Rating: 
Summary: recommended even though there are some flaws
Review: If I had to write down just one phrase,describing John Irving's writing, it would have to be: he's a first rate story-teller. "The cider house rules" is the third book of his that I read, after "The world according to Garp" & "A prayer for Owen Meany". The opinion that I've formed so far, that Irving is a superb writer, hasn't changed. However, there were both good and less than good things about "The Cider house rules" which is the reason for the 3 star rating.First of all, John Irving has a gift when it comes to character development: he consistently describes interesting, different, strange, very original people: and he does this in such a subtle and sensitive way, that after finishing each of his books, you have the feeling you know each and every character very well. This is one of the good points of the cider house rules: Homer Wells, Melony, Dr Larch are all unique and interesting chararters...but after having read other John Irving books, the reader has come to expect characters like these, so it doesn't come so much as a surprise. I also liked the handling of the abortion issue: John Irving doesn't preach, he gives both sides of the story, and helps us realise how nothing is ever black or white. However, by the end of the book, his own opinion is clearly stated, but not in a "bossy" way... What I didn't like about the book was that first, I thought it was very slow paced and at times boring, especially after "Prayer for Owen Meany" which is much funnier & never boring. Also, I thought the end was totally predictable: you could tell, almost from the beginning what the conclusion would be. Finally, I was a little bit disappointed by some of the choices the characters made: John Irving built up an almost hero-like character (Homer Wells), a strong, talented & intelligent person...but he compromised on many levels, especially when it came to his personal life. Having said all this: I would still whole-heartedly recommend Cider House Rules, but I don't think it's one of the best novels by John Irving. I still haven't seen the movie & I look forward to watching Michael Caine play the part of Dr Larch.
Rating: 
Summary: I too, wish I could give it more than 5 Stars
Review: I cannot say enough good things about this book. I am now going through as many John Irving books as I can. What an incredible, important author he is. Don't hesitate to try his works. They are rich in character study, they are heartwarming, and thought provoking. "Cider House" is my favorite so far.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking and real
Review: John Irving has this incredible ability to create complex, interesting characters and place them in the most unusual situations. I was completely fascinated by this book. From the perennial orphan Homer, to the misnamed Melony, to the ether-addicted and opinionated Dr. Larch, all of the characters were very real and very different. You understand their motivations and emotions, even if you don't always agree with them. One thing that I really liked about this book is that although it dealt with many important social issues (such as abortion and racism), it was never preachy. Rather than coming right out and blatantly stating his opinions, Irving skillfully weaves the issues into the plot for the reader to interpret. I have not yet seen the movie, and after reading the book I'm not quite sure that I want to because I know that the complexity of the plot and characters can in no way be expressed in a few hours of film. I would definitely recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: One more thing...
Review: I forgot to mention two things in my review. One, that Dr. Larch...I mean, John Irving, fails miserably at proving the righteousness of abortion. He says that people are not like apes, they can choose whether to have a baby or not. Exactly! People aren't like apes, or any other animal for that matter! We can control our actions, and aren't controlled simply by instinct. Hopefully we all know where babies come from, and apes don't. Since we know where babies come from, if babies are a "problem", we know how to solve it, and it is not by abortion. There are many families who wish to adopt babies but are forced to go to different countries because the laws here are so restricting, and there are few children to adopt. Also, I did find excitement in two parts of the book, upon thinking about it. When Irving writes of Wally's struggle to leave Malta it is entertaining, and in one scene there is a lynx outside the orphanage and it is very beautifully written; but this is only one page of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Reality, Audacity and Love
Review: This book defines reality, audacity(in all respects) and pure love. A strange, yet very real and superb combination. This beautiful book falls under the 'must-read' category. You'll really love this book, wheather you are a John Irving fan or not one. Homer Wells and Dr.Larch have become two of my heroes. I would like to thank Mr.John Irving for such a great and beautiful book.
Rating:
Summary: john irving's best
Review: This is easily Irving's best book. The only others that hold a candle are Garp and Hotel New Hampshire. Can't recommend it any more highly.
