The Cider House Rules

Rating:
Summary: Question on Title
Review: It was a wonderful, meaningful book which I intend to read again. I wonder if any of the other readers or the author would like to comment on the meaning of the title The Cider House Rules.

Rating:
Summary: Impossible to finish
Review: I'm a John Irving fan but this book is very bad. I bought this book, in part, because of the customer reviews on this site. What in the world are you people thinking. This is Irving's worst book. If you have never read a book by Irving please go directly to "Owen Meany" at least you will be able to finish that book.

Rating:
Summary: A Classic Controversial Novel
Review: I first read this book years ago and have reread it a number of times. Although I do not agree with Irving's views on abortion I respect Irvings right to his opinions and his right to create a work of art expressing his opinion.

This is a historical novel. Set in a long ago world, pre-birth control pill, pre womans lib.

I saw the movie. It was good, but of course as usual, not as good as the novel. If you've seen the movie read the book. Read all of Irvings books. He is a superb story teller.

Rating:
Summary: The Cider House Rules
Review: This is one of the greatest books I have read in a long time. It is full of real emotions and real people. The book was so good I saw the movie. My favorite line from the movie was "Good Night you Princes of Maine, you Kings of New England." The book deals with the harsh realities of abortion and orphan homes. I definetely reccomend this book to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Dumb Gets Dumber
Review: "Cider House Rules" is a sloppy, unorganized mess of a book, filled with utterly unbelievable comic book characters in a pretentiously self-described "Dickensian" fable that is flatly contradictory when it isn't completely meaningless. The story, of a sociopath abortionist and the orphan he loves (whom, by the way, the abortionist would have gladly killed if the mother had simply asked), is told without a single moment that approximates the life of any human being who has ever breathed. The characters are pathetically one-dimensional (if that), and never become more than the simplest kind of sketch. In fact, this seems to be the point. Irving is almost daring us to believe that any of these characters (the word has never found a better home) could have existed. In fact, they could only exist in the imagination of the world's noisiest pre-adolescent -- i.e., Irving himself. The Irving-penned screenplay just won an Oscar, which means that he completely rewrote this hash for the movie, or the Academy is filled with ignorant dolts. You choose.

Rating:
Summary: A heartfelt novel.
Review: The Cider House Rules is among Irving's best books. The quirky and imperfect characters will endear themselves to you. Even though I was pretty sure how everything would turn out, I couldn't put this book down. It kept me up to the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't wait to get to the conclusion, and I shed many a tear for the characters. I'm looking forward to how Michael Cain plays Dr. Larch in the movie.

Rating:
Summary: The Cider House RULES!
Review: John Irving definitely has a talent. He brings the characters to life. Homer Wells' innocence and Dr. Wells feelings of being a father toward him make the novel come alive. Homer can be almost described as a role model. I love it when he says "Right." He never gets mad at anyone. Homer, especially when he's young, is so likable and so are many of the other characters.

Rating:
Summary: preaching to the choir
Review: Irving here waxes righteous over womens' right to choose-- a worthy enough cause, but, get serious, how many readers of fiction need to be convinced? This book, like pretty much everything since GARP, is overwritten, cumbersome, panders to the kleenex-toting audienceship, and it lacks almost entirely the vital, exciting, effervescent imaginative wildness that blazed through GARP, appeared in, oh, 50% of HOTEL NH, and has since been AWOL in Irving's writing. Once again, popularity and wide readership diverge from lasting literary value, with Irving and his ardent devotees taking the road more traveled by.

Rating:
Summary: Almost no comparison....
Review: John Irving has done it again. Wow. What I loved about this book was the suspense. And the tension. The only book I've ever read that I thought had more suspense and tension than this one was "One of the Guys" by Robert Clark Young. To which Irving was compared on the dust jacket. But I would have to say this Irving novel is right up there!

Rating:
Summary: Bravo, Mr. Irving! A true masterpiece.
Review: This book kept me up until 5:00 in the morning and left me teary-eyed. I LOVED this book! I read 'Garp' more than 15 years ago and always considered it one of my favorite works of fiction. I have been in something of a literary coma of late and I have been reading mostly non-fiction (too many years in 'gradual' school). 'Cider House' has reawakened me, and has inspired me to read more works by Irving. I was deeply moved by the relationship between Dr. Larch and Homer in particular. None of the relationships in this book are easy to define. You won't find your typical father, son, or lover here. That's what makes this book so compelling. Similarly the issues raised are not so easily categorized as black or white, abortion being the most obvious one here. The point is not so much whether you are pro-this or anti-that, rather the danger (or futility) arises when you try to impose your beliefs, morals, or definitions on others. This book makes a compelling case against our all too human tendency to do so.

This book is anything but boring. And it pays homage to our beloved New England. What could be wrong about that?