Helpful Score: 9
I watched the movie version of The Cinder House Rules a few years ago when it first came out. The story was really good. I decided to read the book. I love the book for the extra details that Irving gives. He weaves a story that is long and full of rich characters. While the movie was good, there were extra characters who made the book a real joy to read. It explained the story more completely. Reality is not always pretty and Irving has no problem showing it.
Helpful Score: 6
Not sure if I love this book more, or "Prayer for Owen Meany". These books are like 10 course dinner feasts, full of characters, ideas, places, thoughts, yet everything ties together in the end. I love how the most insignificant sentence in an early chapter turns out to be the most important thing later in the book. Irving does that alot, I find myself going back and re-reading paragraphs from chapters ago and marveling how they tie in. I imagine these books would have been great Radio Serial Shows, where you would get to hear one chapter a week and you couldn't wait to hear the next. I can't really say what the book is about, it is so much more than a straight plot line, but I will tell you that the title, "Cider House Rules", refers to the Cider House on an apple farm. The apple pickers stay in the Cider House while they are working to pick apples. The Cider House Rules are a list of Rules that are to be followed by those living in the Cider House. But the book also is about an orphanage, and an orphan who grows up with a doctor as a mentor and then he ends up at the apple farm where the Cider House is and then he falls for this girl...well, just read it.
Helpful Score: 5
Once again, John Irving proves his literary might in this book about a young man finding his way. Not always a happy story. Not always topics for comfortable discussion, but what a great read!
Helpful Score: 3
Great storytelling. The book just draws you in, hard to put down.
Helpful Score: 2
My favorite books are ones that make me think, that have great characters, great plots and good development. I like it best when I can actually *join* the characters in the story.
Cider House Rules is like this. It is a wonderful book & I post it with a little hesitation ... I think it should probably be on my "Keep-and-Reread" shelf!
Cider House Rules is like this. It is a wonderful book & I post it with a little hesitation ... I think it should probably be on my "Keep-and-Reread" shelf!
