The Cider House Rules
by John Irving
As anyone who's read a John Irving novel knows, his creations are thorough. The Cider House Rules is the most detailed novel I've ever read. It's beautiful and heartbreaking, gritty and haunting, and utterly unforgettable. As much as I loved this novel, it's not for everyone. There are extremely graphic descriptions of abortion procedures; if this will be upsetting for you to read, keep shopping and pick up another book. Disclaimer aside, let's get to the plot.
Dr. Wilbur Larch, with a very scarred past, works at St. Cloud's, an orphanage in Maine. He delivers unwanted babies, and also performs abortions, which are against the law at that time. One baby, named Homer, is lovingly referred to as "the boy who belonged to St. Cloud's", because every time he gets adopted, he ends up returning to his original home. He grows up as much a son as Dr. Larch has ever had, and Wilbur bestows his medical knowledge upon his young apprentice.
The novel spans decades, following major and minor characters from their birth to middle-age, and beyond. Each character, no matter how small, is given personalized details and explanations of why and how they turned out. This is not a novel; this is a world. John Irving knows the kinds of memories that would scar a young child and how he or she would carry that trauma into adulthood. Each character is realistic and troubled, and yet the reader falls in love with his favorites, excusing their faults and hoping for a triumph.
Without spoiling the plot, this is a heavy drama of conflict: conflict between father and son, excess and abstinence, birth and abortion, class and race, knowledge and use. This is a novel about one man's life work, how and why he chose to perform both deliveries and abortions, and what happens when he decides to pass the baton. Dr. Larch is a beautiful, complicated, caring man. He isn't just a character; he'll become so real to you that you'll start to mention him to your friends, stopping yourself only because you don't want to rob them of the experience of meeting and getting to know him. At that point, you'll probably do what I do: show off your prized and very worn copy of The Cider House Rules, refuse to let them actually touch it, and instead, buy them their own copy.
If you liked the film version, also written by John Irving, I can guarantee you'll love the novel. Many people I've talked to read the book first, and they weren't as enamored with the movie. I saw the movie first, and while it is incredibly different than the original text, I enjoyed both versions. Imagine your mom bakes you an apple pie. She sets the entire pie in front of you with a fork, and it's the best pie you've ever eaten. Then, Mom brings out the recipe. She not only walks you through how she made the pie, but she shows you the apple tree in the backyard and tells you when and why she planted it all those years ago. The next time you eat Mom's apple pie, you'll still love it, right? You'll probably love it even more, because you know the backstory the slice of pie just isn't equipped to tell you by itself.
So, go out and watch the movie. The acting is phenomenal. Then, let John Irving show you the apple trees.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of John Irving's novel A Widow for One Year here and his memoir here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the film adaptation of The Cider House Rules here!
Dr. Wilbur Larch, with a very scarred past, works at St. Cloud's, an orphanage in Maine. He delivers unwanted babies, and also performs abortions, which are against the law at that time. One baby, named Homer, is lovingly referred to as "the boy who belonged to St. Cloud's", because every time he gets adopted, he ends up returning to his original home. He grows up as much a son as Dr. Larch has ever had, and Wilbur bestows his medical knowledge upon his young apprentice.
The novel spans decades, following major and minor characters from their birth to middle-age, and beyond. Each character, no matter how small, is given personalized details and explanations of why and how they turned out. This is not a novel; this is a world. John Irving knows the kinds of memories that would scar a young child and how he or she would carry that trauma into adulthood. Each character is realistic and troubled, and yet the reader falls in love with his favorites, excusing their faults and hoping for a triumph.
Without spoiling the plot, this is a heavy drama of conflict: conflict between father and son, excess and abstinence, birth and abortion, class and race, knowledge and use. This is a novel about one man's life work, how and why he chose to perform both deliveries and abortions, and what happens when he decides to pass the baton. Dr. Larch is a beautiful, complicated, caring man. He isn't just a character; he'll become so real to you that you'll start to mention him to your friends, stopping yourself only because you don't want to rob them of the experience of meeting and getting to know him. At that point, you'll probably do what I do: show off your prized and very worn copy of The Cider House Rules, refuse to let them actually touch it, and instead, buy them their own copy.
If you liked the film version, also written by John Irving, I can guarantee you'll love the novel. Many people I've talked to read the book first, and they weren't as enamored with the movie. I saw the movie first, and while it is incredibly different than the original text, I enjoyed both versions. Imagine your mom bakes you an apple pie. She sets the entire pie in front of you with a fork, and it's the best pie you've ever eaten. Then, Mom brings out the recipe. She not only walks you through how she made the pie, but she shows you the apple tree in the backyard and tells you when and why she planted it all those years ago. The next time you eat Mom's apple pie, you'll still love it, right? You'll probably love it even more, because you know the backstory the slice of pie just isn't equipped to tell you by itself.
So, go out and watch the movie. The acting is phenomenal. Then, let John Irving show you the apple trees.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of John Irving's novel A Widow for One Year here and his memoir here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the film adaptation of The Cider House Rules here!