Owen Meany is a dwarfish boy with a strange voice who accidentally kills his best friend's mum with a baseball and believes--correctly, it transpires--that he is an instrument of God, to be redeemed by martyrdom. John Irving's novel, which inspired the 1998 Jim Carrey movie Simon Birch, is his most popular book in Britain, and perhaps the oddest Christian mystic novel since Flannery O'Connor's work. Irving fans will find much that is familiar: the New England prep-school-town setting, symbolic amputations of man and beast, the Garp-like unknown father of the narrator (Owen's orphaned best friend), the rough comedy. The scene of doltish Dr Dolder, Owen's shrink, drunkenly driving his VW down the school's marble steps is a marvellous set piece. So are the Christmas pageants Owen stars in. But it's all, as Highlights magazine used to put it, "fun with a purpose". When Owen plays baby Jesus in the pageants, and glimpses a tombstone with his death date while enacting A Christmas Carol, the slapstick doesn't change the fact that he was born to be martyred. The book's countless subplots add up to a moral argument, specifically an indictment of American foreign policy--from Vietnam to the Contras.

The book's mystic religiosity is steeped in Robertson Davies' Deptford trilogy, and the fatal baseball relates to the fatefully misdirected snowball in the first Deptford novel, Fifth Business. Tiny, symbolic Owen echoes the hero of Irving's teacher Günter Grass's The Tin Drum--the two characters share the same initials. A rollicking entertainment, Owen Meany is also a meditation on literature, history and God. --Tim Appelo

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

garp wrote..., 21 Mar 2008
the humour in this is what captivates every one of it's readers. irving creates a special kind of relationship between his characters and his readers, you care about what happens to then when you aren't reading the book and when it's over you can just sit there for a time just thinking about it. personally this book was an impulse buy after a traumatic day, books are cheaper than smack and much better for your health. definitely worth it, i sat up reading it all night. buy it, you won't regret it.

It isn't as bad as Owen Meany..., 07 Dec 2007
A grotesque 'comedy' by a writer who thinks he's an awful lot better than he actually is, and boy does he want you to know it. Hypocritical, degrading to women and at least 300 pages too long. An 'X-Rated soap opera' with a medley of irritating characters - T.S.Garp not least of all.

New to his books, 09 Mar 2007
I only picked this up after being recommended it- and having read no John Irving books before, had no hopes for this book. However, right from the start I found myself engrossed in the storyline and the characters! In fact, putting the book down was a challenge as all the way through there is something you want resolved and want to know what happens...the events themselves are plastered with twists and turns, unusual and sometimes comical moments, but always heartfelt in one way or another. I also really liked the style it was written in, and everything came together to create a great read for those into all genres of literature.

The Dickens of our age , 12 Feb 2007
John Irving has a talent that every writer on Earth wants: he is able to create characters powerful enough to make the reader draw breath, powerful enough to make the reader leave finger marks over the cover from gripping it too tight.
I read the book when I was 15 and now I am 18. I have read many fiction books since then but none that have left an indelible impression as Technical Sargent Garp have. His character is one filled with all the flaws, hopes and failings of the Western Man. This is perhaps what is so appealing and endearing about his character: he makes the same mistakes that we would in his situation, and he suffers for them like we would. His failings include: 1) His "lust" as his mother puts it 2) His inherent contradictions that set him up to be knocked down. but we don't laugh at him, we cry with him.

What a book. Don't waste your time reading another review-go buy it now!

The first book I've bought by John Irving, now he's my favourite author, 15 Oct 2006
I really like this book. I'm a very young reader as I'd like to put it.
I find that this book has a pretty good humour and amazing, unforgetable characters and events.
I lent this book to a friend and she commented to me that she refused to read it any further because of how graphic it was when Garp's mother wants to have children but she doesnt want to be with a man so she turns to Technical Sergeant Garp who is parlylized. Personaly I don't really mind a book with too much sexual activity. There's no point in not including real life.
If you're a reader who doesn't really enjoy a book that has sex in them, then I wouldn't reccomend Jonh Irving because his novels have quite a bit of it, I'm not saying that in every single sentance there's the word 'penis'.
I would say that to anyone that likes a bit of imagination and that's mature enough to read the book without showing every single 'rude' word to the person closest to you then buy this book. I certainly enjoyed it. It's far better than any book found in my school library!

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

garp wrote..., 21 Mar 2008
the humour in this is what captivates every one of it's readers. irving creates a special kind of relationship between his characters and his readers, you care about what happens to then when you aren't reading the book and when it's over you can just sit there for a time just thinking about it. personally this book was an impulse buy after a traumatic day, books are cheaper than smack and much better for your health. definitely worth it, i sat up reading it all night. buy it, you won't regret it.