Rating:
Summary: A very nicely told story
Review: This book is one of the best stories I ever read. I think it's great how every character has his or her negative aspects, but you're still somehow bount to love them all. That's especially true with Dr. Larch. Of course not everyone would agree with his views of abortion (I'm not saying that I don't agree with him), but his desire to help every single women that comes to him is really great and I don't think that anyone would disagree with that. Other many other reviewers, I don't think the story was to long. When I had finished it I rather thought it could have gone long like that another 500 pages, because I was so ancious to see what will happen to Homer after the ending. Though the story has no real ending, it's neither one of those which are over so suddenly in the lot, that you feel like you've missed something nor one of those where you feel that nothing more is ever going to happen in the lives of the characters after that. This may sound a little complicated, but all I'm really saying is that I enjoyed watching the lives of Homer, Candy, Wally, Dr. Larch and Melony develop so much, I could use 500 pages more of it. By the way, I watched the movie before I read the novel (the movie was actually the reason that I read it), and it also was great, but I was kind of wondering about the part of Melony in it. I mean, if you saw it, you may have noticed that she wasn't really included in it very much, and strangely, she was named "Mary Agnes", the name of Melony's orphanage friend in the book. Does anybody know why they changed her name in the movie? The bottom line: this book really is great. Just buy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Irving depicts the strenghts and weakness of character
Review: Irving masterfully depicts the life of Homer Wells. Homer's life is a continual struggle to life to up to the full potential of what everyone else expects of you. Irving shows what it is to live with a lie, and what the consequences are. The character developments are great, Homer is the friend anyone would love. Homer struggles to become the "hero of his own life" as David Copperfield desires to be. The depths of friendship are laid out in the friendship between Candy, Wally and Homer. Homer struggles to be true to both friends. Irving has created a masterful character in Homer, he is the person everyone can identify with, he struggles with the truth and lies in his life throughout the book, i.e. his love for Candy and his friendship with Wally. The one weak point is the detailed descriptions of rural Maine, one can get the idea of what Maine is like without all the descriptions of the towns. Loyalty is tested at all facets in Homer's life, Irving shows us well, the struggles of being true to all the people in his life, as he tries to become the hero that Melony expects. This book was a great read,the ties of friendship and loyalty captured my heart. The characters remain in my mind..
Rating:
Summary: Loved It! Don't miss this one!
Review: Having purchased the first edition of Cider House Rules back in '85, I am sorry I didn't read it sooner. Yes, that's the truth. I bought it within days of its release and never got into it. When I heard that it was going to be a movie, I HAD to read it. So, off the shelf it came and then went everywhere with me. Having read about 80% of John Irving's books, this is my second favorite. (Garp is first!) I thought this story was wonderful, original, well thought out, simply delightful. The story is that of a permanent orphan, Homer. Homer grows up spending his entire childhood at an orphanage. The beginning is like a 20th century Dickens story right here in the USA. Homer becomes the favorite orphan and the book tells the story of his transformation. It is interesting to read about how Homer grows up, his philosophy changes, his life changes. How Homer copes with the problems of his childhood and later his adult life. If you saw the movie, you won't be disappointed in reading the book. The movie was quite different and omitted alot of the story. If you liked the movie, you'll love the book. If you didn't see the movie, read the book first! It's sure to please! Thank you John Irving for another book that I'll remember for many years to come!
Rating:
Summary: Large, complex, a symphony of voices old and new
Review: Though John Irving has never been my favorite writer, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I did "a Widow for One Year" a few months ago, and "A Prayer for Owen Meany" many years ago. I had tried reading this over a decade ago, but just couldn't concentrate on so vast an undertaking at a busier point in my career. I must admit that seeing the movie, and having enjoyed it so much motivated me to try reading this particular edition (part of what turned me off originally was how small the print is on the mass market paperback editions and how hard it was ten years ago to read such a thick mass market paperpack whose spine cracked almost immediately--why don't publishers think more often about the physical aspect of reading as well as the mental one?) One of the things that particularly delighted me about this book after seeing the movie first (which is almost never the right way to do things) was how very much I LOVED Michael Caine's portrayal of Wilbur Larch, and how I loved the character of Dr. Larch even more after reading the book--I was afraid of finding out it was Michael Caine who was wonderful, and not Dr. Larch himself. But the portrayal was outstanding AND the character himself is more than memorable. Although there are a significant number of small differences between the story details in book and movie versions, the cinematic version turns out to be a fairly edifying transition to the screen of a novel of Dickensian complexity in terms of character and plot. Thus, the two versions can be enjoyed quite independently of one another, but the pleasure of the one is enhanced by the experience of the other---QUITE an accomplishment, and bravo to John Irving for having done both! The Cider House Rules may even be the best novel of John Irving's, with the outrageous tragedies which initially made me somewhat distrustful of his fiction more harmoniously integrated into this story than the others--especially the earlier ones, like GARP which made me feel uncomfortably manipulated and made his art seem somewhat silly. The novel, as opposed to the movie, is really quite comprehensible in terms of motivation and character development, which is not always the case in Irving's novels. I do highly recommend reading this novel, even if you enjoyed the movie, or perhaps especially if you enjoyed the movie, because the broader canvas of the novel allows greater scope in understanding both Dr. Larch and Candy. Also, the differences between the two stories are almost like a theme and variations to explore further. They really don't clash or conflict, but expand one another.
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