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catharmonica's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
notoriouszoe's review against another edition
4.0
Ah, a nice dose of short stories when I needed some Steinbeck in my life.
fmcculley's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kaitoro_walker13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Just a lovely book of short stories.
house3000's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Collection of his early short stories written in the ‘30s between OM&M/TGoW — you know him, landscape and tragedy.
forestwith1r's review against another edition
4.0
The stories in The Long Valley are interesting because they were written before Steinbeck began work on most of his famous novels. In these stories, written sporadically throughout the 1930's, you can watch him develop his writing style and techniques. I found it interesting to see him trying his hand at different genres, especially compared to the very distinct voice and genre style he eventually developed. Stories like Johnny Bear and The Snake were dramatic, with some classic horror/Gothic themes; Saint Katy the Virgin was satirical and ridiculous, but very funny. Stores like The Raid and The Vigilante show his radical side, which would eventually get him kicked out of his hometown. And of course, there are stories like The Red Pony which provide a glimpse into the themes and styles that would make Steinbeck famous.
As a standalone book, the stories are good, but not great; I think what makes them interesting is the context of Steinbeck's other work. I'd recommend this book to someone who has read the major Steinbeck novels and is ready to take a deeper dive into his works.
As a standalone book, the stories are good, but not great; I think what makes them interesting is the context of Steinbeck's other work. I'd recommend this book to someone who has read the major Steinbeck novels and is ready to take a deeper dive into his works.