The Cider House Rules

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Overview

First published in 1985, The Cider House Rules is John Irving's sixth novel. Set in rural Maine in the first half of this century, it tells the story of Dr. Wilbur Larch—saint and obstetrician, founder and director of the orphanage in the town of St. Cloud's, ether addict and abortionist. It is also the story of Dr. Larch's favorite orphan, Homer Wells, who is never adopted.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

It has been said before, and it shall be said 1,000 times again: John Irving is the American Dickens. Rich in characterization, epic in scope, The Cider House Rules is the heart-wrenching story of orphan Homer Wells and his guardian, Dr. Wilbur Larch. With nods of affection to both David Copperfield and Jane Eyre, Irving's novel follows Homer on his journey from innocence to experience, brilliantly depicting the boy's struggle to find his place in the world. Irving also wrote an Oscar-winning screenplay for the 1999 film adaptation of the novel that starred Michael Caine, Tobey Maguire, and Charlize Theron.

Christopher Lehmann-Haupt

The point {of the novel] which is driven home with the sledgehammer effect that John Irving usually uses -- is that there are always multiple sets of rules for a given society. . . .Actually, this is a sharper point than Mr. Irving has made in any of his previous five novels. . . .[Cider House Rules is] funny and absorbing, and it makes clever use of the plot's seeming predictability.
— The New York Times

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780345417947
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publication date: 6/28/1997
Pages: 640
Sales rank: 69,456
Series: Reader's Circle Series
Product dimensions: 5.58 (w) x 10.60 (h) x 1.23 (d)

Meet the Author

John Irving

John Irving's novels can sneak up on a reader -- you might begin by laughing at his eccentric characters but be in tears by the end of the book. With titles such as The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules, he has achieved a singular popularity for a person who is also one of America's most unique contemporary authors.

Biography

It was as a struggling, withdrawn student at Phillips Exeter, the New Hampshire prep school where his stepfather taught Russian history, that John Irving discovered the two great loves of his life: writing and wrestling. Modestly, he attributes his success in both endeavors to dogged perseverance. "My life in wrestling was one-eighth talent and seven-eighths discipline," he confessed in his 1996 mini-memoir The Imaginary Girlfriend. "I believe that my life as a writer consists of one-eighth talent and seven-eighths discipline, too."

Certainly, patience and stamina have served Irving well -- in both wrestling (he competed until he was 34, coached well into his 40s, and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992) and writing. His first book, Setting Free the Bears, was published in 1968 to respectable reviews but sold poorly. Over the course of the next ten years, he wrote two more unsuccessful novels (The Water-Method Man and The 158-Pound Marriage).

Then, in 1978, Irving hit the jackpot with The World According to Garp, a freewheeling comic saga incorporating motifs he would revisit many times over -- feminism, adultery, violence, grotesquerie, and an overriding sense of impending doom. Garp received a National Book Award nomination and became an instant cult classic. It also paved the way for a string of bestsellers, including The Hotel New Hampshire, The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meaney, and The Fourth Hand, to name a few.

While none of his novels are strictly autobiographical, Irving has never denied that certain elements from his life have seeped into his books, most notably the pervading "presence" of his biological father, John Wallace Blunt, a man Irving never knew. Raised by his mother and a stepfather he loved dearly, Irving had denied for years any curiosity about his absent parent, but the figure of the missing father haunted his writing like a specter. In 2005, he laid the ghost to rest with the publication of Until I Find You, a searing story that took shape slowly and painfully over the better part of a decade. Writing the novel also allowed the author to wrestle with a closely guarded secret from his past -- just like the novel's protagonist Jack Burns, Irving was sexually abused as a preteen by an older woman. In an eerily timed coincidence, while he was crafting the novel, Irving was contacted by a man named Chris Blunt, who identified himself as the son of Irving's biological father. Twenty years younger than Irving, his half-brother told Irving that their father had died in 1995. Although Irving was devastated by the experience, he now feels as if he is able to turn the page and move on.

