Sunday, January 23, 2011

Empire Falls



A friend loaned me Empire Falls by Richard Russo over the summer. I brought it back to Abu Dhabi with me and opened it up a few weeks later. Finally... I've finished.

The story of Empire Falls is the story of a small once robust New England town that is diminishing each day. Not too much happens in Empire Falls but it all seems to be orchestrated by the wealthiest resident, Mrs. Whiting. The protagonist, Miles Roby, feels the weight of Mrs. Whiting the most. As the story unfolds, Russo reveals deeper connections between the townspeople.

This story felt a bit like a meander to me. Perhaps it's that I was only able to read small bits at a time and never fully felt absorbed. I kept at it, enjoying the mellow storyline enough. Finally, near the end of the story a big event occurs that was able to hold my attention.

Recommedation: It's a Pulitzer Winner, but not for me.

1 comment:

Jamie said...

Haha! At least you finished it! I gave it to the neighbor at around chapter 3 and haven't missed it at all!