Cider City a novel by Stephen Constance
Contents:
I thought about it hard: It became something other than an abstract concept to me; I felt for the women that needed them, and I felt for the boy who believed that it was murder. It humanized the issue for me, and solidified my formerly tepid belief in a woman's right to choose. It's pretty clear that Irving agrees with this a woman's right to choose ; a major part of the story is in fact, him making the pro choice point; but I could also see someone walking away from this with a pro life stance, or a more adamant belief in that stance.
After all, young Homer was an orphan that liked his life and made positive contributions to the world, all of which wouldn't have happened if his mother hadn't chosen life. At the same time though, our story takes place when abortion was illegal, and you see Dr. Larch save lives, and the issue of choice itself is framed almost perfectly. The book made me realize the impact that an abortion, non-abortion, or botched abortion can have on someone's life. You have no choice but to have an opinion on it after reading this book, because you get hit with the weight of its seriousness. The Cider House Rules has all the traits of a good Irving novel: Don't get me wrong, this book isn't for everyone.
If you're adamantly pro-life, you probably won't find yourself enjoying this book -- abortion is too much of an ongoing issue. And abortion isn't the only weighty theme here: Essentially, The Cider House Rules is about the many rules of life: It's about the concept of fate and how our decisions affect both our own lives and the lives of others -- whether they are from playing by the rules, or not. An exchange from the book sums this up quite well: View all 40 comments.
His prose is persuasive. Homer Wells is raised in an orphanage in the isolated town of St. Women come to St. When Homer is old enough to understand the latter, he decides to stop helping with those procedures. Choices seem so much easier in the books that he used to read to the orphans: Will Homer eventually return? A few other quibbles: Often the book's humour works, but just as often it feels contrived.
I loved seeing them interact with each other, pick up experience, get older, reflect on their earlier selves. I also liked the book's central allegory about blindly following rules. At times the theme felt a bit didactic, but at others times it felt beautifully integrated into the story. The author has great empathy for his characters. And he knows how to create an entire fictional world. I should go back and finish it. View all 35 comments. Well, you've definitely made me want to put it closer to the top of the tbr Glenn. Glenn Sumi Ilana wrote: Now that I'm curr Ilana wrote: I just finished reading this novel, and it is so phenominal that I'm almost speechless, and I'm sad that it is over.
The story is engrossing, rich, moving, tragic, and satisfying, and the imagery is extraordinarily powerful. The plot takes place during the first half of the 's in rural Maine, and tells of Dr. Larch, an obstetrician, founder of an orphanage, abortionist, and ether addict, and his favorite orphan, and heroic figure, Homer Wells. Irving develops the characters superbly, such th I just finished reading this novel, and it is so phenominal that I'm almost speechless, and I'm sad that it is over. Irving develops the characters superbly, such that the reader comes to know and love all of them, even those with significant flaws.
The abortion issue is handled perfectly; while it becomes obvious what Irving's opinion is, he presents both sides of the issue objectively and refrains from preaching on the subject or becoming overtly political. Normally I recommend reading a book before seeing the movie adaptation, but in this case, the movie is excellent, so by reading the book first, one may not appreciate the film as much as one should. Irving is a storyteller on par with Dickens, and I'm going to add his other works to my future reading list.
View all 5 comments. Jun 18, Emily rated it it was ok Shelves: While The Cider House Rules is an undeniably well-written novel, I grew impatient with the lengthy narrative and the idle characters. It was hard for me to feel any sense of connection to the different characters, and I cared very little about Homer's life at Ocean View - I was always anxious to get back to St. Cloud's and the orphanage. For me, the real story was about the relationship between Dr. Larch and Homer Wells, and I lost interest in the story once Larch and Homer ceased to communicate While The Cider House Rules is an undeniably well-written novel, I grew impatient with the lengthy narrative and the idle characters.
Though Homer is the protagonist of the story, he remained inscrutable throughout the book. Except for his propensity to interject "right" into any conversation, and his longing for a family, I would not be able to describe any of Homer's other characteristics, his personality, or aspirations. Wally and Candy Worthington, the perfect golden gods, were so flat and dull that I usually couldn't wait for the story to shift away from them.
The triangle between Wally, Candy, and Homer could have been interesting, but it is written without any tension between the characters. In fact, Irving completely skips over fifteen years of the trio's life together. I wish the story had skipped completely over Homer's life in Ocean View. Relationships were never explored to their potentials. Even Olive Worthington is so sensible that she never blames or stigmatizes Homer and Candy for their actions; Ray Kendall, who might have had an interesting paternal relationship with Homer especially since parents are so scarce in this story , dies without confronting either Homer or Candy.