In addition to his novels, Irving has also written a collection of short stories and essays (1995's Trying to Save Piggy Sneed) and several screenplays, including his Oscar-winning adaptation of The Cider House Rules. He chronicled the experience of bringing his novel to the screen in the 1999 memoir My Movie Business.

Good To Know

Irving struggled in school with a learning disability that was probably undiagnosed dyslexia. Today, he considers it something of a blessing. Forced to read slowly, he savored each word and literally fell in love with language and literature.

In a 2001 interview with the now-defunct Book magazine, Irving confessed, "The characters in my novels, from the very first one, are always on some quixotic effort of attempting to control something that is uncontrollable -- some element of the world that is essentially random and out of control."

Although the results have been mixed at best, film versions have been made of several Irving novels, including The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire, and The Cider House Rules, which won for Irving a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. In addition, the movie Simon Birch was loosely based on A Prayer for Owen Meaney, and the first third of Irving's novel A Widow for One Year became the acclaimed film The Door in the Floor.

One of Irving's great literary influences was Kurt Vonnegut, his teacher and mentor at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. The two writers remained close friends until Vonnegut's death in 2007.

Irving has two tattoos: a maple leaf (in honor of his Canadian wife) on his left shoulder, and the starting circle of a wrestling match on his right forearm.

The influence of Charles Dickens is evident in Irving's novels, sprawling epics with huge casts of colorful, eccentric characters and lots of complex plot points that crop up, disappear for hundreds of pages, then resurface unexpectedly. He writes voluminously and in great detail; he refuses to use a computer; and he begins at the end, writing the last sentence of each novel first. He describes himself as a craftsman and claims that he owes his success more to rewrites, ruthless editing, and infinite patience than to artistic genius.

1. Also Known As:
  
  John Wallace Blunt, Jr.
2. Hometown:
  
  Vermont
1. Date of Birth:
  
  March 2, 1942
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Exeter, New Hampshire
1. Education:
  
  B.A., University of New Hampshire, 1965; also studied at University of Vienna; M.F.A., Iowa Writers' Workshop, 1967

Read an Excerpt

The Boy Who Belonged to St. Cloud's

In the hospital of the orphanage—the boys' division at St. Cloud's, Maine—two nurses were in charge of naming the new babies and checking that their little penises were healing from the obligatory circumcision. In those days (in 192_), all boys born at St. Cloud's were circumcised because the orphanage physician had experienced some difficulty in treating uncircumcised soldiers, for this and for that, in World War I. The doctor, who was also the director of the boys' division, was not a religious man; circumcision was not a rite with him—it was a strictly medical act, performed for hygienic reasons. His name was Wilbur Larch, which, except for the scent of ether that always accompanied him, reminded one of the nurses of the tough, durable wood of the coniferous tree of that name. She hated, however, the ridiculous name of Wilbur, and took offense at the silliness of combining a word like Wilbur with something as substantial as a tree.

The other nurse imagined herself to be in love with Dr. Larch, and when it was her turn to name a baby, she frequently named him John Larch, or John Wilbur (her father's name was John), or Wilbur Walsh (her mother's maiden name had been Walsh). Despite her love for Dr. Larch, she could not imagine Larch as anything but a last name—and when she thought of him, she did not think of trees at all. For its flexibility as a first or as a last name, she loved the name of Wilbur—and when she tired of her use of John, or was criticized by her colleague for overusing it, she could rarely come up with anything more original than a Robert Larch or a Jack Wilbur (she seemed not to know that Jack was often a nickname for John).

If he had been named by this dull, love-struck nurse, he probably would have been a Larch or a Wilbur of one kind or another; and a John, a Jack, or a Robert—to make matters even duller. Because it was the other nurse's turn, he was named Homer Wells.

The other nurse's father was in the business of drilling wells, which was hard, harrowing, honest, precise work—to her thinking her father was composed of these qualities, which lent the word "wells" a certain deep, down-to-earth aura. "Homer" had been the name of one of her family's umpteen cats.

