I have mixed emotions about East of Eden thus far. I enjoyed the detailed imagery of the first chapter everyone seems to loathe and the sincere sentiment in the opening letter. I'm a sap for heartfelt anecdotes, so I really appreciated the box story. Also, I believe many people fear losing their memories, so Steinbeck's mention of characters forgetting both good times and bad struck home in my mind.
However, I am not enthralled quite yet. The hype intrigues me, but this isn't a gripping introduction. There are several elements of the writing I have particularly liked, but I wish I had some sense of plot.
I'm sure it's not five hundred pages worth of flowers, though. I'll be patient.
