finally cracked open east of eden and wow

so i've been putting off reading this massive book for like two weeks now, just staring at it on my nightstand after grabbing it from the library. finally started it this afternoon during my break between deliveries and i'm completely hooked

the opening chapters are incredible – i had no clue steinbeck could write like this. the way he builds the setting and introduces characters is just masterful, and the themes are way more complex than i expected. i read grapes of wrath back in high school but didn't really appreciate how skilled he was until now

i'm tempted to call in sick tomorrow just to keep reading but that's probably not the most responsible thing to do when you're trying to pay bills lol

anyway, i'm looking for recommendations on what to tackle next once i finish this one. i tried of mice and men earlier this year but it didn't grab me the same way this book has so far