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Summary: My Thoughts on Empire Falls
Review: Empire Falls, a novel by Richard Russo, is somewhat boring. It is entirely about a single man living in a small town in Maine. Although the plot of the book is quite boring, Russo's use of characterization, both direct and indirect, and his use of flashbacks really added to the novel. If it were not for his excellent utilization of characterization, one would not have read past the fifth page. The flashbacks Russo wrote of the main character, Miles Roby were rather enjoyable. Just when the book would get a bit dull, Russo would have a flashback of Miles' childhood vacations and what not. Those would get the reader back into the swing of the novel and helped move it along quite nicely. Another pleasing thing about the novel was the way Russo did not just write about a single character and follow him throughout the book; rather Russo would jump around and fill the reader in on Tick, Miles' teenage daughter, and other characters. Even though this device would keep the attention of the reader most of the time, it sometimes had a way of getting the reader lost. Sometimes new people would join a conversation and one would get thrown off. Another device used to spice up the novel was Russo's use of humor. Almost every line would have humorous twist to it. Whether it was a funny childhood story or a crack on his father, Max, the book was packed with rich humor. So in conclusion, although the plot was a bit dull, Richard Russo's use of characterization, perfectly timed flashbacks and the immensely satisfying use of humor makes the novel Empire Falls worthwhile.
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Summary: I didn't want to finish this book!
Review: This was the first time in my life that I purposely kept putting the book down rather than finishing it. I didn't want it to end. I felt almost like I lived in that sleepy Maine town, and I wasn't ready to leave.
Russo does a fantastic job creating characters that make you feel - anger, disgust, annoyance - whatever it is, but you felt something reading this book.
I really liked Miles, and I found him to be a very realistic, sympathetic main character. His relationships with his dead mother, his daughter, his ex-wife and his brother were complicated and realistic.
I fell in love with this book. Not only because it was well written, which it was, but because I felt like each time I put the book down, time stopped in Empire Falls and waited for me to return. It was like the characters froze and when I picked the book back up, they came back to life.
This book is about finding out about yourself and your history - and realizing how both shape you.
What a great effort by a great writer!!
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Summary: Loaded with characters!
Review: Generally, I prefer character-driven stories to plot-based, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Richard Russo illustrates this in EMPIRE FALLS. Ostensibly it's about the trials and travails of Miles Roby, a restaurant manager, who's worried that the town dowager, Francine Whitney, will go back on her promise to leave him the restaurant when she dies. Empire Falls is a dying mill town and Francine owns everything including most of the people.
Things get complicated when we discover that Miles's mother had an affair with Francine's husband, the owner of the defunct mills, and that she's taking it out on him.
Miles also has a daughter named Tick, the epitome of teenaged angst, who is having difficulty dealing with her father's impending divorce. Then there's Miles's younger brother David, who may or may not be the dead mill owner's son; Miles's reprobate of a father, Max, who steals from his son every chance he gets; a gay priest, who functions as Miles's confidant; a town cop with a low self image; Janine, Miles's soon-to-be ex and former fat person; and Janine's fiancé, Walt Comeau, a gym owner who is constantly challenging Miles to arm-wrestle.
Most of these characters are given their own viewpoint and there lies the problem. Russo gets inside their heads and stays there for pages at a time, telling us what they're thinking, and just when we get interested in one of them, he switches perspectives. The pace is glacial. It took me over two weeks to read the thing.
That said, EMPIRE FALLS can be hilarious at times. For instance, Tick's art teacher teaches a low-level class that she divides into different colored tables. When the blue table acts up, she says, "Why can't you people act more like the green table?" Two of the students at the green table are absent; one is asleep, and another is studying algebra. As a former teacher, I can really relate. Then there's Miles's father Max. He's a hoot. At one point he decides he wants to go to the Florida Keys, but he has no money, so he cons the senile parish priest into stealing money from the collection box.
There is a violent climax that I have to admit I did not see coming, although Russo practically tells the reader what's going to happen. If you have the time and patience, Empire Falls may be a good one to dip into.