This other nurse—Nurse Angela, to almost everyone—rarely repeated the names of her babies, whereas poor Nurse Edna had named three John Wilbur Juniors, and two John Larch the Thirds. Nurse Angela knew an inexhaustible number of no-nonsense nouns, which she diligently employed as last names—Maple, Fields, Stone, Hill, Knot, Day, Waters (to list a few)—and a slightly less impressive list of first names borrowed from a family history of many dead but cherished pets (Felix, Fuzzy, Smoky, Sam, Snowy, Joe, Curly, Ed and so forth).

For most of the orphans, of course, these nurse-given names were temporary. The boys' division had a better record than the girls' division at placing the orphans in homes when they were babies, too young ever to know the names their good nurses had given them; most of the orphans wouldn't even remember Nurse Angela or Nurse Edna, the first women in the world to fuss over them. Dr. Larch made it a firm policy that the orphans' adoptive families not be informed of the names the nurses gave with such zeal. The feeling at St. Cloud's was that a child, upon leaving the orphanage, should know the thrill of a fresh start—but (especially with the boys who were difficult to place and lived at St. Cloud's the longest) it was hard for Nurse Angela and Nurse Edna, and even for Dr. Larch, not to think of their John Wilburs and John Larches (their Felix Hills, Curly Maples, Joe Knots, Smoky Waterses) as possessing their nurse-given names forever.

The reason Homer Wells kept his name was that he came back to St. Cloud's so many times, after so many failed foster homes, that the orphanage was forced to acknowledge Homer's intention to make St. Cloud's his home. It was not easy for anyone to accept, but Nurse Angela and Nurse Edna—and, finally, Dr. Wilbur Larch—were forced to admit that Homer Wells belonged to St. Cloud's. The determined boy was not put up for adoption anymore.

Nurse Angela, with her love of cats and orphans, once remarked of Homer Wells that the boy must adore the name she gave him because he fought so hard not to lose it.

St. Cloud's, Maine—the town—had been a logging camp for most of the nineteenth century. The camp, and—gradually—the town, set up shop in the river valley, where the land was flat, which made the first roads easier to build and the heavy equipment easier to transport. The first building was a saw mill. The first settlers were French Canadians—woodsmen, lumberjacks, sawyers; then came the overland haulers and the river bargemen, then the prostitutes, then the vagrants and the thugs, and (at last) there was a church. The first logging camp had been called, simply, Clouds—because the valley was low and the clouds broke up reluctantly. A fog hung over the violent river until midmorning, and the falls, which roared for three miles upstream from the site of the first camp, produced a constant mist.

When the first woodcutters went to work there, the only impediments to their rape of the forest were the black flies and the mosquitoes; these infernal insects preferred the nearly constant cover of clouds in the stagnant valleys of inland Maine to the sharp air of the mountains, or to the crisp sunlight by the bright Maine sea.

Dr. Wilbur Larch—who was not only the doctor for the orphanage and the director of the boys' division (he had also founded the place)—was the self-appointed historian of the town. According to Dr. Larch, the logging camp called Clouds became St. Clouds only because of "the fervent backwoods Catholic instinct to put a Saint before so many things—as if to grant those things a grace they could never quite acquire naturally." The logging camp remained St. Clouds for nearly half a century before the apostrophe was inserted—probably by someone who was unaware of the camp's origin. But by the time it became St. Cloud's, it was more of a mill town than a logging camp.

The forest, for miles around, was cleared; instead of logs jamming the river, and the rough camp full of men lamed and crippled by falling from trees or by trees falling on them, one saw the high, orderly stacks of fresh-cut boards drying out in the hazy sun. Overall lay a silty sawdust occasionally too fine to see, but ever-present in the sneezes and wheezes of the town, in the town's perpetually itching noses and in its rasping lungs. The town's wounded now sported stitches instead of bruises and broken bones; they wore gashes (and found ways to flaunt their missing parts) from the mill's many saws. The keen whine of those blades was as constant in St. Cloud's as the fog, the mist, the humidity that overhangs inland Maine in the damp cold of its long, wet, snowed-in winters and in the fetid, stifling heat of its drizzly summers—blessed, only occasionally, by violent thunderstorms.

