Group Buddy Read ~ The Pearl by Steinbeck

[Ashley]

This is the where we will discuss The Pearl. Have fun discussing with your book buddies!

**Makes sure to mark your spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others** :)

[Toni]

Just got the book yesterday...am very excited to get started. This is one Steinbeck that I haven't read.

[Kara]

I just got it too! I'm super jazzed to get going.

[Nathan]

Picked mine up a few days ago as well - can't wait! :)

[Chelsea]

Mine is in a collection of his short novels, but it's the last one in the book. So i'll just be walking around reading the end of a book lol.

[Toni]

Ok, I finished the book in one day. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Didn't hurt that it was only 90 pages. I am going to do some research and see what I can find about the book and report back. Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks.

[Nathan]

Wow, good for you Toni!

[Kara]

I am super loving this so far! I got about halfway through before I had to go to sleep last night (like Toni says, it's a super quick read BUT jetlag wins every time). I'm going to finish it today.

It's impressive how much is packed into this. It says a lot about classes and superstition and greed--and this is only after 40 pages!

[Chelsea]

I read through the first 10 pages or so the other night and I'm pretty excited about it too! I know what you mean about how there is a lot packed in to just a few pages. After I finish Middlesex, I am all over this book! :D

[Nathan]

I'm about 2 chapters in as well, Chelsea. I'm liking it better than Of Mice and Men so far, anyway.

[Chelsea]

I do plan on reading Of Mice and Men eventually, but I'm more excited about the Pearl and Tortilla Flat, I think.

[Kara]

Loved! Just finished--can't wait for a few more finishers so we can all discuss.

[Nathan]

Just finished it last night. I gave it 3 stars; it was much better for me that Of Mice and Men was, but it still didn't do enough for me to give it over 3 stars. I did not like how it ended!

[Toni]

Trevor wrote: "Just finished it last night. I gave it 3 stars; it was much better for me that Of Mice and Men was, but it still didn't do enough for me to give it over 3 stars. I did not like how it ended!"
I felt that the story's ending was inevitable. Perhaps I am just used to Steinbeck's style and point of view, so it wasn't unexpected to me.

[Nathan]

Oh, yes, it was inevitable. (view spoiler)[Now that I've had some time to chew on it, I think that it ended that way because something irreversible had to happen to them (as opposed to all the fixable things that happened, like the house burning and getting beaten up) in order for them to learn. Maybe I'm just being overly analytical... (hide spoiler)]

[Kara]

Steinbeck has a way of taking his books to their inevitable ends. It's his style, and I quite like it, but I can definitely see how it wouldn't appeal to everyone. For some reason, I don't typically like this characteristic in books, but I love it in Steinbeck.

[Toni]

I agree Kara. It is almost fatalistic...predestined what is going to happen to the characters and as much as they try to escape their "fate", it doesn't work out. I think Of Mice and Men is a clear cut example of this.

It is funny, because I'm normally drawn to good winning out over evil or the underdog being triumphant, but Steinbeck wins me over with his style and his realistic point of view. Weird that he is the exception to the rule for both of us, Kara. :)

[Chelsea]

I just finished the book. I really enjoyed it. I like the "cautionary tale" aspect of it. I agree that you could easily predict the ending, but it didn't take anything away from the story or the message for me. Four stars