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Jul 18, 2017
East of Eden is one of my favourite books of all time. It is perhaps Steinbeck’s greatest novel. The characters in the novel are developed in such a manner that it feels personal. The story is a multigenerational tale that follows the lives of the Trask family. The characterization in the novel is superb -- the conflicts, relationships, struggles, and upbringings are all described in great detail. The pace of the book is excellent. It is face-paced and ideas are not drawn out for too long. Steinbeck writes enough to create a personal relationship between the reader and characters, while not writing too much so that it becomes tedious and boring. The overlaying theme is the concept that humanity has the ability to make good and bad choices. Each individual has the ability to decide for themselves, instead of the individual being destined to be a certain way. East of Eden is a classic and must-read for anyone as it has themes and characters that are relatable to anyone. - @SuperSilk of the Teen Review Board of the Hamilton Public Library