There was never any spring in that part of Maine, except that period of time in March and April distinguished by thawing mud. The heavy equipment of the lumbering business was immobilized; the work of the town shut down. The impassable roads kept everyone at home—and the springtime river was so swollen, and ran so fast, that no one dared to travel on it. Spring in St. Cloud's meant trouble: drinking trouble, brawling trouble, whoring and raping trouble. Spring was the suicide season. In spring, the seeds for an orphanage were planted and overplanted.

And what of the fall? In his journal—his whatnot diary, his daily record of the business of the orphanage—Dr. Wilbur Larch wrote of the fall. Each of Dr. Larch's entries began, "Here in St. Cloud's . . ."—except for those entries that began, "In other parts of the world . . ." Of the fall, Dr. Larch wrote: "In other parts of the world, fall is for the harvest; one gathers the fruits of spring and summer's labors. These fruits provide for the long slumber and the season of ungrowing that is called winter. But here in St. Cloud's, the fall is only five minutes long."

What sort of climate would anyone expect for an orphanage? Could anyone imagine resort weather? Would an orphanage bloom in an innocent town?

Reading Group Guide

1. The rules posted on the cider house wall aren't read or understood by anyone living there except Mr. Rose, who makes -- and breaks -- his own set of rules. What point is John Irving making with the unread rules?

2. What rules, both written and unwritten, do other characters follow in the novel? Did most characters violate their own rules? Who stays the most true to his or her rules?

3. Dr. Larch makes the interesting statement that because women don't legally have the right to choose, Homer Wells does not have a moral claim in choosing not to perform abortions. Do you find Larch's argument compelling? Do you think Homer was ultimately convinced or that he needed an escape from Ocean View?

4. In order to set future events on what he believes to be the correct path, Larch alters the history of the orphanage to create a false heart murmur for Homer and changes various school transcripts to create Dr. Fuzzy Stone. What other doctoring of history does Larch do? Do you think Homer, as Dr. Fuzzy Stone, will continue the tradition?

5. St. Cloud's setting is grim, unadorned, and unhealthy, while Ocean View is healthy, wide open, and full of opportunities. In what ways do the settings of the orphanage and the orchards belie their effect on their residents? What did you make of Homer bringing the apple trees to St. Cloud's?

6. As you were reading, what did you expect Melony to do to Homer when she finally found him? Though Homer forgets about Melony for many years, do you think she had more of an impact on his future than Candy did?

7. Larch's introduction to sex comes through a prostitute and her daughter, and his introduction to abortion is given by thesame women. Sex with Melony, the picture of the pony, and abortions performed by Larch introduces Homer to the same issues, yet Homer doesn't maintain sexual abstinence as Larch does. Why do you think this is? Do you think Larch substitutes ether for sex?

8. Violence against women forms a thread throughout the novel; Melony fights off apple pickers, Grace receives constant beatings from her husband, and Rose Rose suffers incest. Does the author seem to be making a connection between violence and sex? How do the women's individual responses to violence reflect their personalities?

9. The issues of fatherhood are complex--as seen in Larch's relation-ship with Homer, and Homer's relationship with Angel -- but being a good father or good parent is stressed throughout. According to the novel, what are some of the ingredients that make a good father? Is truthfulness one of them?

10. Candy's "wait and see" philosophy contrasts with Larch's constant tinkering with the future to suit his desires. Based on his personality, is Homer better suited to waiting or to working?

11. Herb Fowler's sabotaged condoms are one example of how people and rules in Ocean View are actually the opposite of what they seem. What other examples can you recall?

12. 12. Near the end, Homer's meeting with Melony is a turning point, spurring him to reveal the truth about Angel's parentage and to return to St. Cloud's, where he can be "of use." While reading, did you want to learn more about Melony's adventures during the intervening years or less? Which character do you think drove the novel's momentum?

