First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

East of Eden is the masterpiece of Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck’s later years – a vastly ambitious novel that is at once a family saga and a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis. In his journal, Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families – the Trasks and the Hamiltons – whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love’s absence.

It’s the end of the workweek—yay! Finally, the weekend is here. I’m glad that we all made it through another week. Thankfully, today is a holiday here in the Philippines. For those who had to report to the office or attend school today, I hope you get to finish the week on a high note. The previous week has yet been another mixed bag. The stifling heat alternates with random downpours. It’s no surprise that several people are feeling under the weather. Anyway, since it’s Friday, it’s time to dress down and let your hair down—it’s time to dive into the weekend! I hope you spend the weekend wisely, whether resting, spending time with your family, or pursuing your passions. With that, I hope everyone is doing well—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Wishing you all a great weekend ahead.

With the workweek coming to a close, it’s time for a fresh First Impression Friday update. Over the years, this blogging meme has become an essential part of my weekly book blogging routine. It provides a great opportunity to take a breather while reflecting on my current read. These updates also serve as springboards for my eventual book reviews. In October—I just realized today is the last day of the month—I’ve been focusing on books for my reading challenges. Following ventures into Asian and European literature, I have now turned my attention to books written by American—both North and South—and African writers. Speaking of reading challenges, I included John Steinbeck’s East of Eden on my 2025 Top 25 Reading List. It is a book that I have been looking forward to. However, obtaining a copy of it was quite a challenge.

Nevertheless, I finally got the opportunity to read what many literary pundits claim is one of the Nobel Laureate in Literature’s best works. This makes East of Eden the fifth work by the American writer I have read. Originally published in 1952, the novel transports the readers to a familiar territory, at least within the realm of Steinbeck’s literary landscape: California. The story begins in the late nineteenth century, when Samuel Hamilton settled in the Salinas Valley in northern California. Along with him is his strict but devoted wife, Liza; the couple traveled all the way from Ireland. Samuel rose to prominence within the community. However, because he and his wife settled on a dry, barren land, they remained destitute. The couple would have nine children. Despite their industry and hard work, the Hamiltons never quite rose above the quagmires of poverty.

Meanwhile, Adam Trask and his wife, Cathy Ames, settled in the valley. They moved from Connecticut following the death of Adam’s father, Cyrus. Apparently, Adam and his half-brother, Charles, do not get along well. Their father was a veteran of the Civil War; after the war, he raised his sons on a farm in Connecticut. Adam, the older son, was kind and sensitive. His younger brother was his antithesis; Charles had a violent streak. It did not help that Charles resented Adam because of their father’s preferential treatment. Unlike the Hamiltons, the Trasks brought along with them a certain wealth; Adam had inherited material wealth from his deceased father. The Trasks were able to obtain a fertile and rich piece of land, enriched by a large quantity of water available.

However, the Trasks’ material wealth was undermined by their moral poverty. Cathy Trask was born without a conscience. Her husband, however, was blind to her evil tendencies. I guess it was unsurprising learning that she only married Adam because it was convenient for her at the time. When they moved to California, Cathy was unaware she was pregnant. In California, she tried to abort the pregnancy with a knitting needle. She also warned her husband that she did not want to move to California. After giving birth to a set of twins, Cathy shoots her husband in the shoulder and flees. This chain of action underscores a very eventful story. I guess this can also be surmised from how thick the book is.

Anyway, East of Eden has my full attention. I want to know how the fate of the two families interacts and intertwines. There is already a clue midway through the story, particularly after the birth of Adam’s twin sons. When Cathy fled, Adam fell into depression. His Chinese-American servant, Lee, and Samuel roused Adam out of his depression. He then named his sons Aaron and Caleb, after biblical characters. With a book this thick, there are several details. I expect both small and large actions to occur. Further, the glaring dichotomies between the two families naturally pique my interest. How will they transcend these dichotomies? In the novel, several themes and subjects converge, such as the nature of good and evil; this makes me wonder if the novel relies on binaries. However, a major subject seems to be the intricacies of the American Dream.

Regardless, there is a lot to look forward to in the book. As I mentioned, I am nearly halfway through the story. I expect the action to pick up; I find the action in the first half of the book to be slow and dragging. Still, it managed to lay out the landscape of the story and of the setting, which is going to be a seminal character. How about you, fellow reader? What book (or books) are you reading this weekend? I hope you’re enjoying your current read. Happy weekend!