Richard Russo - Empire Falls: Premio Pulitzer 2002

Pros: Well done character study of a small town in Maine that is falling apart.
Cons: The ending is a bit contrived, but everything else is top notch.

I tend to avoid the mainstream bestsellers, but I had heard so many good comments about Richard Russo's Empire Falls, that when the time was right, I settled in to take it all in, and found myself immersed into the cares of a small town in Maine ...

Pros: Unforgettable characters populate this big, beautiful book
Cons: The pace occasionally (but only occasionally) slows to a crawl

Richard Russo’s Empire Falls might just replace Larry McMurtry’s Thalia, Texas as the greatest dying town in American literature.

Like the one-stoplight community in The Last Picture Show, Russo’s fictional Maine town has seen better...

Pros: Detailed characters, scenes and description of small town life.
Cons: Not an action story if that’s what you’re looking for.

A chance for redemption: the same someone who recommended Toole’s Confederacy of Dunces to me recently recommended that I read something by Richard Russo. I had heard good things about the movie Nobody’s Fool based on the novel by Richard...

Pros: Highly entertaining; an alternately funny and tragic look at small town life.
Cons: None

Well, folks, the "fiction addiction" continues unabated.

It's been two weeks since I finished reading two wonderful novels – The Godfather and Once An Eagle. On this rainy Saturday, I scamper over to the bookstore in our local...

Pros: One of the most engaging books on tape I've listened to.
Cons: Depression set in when I realized my time at Empire Falls was finished.

I recently took a trip out of town - and drove.. SIGH!! Sometimes it seems as though my life is one giant car trip. But on the bright side, I was able to finish Richard Russo's "Empire Falls" with undivided attention. That's right - I didn't watch the...

Pros: Simple, subtle
Cons: Lacks originality and depth

Empire Falls is a book filled with clichés and trite rockwellian depictions of small town life. I found the characters dull and the story less than compelling. Maybe I’ve set my standards too high. Maybe I need to be less cynical. Maybe I...

Pros: Brilliant writing by the Pulitzer winning master.
Cons: Lots of Profanity. No plot or action. Too long (length).

"Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Prob'ly die in a small town
Oh, those small communities

All my friends are so small town
My parents live in the same small town
My job is so small town
...

Pros: Wonderfully believable and engaging characters, elegant writing style
Cons: sometimes a bit predictable and a tad slow-moving

Empire Falls is a poignant, touching novel that follows several intricately woven characters through their everyday lives in their small Maine town.

The Plot:

Empire Falls is the story of Miles Roby, an intelligent, sensitive man...

Pros: Life-like characters; solid writing.
Cons: Slow pace; no real plot.

I'll admit it: I was stunned to discover that I really liked Richard Russo's Empire Falls in spite of the fact that...well, let's face not mince words here: it's a slow book.

But I think that's where the beauty in this book lies:...

Pros: Thoroughly defined characters who are both engaging and real
Cons: I have problems with being aggressive in certain situations

"How much you want for this one," I asked the street vendor with a copy of Richard Russo's new novel, Empire Falls. I was hoping he would say $10. I would never have expected him to say anything less. The book had just come out, had been...

Pros: Rich Characters; Cultural Accuracy
Cons: Ending doesn't flow from story

I moved away from central Maine several years ago after spending the first 18 years of my life there. This book made we want to pack up the car and drive "home" just as fast as I could after reading only the first couple chapters. Russo presents an...

Pros: Delightful depiction of small-town America. Vivid characters that evoke emotion.
Cons: Ending is a bit too dramatic for the theme of the novel.

I have to admit that I first noticed this book because of its cover. I hadn't read anything written by Russo before. I just saw two people at a diner and a seal that said that it won the Pulitzer Prize. I didn't know what to expect, so I just dove in. I...

Pros: Entertaining and fun. The character interaction (conversations) are great!
Cons: Many of the characters are a bit on the odd side.

Many of the characters in this book are confronted with mid life situations in which they seem to suddenly become aware that there life (i.e. hopes & dreams) has not gone the way they intended. They start our as a young adult with a clear idea of where...

Pros: great character development, great setting development
Cons: long...but not a bad thing because of the development of story.

A Terrific Book This was my first book that I have read from Richard Russo. It was a terrific book with great character development along with a great development of setting. Without giving this book away I will say that the author paints a ...