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Summary: Another winner
Review: This is a surprising book in some respects. While the story deals with a small, econmically stalled community peopled with what might be considered just average folks, their lives, histories and behavior are far from simple; and the lessons to be learned from their experiences are basic yet profound. The book reveals a multi-layered picture of contemporary America, and covers the vagaries of capitalism, religion, human relationships, politics and dreams - all incongruously colored by an undercurrent of hope mixed with varying degrees of despair. Russo's narrator, Miles, has a wry and tolerant voice, and he himself stands to undergo major enlightenment and transformation by the end of the book, along with most of his fellow characters. Russo paints his characters and the town with an expert brush, and the end result carries the reader to deep levels of vicarious experience. Every character is so well drawn and so distinctive that even minor ones remain vivid after the book is finished. The flashbacks add a strong spine to propel the story along. Russo's use of the techniques as as good as it can get, and the story might have been weakened without it.
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Summary: Amazing!
Review: Usually it takes me a good month or more to read an almost-500 page book. I read Empire Falls in 3 weeks. I simply could not put this book down! Russo pulls no punches in his depiction of his characters, all of whom have one problem or another (even the cat) but it's clear that he cares about each and every one of them, even if they're not necessarily very likeable. And as with all great literature, there are some profound, often amusing insights into the human condition, even if you may not agree with every one. As an aside, scrolling through the various reviews, I found every single one of the negative reviews to be without merit or any sort of critical insight. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, if a reader finds he or she cannot appreciate the strong prose, characterization and craftsmanship of a novel about small town life, I highly recommend something less challenging. That said, I found Empire Falls a highly enjoyable read, from its bitingly funny prologue to its irony-tinged epilogue. Highly recommended!
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Summary: Hit me with this book!
Review: Why did I buy this tome??? It was shallow and pedantic.
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Summary: 20-something Chicago woman
Review: I read this because my book club selected it. Russo's writing style was enjoyable and he describes the small-town characters well, but it wasn't really my type of book. Meaning, I can identify with 20 and 30 something female authors a lot better than a 40 something man. The next best charatcers I had to identify with: teenage daughter and 40 something woman. It's not my kind of book, but I will suggest it to a 40 something man I know who is going through a divorce.
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Summary: This won a Pulitzer?
Review: I was disappointed after all the hype this book received. I was halfway into it, and still saying, "When will something happen?" Several plot threads were left hanging, most notably, what about Fr. Mark and the gay artist? Mrs. Whiting was so one-dimensional as to be a caricature. The pyschotic cat/familiar, her use in every conversation of "dear boy". Who says that? Also, the stereotypical Catholic guilt thing has been done to death. Come up with something original to slam Catholics for. Heaven knows there is enough material out there for that.
There were some hilarious moments, touching moments, sad and disturbing moments, but the plotting was so slow it ruined the book for me. I would have put it down halfway through if I were not reading it for my book group.
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Summary: Cinematic and Entertaining Pulitizer Prize Winner
Review: I doubt there has been a more filmic and fun Pulitzer Prize winning novel written. Since there are so many sufficent and accurate reviews already, I only like to add that Max Roby and Father Tom were so entertaining they deserve their own sequel.
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Summary: A Big Drama for a Small Town
Review: Richard Russo prepares the reader for what is to be an indepth expoloration of the characters in Empire Falls in the prologue as Francine Robidoux, the intended bride, changes Charles Beaumont Whiting, third generation heir to the textile mill, shirt factory, and seemingly most of the rest of the community into "Charlie" in a heartbeat. Mild-mannered Miles Roby is the main protagonist in this richly crafted tale of life in a small town which has fallen onto perpetual hard economic times. The characters range from the manipulative Francine Whiting, to the hoplessly outlandish drifter Max Roby, father to Miles. Other richly crafted characters are woven into this multilayered story of intrigue, love, and tragedy. As in any good drama there are lightheated comic moments which contrast with the darker forboding and heart rendering moments. The Pulitzer Prize committee did well to pick this story for the 2002 winner.
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