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Synopsis:
They are an unlikely pair: George is “small and quick and dark of face”; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a “family,” clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation.
Laborers in California’s dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations of a flirtatious woman, nor predict the consequences of Lennie’s unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.
Review:
‘A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.’
As much as studying a book to its death in school did my head in, this is one of those books that I finish wishing I had a class to analyse it with. There are plenty of symbolism’s and themes running throughout this little novella that I picked up on but I often wonder what I’ve missed.
Considering this book is a classic, which I usually have an innate fear of, I ended up really enjoying this hopeful but sad little story. I’ve never read a Steinbeck book before but I can already understand why he has such die-hard fans. His writing is simplistic but absolutely stunning – you completely lose yourself in the environment of his story.
I loved the characters in this book and the unconditional friendship shared between the unlikely duo of George and Lennie. I wish this one hadn’t had to end up like it did, but it presents a strong message about the American Dream and the harsh realities of life.
*Buy it here: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Wordery
BookBum 
I had to laugh, I also usually have an innate fear of the classics! 🙂 I haven’t read this one but have read a few of his others and didn’t enjoy them, but they were all assigned reading for school. Recently I read a quote from The Grapes of Wrath as an epigraph in a different book and was blown away! It was writing like you described so well – simplistic but absolutely stunning. I hadn’t liked that book when reading it in school and now I’m wondering if I was just too young to appreciate him. Great to see your review and thoughts on this one!
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I definitely think required reading at school can taint your views on a book because you feel like the reading it a chore at that point! I say that, but most of the boys who read this in school actually enjoyed this, so that must say something for its story! 🙂
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That’s so funny that it appealed to the boys! I can’t remember if there was anything like that reading Steinbeck in my classes. Interesting!
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I just picked up Steinbeck’s The Pearl, which is the only one of his books that I’ve read before and remember fondly. I usually don’t like his work (even though I do like many other classics), but I’m curious to see what I think of The Pearl. I agree, though, it’s easy to tell why the people who do like his work are such die-hard fans.
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I hope you enjoy The Pearl! I’m going to pick up some of his other work at some point, I do love his writing. It will be interesting to see if this one is a one-off 😀
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So far I’m not getting into The Pearl as much as I remember liking it before. Hopefully I will enjoy it better soon, but I think I’m just going to end up being not a fan of Steinbeck’s.
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Oh dear! Well he can’t be for everyone I suppose 🙂
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i read this book at school and loved it then, but your post has made me want to read it again and see if I love it just as much the second time! Definitely a classic 🙂
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It’d be interesting to see if you’d love it the second time over! 😀
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Such a cute cover! I enjoyed this one, too! Wonderful review, Zuky!
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Isn’t it?! I couldn’t not buy it when I found it in WHSmith 😛 Thank you!
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This is a fantastic book to analyse! I read it for class sometime last year and analysing it was the only thing I enjoyed about it!
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I can imagine it was a great book for analysis 😀
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I also am not usually a fan of classics, but I did really enjoy this book! I read it at school, and my teacher was so amazing that I fell in love with it! Great review😊
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I love it when a teacher can make a book that much better!! Thanks 😀
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Indeed, you can dissect this book in so many ways and I know I would’ve loved doing that in my class in the past… Great review.
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Thank you 🙂
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Great mini-review! 🙂 It really makes me want to re-read this book since it’s been so long. I remember the general plot (and of course how it ended) but it would be nice to read it again some time now that I’m older.
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Thank you! I feel lit would be a great book to revisitm especially as it’s a shorter book so won’t take you very long either!
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If your interest in Steinbeck is piqued, I cannot recommend East of Eden highly enough! I know it’s a bit long but I read it in under a week, it’s one of the most engrossing things I’ve ever read. But I also loved Of Mice and Men. Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl, not so much.
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I will definitely check that one out, it’s been on my TBR for a while 🙂
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