Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: Depressing, but brilliant, character study

Start with virtually no development of plot, only of characters. Gradually start the plot. Add in lots of depressing characters, and many stark realities. Have characters that are people with whom the readers will interact, for the simple reason that the reader knows at least one of the characters. This is The Wayward Bus. This book begins by beating you down a bit, and continues to do so. As in most of Steinbeck's books, the people are frighteningly real, and can tear at your heart. Let them, because having them in your life will somehow make you feel better, despite all of their bad choices and traits. This is not a book to be read as a break from serious thinking. But it is a book to be read. One of his lesser known books, but not one of his lesser books.