The story is primarily set in the Salinas Valley, California, between the beginning of the twentieth century and the end of World War I, though some chapters are set in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and the story goes as far back as the American Civil War.
East of Eden, a 1952 novel by John Steinbeck, is a long, sprawling, sometimes slow but often very intense read.
I realized very quickly that this is correct and I became worried, because Cal who is portrayed by James Dean in the film was my favorite character in the film and he was nowhere near in sight.
I've been wanting to read the book ever since, but I was a bit I'm ashamed that it took me four months to write up this review, but I just couldn't find the right words to describe how I feel about this phenomenal book.