The Pearl - John Steinbeck

A tightly-written, brutally evocative story that doesn't outstay its welcome. In fact there's something about its length (82 pages, I think) that seems just right. A perfect novella. We're dropped into early 20th century Mexico and shown around with grace and ease, no words wasted, and the travesty of Spanish occupation treated with blunt directness. The story is structured like a page-turner thriller and the words are chosen for maximum power and specificity. The book itself is a flawless pearl.