East of Eden was our April book club pick – after a couple of relatively quick, fun, “modern†novels, we felt we were due for something with a bit more depth and literary merit (whatever that means). Yes, the length of this book was daunting, and yes, there were times when I felt I had to trudge through Steinbeck’s detailed descriptions of the Salinas Valley, but there were also times when I found myself becoming completely absorbed in the lives of the characters and their constant battles between good and evil. By the time I got to the end of the book, I really felt like I’d been on a journey with a couple of the main characters – like I’d come alongside them in their joys and struggles. This feeling of investment is the sign of a good book to me, and so I’m giving this one 4 stars out of 5. And it’s nice to finish a novel with a real sense of accomplishment, with the belief that I am now a more well-rounded reader. I just wish I fully understood all of the parallels between East of Eden and the book of Genesis – where is my high school English teacher when I need him? Mr. Huth, if you’re out there, some of this was over my head…