13. If you saw the film adaptation of The Cider House Rules, discuss the aspects of the story that you think were stronger in the novel, and the portions of the film that were especially potent. What are your feelings about film adaptations of novels in general, and about the adaptation of this novel in particular? 14. What did you find to be particularly effective or well done in Irving's writing? If you've read other Irving novels, name some of the themes that he carries over from novel to novel.

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songcatchers

Posted October 25, 2008

more from this reviewer

The Cider House Rules...

This is a heavy-hearted novel. The dreams and wishes go unfulfilled for most of the characters. The Cider House Rules takes place mostly between the 1930's and 1950's. It's about rules. It's about how society has rules for people but those rules aren't always the right rules. This is a story about Dr. Wilbur Larch, the "saint" of St. Cloud's, the head of an orphanage and an abortionist in a time when abortions are illegal. But it's even more about Homer Wells, an orphan who is never adopted and becomes a sort of son to Dr. Larch. This novel touches on some delicate issues besides abortion: incest, interracial relationships, lesbianism, child and spousal abuse and ether addiction. I really like the writing style which makes The Cider House Rules a good read. The content of the book is deep. The characters are believable and Irving provides a lot of background. I will absolutely be looking forward to reading other John Irving books in the near future!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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finkhali

Posted April 30, 2011

Brilliantly written

*SPOILER ALERT* The Cider House Rules was a book that I enjoyed reading. It was a different book than I usually read, but I still found it hard to put down. It has a slightly dramatic story line that reminded me of the drama of a soap opera. I think that a mature audience is prefered since the book certainly isn't the cleanest in the world. I think that Irving really wanted people who thought their life was bad to read it, because it shows that a life could always be worse. Irving shows the less glamorous life and almost every possible horrible situation imaginable. He really portrays that nobody is perfect and everyone has a flaw that in the end defines who they are. The title "The Cider House Rules" is a good choice for the book since it shows how people break rules for their own beliefs and reasons. In the cider house on the apple orchard, there are rules, but no one follows them. Even though the rules are ignored, the workers, in a way, govern themselves and discipline themselves if anyone does something bad or wrong. In the novel's era, abortion is illegal, but Larch still offers at the orphanage's hospital because he has seen the back-alley abortions and how life-threatening they are to the patients and he wants to give the women a safer alternative, even though there are moral issues with killing a baby, as Homer sees it. So the title is good in the sense that it shows a major theme of rule breaking throughout the novel. I very much hate the way the book ended because I guess I'm too used to reading the happy-go-lucky fairy tale books with the predicted, yet desired happy endings. Irving decided on making everthing go wrong in the book. Homer doesn't get to marry Candy, but instead a paralyzed Wally does. Homer doesn't get to live the free life he wants, but instead he goes back to the orphanage. Larch made a fake identity for Homer before he died and sent it to him so when Larch did die, Homer could run the orphanage, and that is what he did. So, in the end, Homer returned to his "home." The only positive thing is that he saw himself as a hero to the orphanage. I think the most interesting part of the book would have to be the ending because it caught me by total surprise since it ended in a completely different way than I expected. (I expected a somewhat happier ending than the one that happened) The most exciting part is when Homer leaves the orphanage with Wally and Candy because it's an adventure, instead of the boring day-to-day life of the orphanage. I think Irving's style is very complex, because he seems to be meticulous to detail and the plot is deep. In this book, there is light humor, but otherwise there is a very serious tone. He covers very popular topics such as growing up and life choices. Irving is definatly not a light author. He writes stories where the end cannot be easily predicted.
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Anonymous

Posted July 13, 2009

Good Book!

