Helpful Score: 5
This was the second Richard Russo book I have read. The first was "The Bridge of Sighs". Both left me disappointed in the end. A friend of mine who has read both of these in addition to "Empire Falls" said that "Empire Falls" was the better of the three. I feel as though Russo's writing tends to be over desprictive and under plot in the sense that you're reading more of a biography than a actual sequence of events. I found myself saying "get on with it already" several times in the book. As a previous review stated, the novel does exhibit a well defined and realistic family profile. Perhaps this is Russo's main goal in writing and I'm expecting something that is not in the author's preference.
Helpful Score: 4
This is the first Russo I've read and I loved this study of family dynamics! I liked even the unlikable characters and really appreciated his writing.
Helpful Score: 4
I have just discovered Russo. Sometimes he gets a bit windy and repetitive, and sometimes the ending is anti-climatic and feels too short for the wind-up. I love his character depictions- I feel like they are standing right next to me, and his descriptions of marriage, youth, and New England are great. This may not be the greatest literature ever, but it is a great escape, and I find that I ignore my children's requests for food while reading it!
Helpful Score: 4
This was a good book. For a while, I thought it was about a man who never grew up, blaming his dysfunctional parents for how he turned out. I changed my mind as I read further. His daughter's rehearsal dinner was so funny that I really laughed my head off. After that, everything changed for the better. I'd recommend it.
Helpful Score: 4
Funny and poignant tale about marriage, relationships, betrayal, and the unsought puzzle of self-awareness. Well-written. An enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 1
Although I enjoyed this book I found the story to be very disjointed and choppy in places. There were many characters that I would like to have seen either eliminated or further developed. It was a good read just not a great one. A bit disappointing.
Helpful Score: 1
A very good story: well written, touching and humorous. It was great for book group discussion.
Helpful Score: 1
As with all of Richard Russo's books I've read--it's wonderful! Honest human emotions and not contrived. Loved it.
Helpful Score: 1
My April bookclub selection. I chose this book for the club and wish I picked another. I think I liked the title and book jacket more than anything. A very slow moving story. I believe it is basically a story about a marriage and how parents can affect the behavior in it.
I enjoy Russo's portrayal of dysfunctional families from a male perspective. His characters ring true.
A very different book from Russo, but nonetheless very intriguing and enjoyable. Humorously written...a tale about a middle aged guy who still has his parents' ashes in the trunk of his car! All about families, good and bad and all the baggage it creates and how we learn and grow through it all.
I have read several of Mr. Russo's other books,and enjoyed them. So, I was looking forward to That Old Cape Magic. It was disappointing. It's filled with the usual troubled and awkward characters, but this one just made me sad. Dead parents, missed 'opportunities', it never grabbed me like the others have. It's filled with memories, and honestly they were very depressing.
ok book nothing really exciting - at times seemed drawn out
Quick read with interesting characters and unpredictable twists.
In the past, I've really enjoyed Richard Russo's novels and short stories. I liked this one, but I thought it was missing some of humor that Russo usually incorporates into his plots. Although there were some funny parts and characters, the subject matter was heavy.
Loved this book! Another excellent novel by Richard Russo. Russo's characters are so well developed, you'll feel like he's writing about people you know. I don't want to say too much and spoil it... Just get this book and read it. I promise you will enjoy it!