In short, a love triangle which could have been an immense source of drama to characters who actually reacted to events around them became boring. It was so boring that fifteen years of potential strain was glossed over. The one truly interesting character in the book besides Dr. Larch turned out to be the illustrious Melony, whom I hugely enjoyed reading. Melony may have been ridiculous, but she was a well fleshed-out, interesting character, whose life followed a reasonable yet interesting route.
I was equally interested in the two nurses at the orphanage, who were only described briefly in the beginning of the novel. Yet these two characters - who have such strong presences in the lives of Dr. Larch and Homer - never have any face time of their own. I couldn't separate Angela from Edna, nor understand why Homer chose Angela as the namesake for his child. Even a few pages on either of the nurses would have been useful and illuminating. Instead, Irving segues into long descriptions of characters such as the stationmaster.
While the stationmaster is undoubtedly amusing, I wondered why I cared. And yet I liked the stationmaster passage better than the scenes at Ocean View. It's unfortunate that the 5 pages introducing the stationmaster were more interesting than Homer, Candy, and Wally combined.
The Cider House Rules
In the end, finishing The Cider House Rules became a chore. I fail to see the brilliance apparently displayed in this novel. Perhaps it only appears on a second reading; however, I don't think I'll ever pick this up again. Oh, and can I express my distaste for reading pages and pages about characters named Candy and Angel? One would have been enough. View all 7 comments. In other parts of the world, they love John Green. JR's, we love John Irving.
According to my dictionary, Green is of the color of growing foliage, between yellow and blue in the color wheel. While Irving on the other hand, is a genius, hard-working, persevering person who can manage time efficiently; knows how to balance important aspects of life. This has led me to conclude that Irving is a much more suitable name for a writer than Green, and has also solidified my belief that Irvi In other parts of the world, they love John Green. This has led me to conclude that Irving is a much more suitable name for a writer than Green, and has also solidified my belief that Irving is a much better novelist than Green.
It just struck me that the definition of Irving is so close to Irving's nature as a writer. John Green, taking nothing away from him, has much to learn from John Irving. The hordes of teens crying because of John Green's melodramatic deaths will benefit much more if they try reading John Irving. I think I'll feel much better about the collective future of the human race if the crazy teenage obsession towards John Green was given to John Irving instead. As expected from Irving, the novel is filled with characters to feel for. Characters that have the weirdest backgrounds, the funniest thoughts, the craziest names.
Yet they appear more real than the real characters in our lives, the characters we know. It has always been Irving's strength, his characters. Homer Wells, the protagonist, is an orphan boy whose search for identity manifests a richness of the human spirit that is unlike any I have ever read.
Cider City is a novel written in the early 's by Hereford resident Stephen Constance and is published with all proceeds going to support Prostate Cancer. Previous page. Permanent Way: (Or Strangford Bridge and other stories). Kindle Edition. $ Cider City a novel by Stephen Constance. Kindle Edition. $
His story is a marvel to watch as it unfolds. During the first parts of the book, I couldn't help feel that grim aura that enveloped St. That fog-like cloud, that mist that was ever present, that presence of loneliness, of unwantedness, of reckless abandon. That feeling that every orphan felt etched inside their bones. The feeling that every woman had whether their case was that of an abortion or of the orphan conception. His several experiences with foster homes made him realize that he belonged in St. He learned "to be of use". So he became the assistant to Dr. Larch, the director of the orphanage and also his father figure.
The relationship between Dr. Larch and Homer Wells has got to be one of the most touching examples of a father-son relationship in literature albeit not by blood. Clouds he would move to Ocean View Orchard. I'm not going to get into specifics, this is not that kind of a review. You need to discover that on your own. I'm just gonna say that his journey towards finding out who he is ultimately ends in a self-discovery that touches the heart. It's a very special book. One of the most important if not the most important point of the book has got to do with abortion.
Larch did abortions in St. Cloud's and wanted Homer to follow in his foot-steps. Homer, though he thought abortion should be legalized, didn't want to perform it. He believed that fetuses have souls. And it's not my trap—I haven't trapped you. Because abortions are illegal, women who need and want them have no choice in the matter, and you—because you know how to perform them—have no choice, either.
What has been violated here is your freedom of choice, and every woman's freedom of choice, too.