I give this book as a graduation gift almost every year. I got it as a gift when I graduated and have been passing it to others ever since.
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Mshchuk

Posted May 18, 2009

The Cider House Rules - A Must Read

I loved this book, and its seemingly complex webs of human interaction and simple cause and effect.
Cider House Rules is not for those who lazily skip lines to get to the finish quicker, or those that cringe at frank exploration of taboo subjects, for in the moments one least expects it, Irving exposes some of the most important themes in his novels.
What I might possibly love most about Irving's writing is the manner in which he develops his story and the characters along with it. The books starts off with some knowledge about the protagonists that seems a bit insignificant, though shocking, as the middle section of the novel rolls around (there is admittedly a rather long exposition which very carefully evolves into rising action).
Throughout the novel readers learn about different characters' complicated backgrounds, which force us to sympathize with them. It's virtually impossible to choose sides in this novel - which is one of the major facts of life the characters have to learn to live with; that there really is no black and white, right or wrong, lord or devil's work (in reference to Larch's secondary, though no less important, job at the orphanage).
Another major theme in the novel is that no matter how much you may love someone, that's "all you can do" - you can't force them to love you back, you can't protect them - you can only love them. When I realized that this is in fact true of the world I further embraced Irving's genius at the most unsubtle and blunt manner in which he explores such a paradox.
The third major theme, which is executed brilliantly through the use of an orphanage as the central setting, is one to do with belonging and destiny. Larch belongs at the orphanage, though he is not an orphan, and he doesn't mind. He believes that nobody should belong to an orphanage, but eventually comes to the conclusion that Homer does. Homer believes he belongs at the orphanage, until he decides he likes his life at the orchard. However, it seems that Larch (as a sort of 'god' figure) has decided on the course of history, and Larch's 'history' ends up becoming the only history.
As I have shown, this novel explores (rather psychologically and twistedly) the roles of all sorts of people and how each character's history twines with another's.
An exceptionally profound read, this novel is sure to knock just about anyone's socks off.
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Allie736

Posted May 15, 2009

more from this reviewer

The Cider House Rules

The Cider House Rules satisfies those who look for a unique plot as well as those seeking intriguing characters. Since the storyline follows the fascinating lives of Dr. Larch and Homer Wells from the very beginning, the reader comes to feel as though he has known these figures his entire life. The book essentially covers three generations, accentuating the differences and similarities between fathers and sons, and providing intimate detail as to why the characters act and feel the way that they do. The book is extremely sociological in that it dissects each individual character's thoughts and feelings, relating them to the people around the character and the things the character has witnessed. Anyone who enjoys the complex interactions between people and their surroundings will appreciate The Cider House Rules. John Irving delves deeper into each character's mind than most other authors, giving the reader a special sense of sympathy and understanding for each.

The plot of The Cider House Rules also presents several thought provoking issues. Firstly, since Homer Wells grows up in an orphanage, he is constantly searching for a place where he belongs. Many readers can relate to this plight. Also, Irving thoroughly discusses the place of sex in society. Dr. Larch is completely abstinent, and Homer must figure out the role of sex in his own life. This issue, along with those such as the morality and legality of abortion, and the effects of racism, makes The Cider House Rules an excellent piece to discuss in a group.

The Cider House Rules provides insight into controversial issues and addresses universal topics, making it an outstanding book for mature readers. Anyone younger than 16 should probably wait to read The Cider House Rules since the content may not be appropriate for young readers. However, Irving's style of writing is not difficult to comprehend, making the book easy to read, but full of profound ideas. At the end of The Cider House Rules, readers will be eager to get their hands on another of John Irving's books.
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Luna_Cullen

Posted November 12, 2008

I Also Recommend:

Another awesome novel from Mr. Irving!

