Book review: Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

Normally I love Steinbeck's writings, he's one of my favorite authors of all time. Recently I've ben trying to knock out a few of his short stories, and have been enjoying a lot of them including Cannery Row and of Mice and Men.

Tortilla Flat is not on the same caliber as these other stories, and a little past halfway through I abandoned this book. The book is comprised of repetitive chapters that follow 4 vagabonds in their quests to serve one-another but often fall short to their own individual hedonism. While the themes in this story of virtue and it's illusiveness are great for thought, there is little plot that strings each chapter together other than the characters names and circumstances, and that gives me little motivation to read on.

Has anybody really enjoyed this book and recommend I read on?