians, John, I mean. Oh and I am still wondering if Cal and Aron are Charles's kids and not Adam's. And Adam was pissing me off so much, oh man. I need to think on this. What it is exactly. But how he loved Cathy/Kate when she literally shot him to leave her alone. I cannot. What was it about it. Why was he so clingy, so dumb, so naive. The whole thing with Adam and his preference of Aron.....Aghhh made me so angry, to be honest. I just finished the book earlier this week. Been reading it on and off since last year. Starting page 350-400 I think I was intentionally reading it more slowly for that I did not want it to end sooner. Loved it so much. And also, as for the narrator of the book- I still dont get it. I mean, I kinda was thinking well yeah, John is the writer, he is the narrator (was), but what you're saying is that the Hamiltons existed in real life hence.. he was reporting on the events? Some of the real life events? // (also, i was reminding myself ofc that it was so long ago, and obviously also because people were maybe bored too they would act like Adam Trask- falling in love with such a woman blah blah blah. Like, in our times, I really doubt anything like that could happen due to obvious reasons such as the variety of choices, access, availability, etc. But really though, or maybe it ofc was also Adam's trauma due to his mother's passing, not being loved hence this was the only kind of "love" he knew/wanted.... the kind of love that is impossible. unreachable. i get that in a way but still.) Abra btw..I am also curious how she turned out to be the way she was. With such parents. As Lee said, seemed like okay people, good people, but we see how quite surface-level like they were, how racist, classist and everything they were. Yet Abra was also..I don't know. I kinda started liking her at the end of the book and feeling for her, too. But she was also kind of mean to Lee haha. Never said thank you to him! For he cooked for her, gave his most precious gift haha. Maybe it's just me and my (over)politeness, too. But it really bothered me how she never said thank you to him. Never. Not once. I kept checking. And Cathy too. I am glad you mentioned how it says in the book that some people are just born "like that". But it still bothers me, I am curious..Her parents seemed to be good people for real yet she...k!llled them! she was so mean from the very beginning. So interesting. Like..Why. Anyway, I need to sit and think more I guess, too. Thank you for your awesome review. Would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts on my comments above. Either way, thanks!
Finished this book, loved it! I would add my favorite character is Lee. Even for people who are not religious, I feel Lee is a portrayal of a prophet, or even more directly Jesus. He has a strange birth (immaculate conception) he also intercedes for Cal when Adam is on his death bed, insisting on him seeking forgiveness. I also think he embodies human desire to find meaning as he has his own cultural beliefs, studies the Bible passage and explores philosophy (Marcus Aurelius).
I was almost going to be sad you would not mention Lee but then finally you did, haha! Because honestly, Lee was just my most favorite character throughout the book, just how kind and selfless and wise, and fun he was. Caleb - I liked him too, maybe also because I get him, in a way, as a middle child; and in other ways too....Unfortunately. I guess, unfortunately :') But it's okay. Anyway, Caleb I liked him & I get it he was only a teen back then during the main events unfolding but he was so mean to Lee oftentimes! Haha. Makes me feel for Lee even more, too. Just how in general it was like he is just a servant, this whole racism thing (how other characters also treated him). Makes me sad. As a Central Asian myself, too, haha. Anyway! Either way. I am so happy and so thankful John Steinbeck included Lee as a character. Literally all the quotes, all the wisdom I highlighted and marked throughout the book- of Lee's. And representation, too. Just so cool he knew so much about the Chinese/Asians, John, I mean. Oh and I am still wondering if Cal and Aron are Charles's kids and not Adam's. And Adam was pissing me off so much, oh man. I need to think on this. What it is exactly. But how he loved Cathy/Kate when she literally shot him to leave her alone. I cannot. What was it about it. Why was he so clingy, so dumb, so naive. The whole thing with Adam and his preference of Aron.....Aghhh made me so angry, to be honest. I just finished the book earlier this week. Been reading it on and off since last year. Starting page 350-400 I think I was intentionally reading it more slowly for that I did not want it to end sooner. Loved it so much. And also, as for the narrator of the book- I still dont get it. I mean, I kinda was thinking well yeah, John is the writer, he is the narrator (was), but what you're saying is that the Hamiltons existed in real life hence.. he was reporting on the events? Some of the real life events?
// (also, i was reminding myself ofc that it was so long ago, and obviously also because people were maybe bored too they would act like Adam Trask- falling in love with such a woman blah blah blah. Like, in our times, I really doubt anything like that could happen due to obvious reasons such as the variety of choices, access, availability, etc. But really though, or maybe it ofc was also Adam's trauma due to his mother's passing, not being loved hence this was the only kind of "love" he knew/wanted.... the kind of love that is impossible. unreachable. i get that in a way but still.)
Abra btw..I am also curious how she turned out to be the way she was. With such parents. As Lee said, seemed like okay people, good people, but we see how quite surface-level like they were, how racist, classist and everything they were. Yet Abra was also..I don't know. I kinda started liking her at the end of the book and feeling for her, too. But she was also kind of mean to Lee haha. Never said thank you to him! For he cooked for her, gave his most precious gift haha. Maybe it's just me and my (over)politeness, too. But it really bothered me how she never said thank you to him. Never. Not once. I kept checking.
And Cathy too. I am glad you mentioned how it says in the book that some people are just born "like that". But it still bothers me, I am curious..Her parents seemed to be good people for real yet she...k!llled them! she was so mean from the very beginning. So interesting. Like..Why.
Anyway, I need to sit and think more I guess, too. Thank you for your awesome review. Would love to hear from you if you have any thoughts on my comments above. Either way, thanks!
P.S. Lee IS now officially my most favorite book character ever.
really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on cathy. such an interesting character. excited to se what you review next
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed ❤️
Please i have a question...
Was Charles the real father of Aron and Caleb?
Excellent analysis!
Great review
Excellent review!