Like all of his novels, this is a must read! He creates such beautiful and sad characters that totally make all the drama worth it!
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Anonymous

Posted November 20, 2007

Great Book

I think this book was excellent. The speaker is a distant narrator so you get the thoughts of all the characters. The book gives you a different perspective on adoption and abortion. The purpose of this book is to show people that abortion cannot be illegal. It is the women¿s choice and only hers. Dr. Larch says he is doing Gods work by delivering orphans and he says he does abortions to deliver the women. This book was very good and I never wanted to put it down. I would recommend it to everyone because everyone needs to read the profound words of Dr. Larch.
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Anonymous

Posted March 19, 2006

a classic for the 20th century

I read this novel in high school at the time when I was trying to discover 'adult books'. This book changed the way I viewed the world of adults. As a sheltered 14 yr old, I never knew such complexities existed. I was immediately drawn into the world of Homer. Irving described such rich characters that their 'voices' have stayed with me through my college years. It is a book that you never want to forget.
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Anonymous

Posted February 12, 2006

This the the book of a lifetime...everyone should read it

This is both my favorite John Irving novel, and one of my favorite novels overall. This is a beautifully constructed story about relationships and love. The love in this book occurs between parents and children, lovers, colleagues, children and adults, and friends. Each element of love and each relationships's flaws and tribulations are essential elements of this story. Some people may be offended by the abortion-related themes in the book, but I found them essential to explaining the rules of society and how those rules can be stretched to accomodate choice and individual circumstances. Please read this book with an open mind and heart.
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Anonymous

Posted December 27, 2005

Great book i hope you have time to read it

The Cider House Rules is a must read for any aspiring author. I have never read an author who has such a brilliant gift for exposition. By the time the exposition is over you love the characters and it hooks you for the rest of the book. I have never read a 600 page book this fast. I object to the notion many people say that this is a coming of age novel. Coming of age means 16-25 not 1-50 this is a life novel. This is a human novel and very realistic. The Characters are a mix of good and bad, all of them. This is the first book I read of Irving and I have already bought another one of his books yesterday. My only objection of the book is that it deals with abortion way to much. It did clarify however, why some people are pro-choice. Your position on that subject will be entrenched after you read it though. Overall, an excellent novel and I would recommend it to anyone. It takes you away to another time and place which is slower and more interesting which is always a good thing. If you don¿t have the time to read it don¿t pick it up or you will be hooked and totally neglect anyone around you.
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Anonymous

Posted December 1, 2005

A delight!

This book seemed never-ending, but when it was finally over I found myself wanting more after connecting with the characters and the surroundings. The only disappointing part was watching the movie after reading the book. The movie was nothing compared to the wonderful, descriptive, and heartfelt novel. It just left so much out that is imperative for a great story. If I had watched the movie beforehand I might not have even picked up the book. It was a good storyline (the film) but compared to the book it was nothing. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great story that you can really enjoy. This is the first John Irving novel I¿ve read and I¿ve heard that it is not one of his best but it definitely has me wanting more. I loved this story and I¿m excited to know that there are better works by Irving that I absolutely plan to read.
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Anonymous

Posted August 12, 2005

Cider House Rules doesn't rule

I read the whole book only because I wanted to give it a chance and maybe the ending would have saved everything else. There were some very good parts, but I recommand you don't read this book if: you are pregnant// you had a miscarriage or an abortion //you are eating, as many descriptions are very graphic, however accurate they may be.
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Anonymous

Posted October 27, 2004

One of the best stories I've ever read!

I saw the movie before I read the book. Then, when I read the book, I felt even more connected with Homer Wells. I never read anything by John Irving before, but it's definately something I could not put down! If you've seen the movie, read the book. You won't regret it!
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Anonymous

Posted May 26, 2004

One of the greatest American novels.

I revisited 'The Cider House Rules' recently, just before picking up another of John Irving's earlier novels, and I again recalled before I reached page 25 what it was about Irving and this novel that made me fall in love with his writing. 'The Cider House Rules' is an epic, Dickensian story, a didactic old-fashioned tale of love and loss that speaks to both the most basic human dilemmas and contentious contemporary subjects. Irving writes with an absurdist aplomb that causes me to find myself laughing when I would never expect to, and cry soon thereafter; his character Homer Wells is a delight, winsome and true. 'The Cider House Rules' is an exquisite novel, and one of the greatest achievements in American letters. I can recommend no book any higher.
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Anonymous

