EAST OF EDEN

‘East of Eden’ is a sweeping, multi-generational saga of two families whose fates entwine across America, from the years just after the Civil War through to the end of the First World War. Written by John Steinbeck in 1952 and described by himself as his ultimate masterpiece and greatest achievement this classic is streaming on Netflix this month, starring the acclaimed English actress, Florence Pugh. It's a must-watch for book clubs, but for an even richer experience if you manage to read this 600 page + epic, you will appreciate the explosive and addictive storylines. A book of the moment!

At its heart, the novel is a story of fathers and sons across two families who settle in California: the Hamiltons, humble and hard-working Irish immigrants, and the Trasks, whose ill-gotten wealth traced back to a father who had risen from Connecticut's poorer farmlands. Whilst the Hamilton brothers work hard and honestly in their larger pool of siblings, the Trask brothers are locked in a quiet, devastating war with one another — and a reminder of the fall of Cain and Abel. Adding extra tension to the saga, enter Cathy Ames, an unfathomable evil. Cathy is ‘bad blood’ and a destructive young girl who manipulates one of Trask brothers, Adam, tricking him into marriage and bearing twin boys. Not long after this, Cathy disappears from the scene, only to reinvent herself into an even darker world, heading up ‘Kate’s house’ as a scheming and manipulative madam of the town’s brothel. Florence Pugh is headlining as Cathy Ames in the Netflix series, and it is her arrival in the book that unsettles everything around her and raises unsettling questions about whether cruelty can simply be born rather than made.

Whilst the novel grapples with the tragedy of paternal rejection there are other themes explored in 'East of Eden' such as the inexplicable force of love and search for identity. 'East of Eden' also asks whether we're free to choose who we become, or whether the sins of our fathers are written into us before we ever get the chance.

The Den is excited to see how the narrative plays out on the screen. Especially as it ignited plenty of conversations in book club.