Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’d been looking forward to this book for years because it was John Steinbeck’s first novel and was just hard to find. Then one of my AP Literature students bought a copy for me. (No, it didn’t help his grade.) This was, well, and interesting read. There were flashes here and there of the great author Steinbeck was to become, but overall it was kind of overwritten with some stilted and archaic dialogue. Also, the buildup to the capture of the Red Saint, as given in the introduction and the back cover, made it seem like she was going to be an important part of the story, when in truth she wasn’t that important. Probably the most irritating thing about the story was that the ending seemed very passive. Possibly a stylistic choice by the young author, but not one I liked very much.

This one is primarily for die-hard Steinbeck fans or those with a passion for pirate stories. It has a few beautifully written passages, but it isn’t one I’ll be returning to anytime soon.

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