Posted April 20, 2004

Great Book to Inspire Anyone

The Cider House rules is an awesome book to read. It's an exciting journey that Homer Wills took. The story is a never ending journey of who one is meant to do in this world. The story can inspire those who are lost in this world, and need a guidance in their lives. I surely recommend this book to everywhere. A true blessing to have such a wonderful author with such joy to write stories!
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Anonymous

Posted June 3, 2004

Maybe it's just because i've read so many of Irving's books

The Cider House Rules was the fourth Irving book I've read, and I've realized that all of his books are very, very similar! They're all set in NH (which isn't really a surprise since Irving himself is from there), they are all coming-of-age novels about a young kid from New England who departs on a journey of self-discovery, etc, etc. I'm sure that if this was my first Irving book I would have given it 5 stars, but I'm sorry to say that John Irving's books have lost their novelty. The story was also pretty unrealistic (keeping a secret for 15 years? Homer retaining all that medical information after everything he had been through?). So far, it was the least enjoyable Irving novel I've encountered.
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Anonymous

Posted March 17, 2004

Best book I have read so far

Although I have not read too many books in my life, I thoroughly enjoyed this book by far. Irving has a wonderful imagination that he details so great. The Cider House Rules had me constantly thinking and questioning what would happen to each character. The way you are left hanging at each interval made me not want to put the book down. I will definately read another book by him if not more than that.
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Anonymous

Posted February 12, 2004

awesome book read it

I loved the book the whole time I was reading it. Like some books I read I get bored in reading them when it is in the middle of the book, but this book The Cider House Rules I did not get bored at all. This was the most interesting and funniest book I have ever read in my life! With that I would tell you that The Cider House Rules is a great book to read if you wanted to read a book it keeps you in the book the whole time you read it.
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Anonymous

Posted February 25, 2004

Very moving read... from page 1 to last page...

The movie was seen a few years back, very good, excellent actors represented the characters. The book is a lot more involved, with more in-depth events in the story that are left out of the movie. However, readers are missing out on a lot of John Irving's writing talent if they don't read the book. A reader gets to know Irving's players in a way not many authors create and allow the reader to absorb them -- some readers put the book in a negative light by stating that the characters and issues are unrealistic... Whoa! That is definitely NOT the case. The issues existed then as they exist now and are in our sight always. The setting is State of Maine, an orphanage named St. Cloud's -- Dr. Wilbur Larch, orphan Homer Wells, and the relationship of their bonding. All characters deserve and are allowed compassion with understanding. Sub-plots are woven gracefully into the story assisting the main essence of the theme. John Irving gives credence to issues in The Cider House Rules: abortion, friendship, family, love, loyalty, humor to laugh to, and tears to cry with. John Irving has ecome one of my top ten favorite authors. John Irving was born in Exeter, NH, resides in NY, and has also authored 'Hotel New Hampshire' & 'The World According to Garp'... This reader predicts John Irving as successful as he is now, Irving's writings will be remembered on the bookshelves in future years among the 'classic' writers.
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Anonymous

Posted March 11, 2004

The Great Cider House

When I first started to read this book immedately I was drawn into it and could not put it down. This book has some really good lessons on how to find what you want to do with your life, how to deal with unfamiliar situations, and how to cope with the loss of someone. Irvings style of writing is very easy to follow so it will not be difficult to read. I would reccommend this book to anyone.
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The Cider House Rules...

Brilliantly written

Good Book!

The Cider House Rules - A Must Read

The Cider House Rules

Another awesome novel from Mr. Irving!

Great Book

a classic for the 20th century

This the the book of a lifetime...everyone should read it

Great book i hope you have time to read it

A delight!

Cider House Rules doesn't rule

One of the best stories I've ever read!

One of the greatest American novels.

Great Book to Inspire Anyone

Maybe it's just because i've read so many of Irving's books

Best book I have read so far

awesome book read it

Very moving read... from page 1 to last page...

The Great Cider House