Reviews for In the Shadow of the Cypress

The average rating for In the Shadow of the Cypress based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-08-09 00:00:00 Mike Williams I have to admit that when I picked up a copy of this book that I was quite skeptical about what it would be like. After all, anyone who is the offspring of a world-renowned author has huge shoes to fill and high expectations to meet if they are to ever be viewed as anything other than someone setting out to ride their parent's coattails. So, I started nibbling at the beginning of the book. Then I started to chew, and I found that the story was so interesting and engaging to me that I couldn't help but devour the rest. To be completely up front, Thomas Steinbeck's story pulled me in initially because of the geographic setting and locales that he included in his tale. I am a marine biologist by training, and I carried out my PhD field work in the intertidal zone that is adjacent to the Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA, and I have a soft spot in my heart for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and all it stands for. I lived in Santa Cruz for five years and spent at least a few days each month in Monterey/Pacific Grove. I too have eaten a burger at McFly's (just along Cannery Row from the MBA)- and they do up a great burger! I am also familiar with the orient, having lived in Japan for a couple of years, but I claim no special knowledge or insights into China or the Chinese other than to realize that most oriental cultures are MUCH older than ours and tend to have a differnt outlook when it comes to culture, tradition, and even time. Anyway, what this means is that I was pre-emptively biased in favor of the story as it unfolded. With that said, the author, in my opinion spun an engaging tale that had twists and turns enough to keep me on board all the way to the end...and even through the afterward, etc. I'm now ready to check and see what else he's written. I liked the characters, their descriptions, and the way the author had them interact with each other. I found myself wishing that the book would run on for 500 or so pages instead of just under half that length. Anyway, I found the book enjoyable and readable. It never wallowed in gratuitous foul language, sex, or violence, and was, to me, a joy! So no matter what others have said, I really liked it! 5 stars, all the way!

Review # 2 was written on 2019-11-05 00:00:00 Matthew Doherty I starte this but got bored very quickly. Another for the DNF pile.