Permanent Way: (Or Strangford Bridge and other stories)
If abortion was legal, a woman would have a choice—and so would you. You could feel free not to do it because someone else would. But the way it is, you're trapped. Women are victims, and so are you. These same people who profess their love of the unborn's soul-they don't care to make much of a contribution to the poor, they don't care to offer much assistance to the unwanted or the oppressed!
How do they justify such a concern for the fetus and such a lack of concern for unwanted and abused children?
Simple Ways to Refresh and Restore—According to the Stars
They condemn others for the accident of conception; they condemn the poor-as if the poor can help being poor. One way the poor could help themselves would be to be in control of the size of their families. I thought that freedom of choice was obviously democratic-was obviously American! Before I read this book, I would have said that I was against abortion. I didn't like the thought of killing babies, but I hadn't really reflected on the gravity of the situation.
With the insights I've gotten from the book, and after my struggle with my thoughts. I have finally decided that I am against anti-abortion laws. It actually doesn't matter if you believe that it is wrong or not.
Get to Know Us. I'm sure that the cameo by Irving as the stationmaster is a salute to one of the characters who was cut though I felt sorrier to see no hint of Melony. Ann Arbor City Club. And the reader watches the painful separation that all parents face when they send their offspring out into the world to make their own way. These same people who profess their love of the unborn's soul-they don't care to make much of a contribution to the poor, they don't care to offer much assistance to the unwanted or the oppressed!
What matters is that people who think otherwise should have the choice to avail it. If I have learned anything in my short life, it is never to impose my will upon others. And I believe that anti-abortion laws, is just that. I'm not forcing my belief upon you, I'm not starting a debate. I'm just stating my opinion. This book opened my eyes, if not removed that veil of ignorance around it. It's just saddening that abortion is still illegal in my country. Here's to hoping that it'll change soon. Another important point of the book has to do with rules.
The name of the novel, The Cider House Rules, concurs to the idea that rules play a very important role in this novel. Actually, it has more to do with breaking the rules. Homer learns this lesson when he begins to perform abortions. In the end, he chose to be the Hero of his own life. He chose to make his own rules.
As I end, let me leave you with an excerpt that I think greatly encapsulates the message of the book: You can't interfere with people you love any more than you're supposed to interfere with people you don't even know. View all 11 comments. Jan 23, Pamela rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Recommended to Pamela by: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was actually really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. He is excellent at character development and his stories are so multifaceted that you are never disappointed.
This is certainly true here in this novel. My surprisingly favorite character was Melony. She was hauntingly creepy, pathetically adorable and demanding of your attention although not a primary character. I loved I was actually really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I loved how Irving intertwined her story into the theme of the book. There was a parallel running between Dr. Larch and Homer that Irving carved brilliantly. Although somewhat expected, the ending was tragic and sad.
I found myself torn with my own personal feelings about the love triangle of Wally, Candy and Homer. This novel reminds us that sometimes even the underdog doesn't win although he plays a damn good game. All in all, this was a wonderful read. Hats off to Irving once again for a rich and delectable story Aug 17, Lesley rated it it was amazing Shelves: You can watch my review here - http: Feb 01, Bill rated it really liked it Shelves: I started the Cider House Rules after giving up on 3 novels that just couldn't hold my attention.
John Irving will certainly make you love reading again. The Cider House Rules is once again a novel rich with characters so real you forget this is fiction and you care about what happens to them. Why can I only say that about a mere handful of writers? This is a novel about abortion in the s. The dilemmas of abortion are obvious, and this novel does lean towards pro-choice. I think pro-lifers woul I started the Cider House Rules after giving up on 3 novels that just couldn't hold my attention.
I think pro-lifers would be well advised to save themselves the ordeal, but that really is too bad since they would miss out on a wonderful read. John Irving is a master writing about the human condition, and given the setting of an orphanage, unwanted children, an elderly ether-addicted doctor, this is every bit as great as you would expect it to be. If you find yourself in the same place I was, where you just can't seem find interest in reading anymore, pick this one up and get to know some wonderful and not so wonderful people.
This is gonna be a tough one to review. First, it should be known that I was not looking forward to this book. Nothing about it called to me. Nothing about the film adaptation ever made me want to watch the movie, either. Let it be known that I still have no interest in watching the movie.
And if it weren't for this John Irving Challenge I'm doing, where I'm trying to read all of his novels in a year's time, I likely never would have picked this up. Do I regret reading it? Learn more at Author Central. All Formats Kindle Edition Sort by: Popularity Popularity Featured Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Avg. Or Strangford Bridge and other stories Oct 09, Available for download now.
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