It isn't as bad as Owen Meany..., 07 Dec 2007
A grotesque 'comedy' by a writer who thinks he's an awful lot better than he actually is, and boy does he want you to know it. Hypocritical, degrading to women and at least 300 pages too long. An 'X-Rated soap opera' with a medley of irritating characters - T.S.Garp not least of all.

New to his books, 09 Mar 2007
I only picked this up after being recommended it- and having read no John Irving books before, had no hopes for this book. However, right from the start I found myself engrossed in the storyline and the characters! In fact, putting the book down was a challenge as all the way through there is something you want resolved and want to know what happens...the events themselves are plastered with twists and turns, unusual and sometimes comical moments, but always heartfelt in one way or another. I also really liked the style it was written in, and everything came together to create a great read for those into all genres of literature.

The Dickens of our age , 12 Feb 2007
John Irving has a talent that every writer on Earth wants: he is able to create characters powerful enough to make the reader draw breath, powerful enough to make the reader leave finger marks over the cover from gripping it too tight.
I read the book when I was 15 and now I am 18. I have read many fiction books since then but none that have left an indelible impression as Technical Sargent Garp have. His character is one filled with all the flaws, hopes and failings of the Western Man. This is perhaps what is so appealing and endearing about his character: he makes the same mistakes that we would in his situation, and he suffers for them like we would. His failings include: 1) His "lust" as his mother puts it 2) His inherent contradictions that set him up to be knocked down. but we don't laugh at him, we cry with him.

What a book. Don't waste your time reading another review-go buy it now!

The first book I've bought by John Irving, now he's my favourite author, 15 Oct 2006
I really like this book. I'm a very young reader as I'd like to put it.
I find that this book has a pretty good humour and amazing, unforgetable characters and events.
I lent this book to a friend and she commented to me that she refused to read it any further because of how graphic it was when Garp's mother wants to have children but she doesnt want to be with a man so she turns to Technical Sergeant Garp who is parlylized. Personaly I don't really mind a book with too much sexual activity. There's no point in not including real life.
If you're a reader who doesn't really enjoy a book that has sex in them, then I wouldn't reccomend Jonh Irving because his novels have quite a bit of it, I'm not saying that in every single sentance there's the word 'penis'.
I would say that to anyone that likes a bit of imagination and that's mature enough to read the book without showing every single 'rude' word to the person closest to you then buy this book. I certainly enjoyed it. It's far better than any book found in my school library!

Please can I have the last ten hours of my life back?, 28 May 2007
To start with I am a fan of John Irving: "Cider House Rules" was amazing, "Garp" less so but "Hotel New Hampshire" is an unmitigated disaster, a total mess. The frustrating thing is that there is a good book in here but it is submerged under layers of unecessary detail and periods of Dickens-style twee cuteness which really jar with some of the dark subject matter (anti-Semitism, rape, incest). There are too many characters here, a lot of them made unecessarily off-the-wall-wacky, and the plot suffers as a result. Moving the action to Austria is another misfire: the same scenario occurred in "Garp" and as a result one book feels like a rewrite of the other. Overall there is just too little plot to stretch over 500 pages, the plot slows down, the bizarre traits of the characters are repeated to an excruciating and tedious extent. In some writers' hands you can add to the atmosphere with extensive descriptions, Tom Wolfe and Norman Mailer achieve this, but Irving is just not in their class.

It has plenty of faults but..., 29 Dec 2006
For me, John Irving is a bit of a guilty pleasure. There's a lot of things wrong with his books, many of them being mentioned by a previous reviewer. He doesn't always give his characters a rounded personality (particularly in the case of the narrator, probably something borrowed from The Great Gatsby, a book mentioned a lot in Hotel New Hampshire) and some of the events are a little too bizarre and unlikely to be believable.

Despite this, I've enjoyed all the John Irving books I've read (this one, Garp and Owen Meany) the stories are ones I can get lost in and they're the sort of books I'll sit down to read for half an hour and still be reading two hours later without even realising.

If you pick at the Hotel New Hampshire, it falls apart, but it's a great read.

best entry book for John Irving, 08 Nov 2006
I think this is the best book to start with if reading John Irving, as it has his trademarks of love, sex (sometimes incestuous), comedy and loss. As it centres on a family, there are more characters to enjoy than some of his other novels which concentrate on one or two individuals. It's a bit of an epic, moving from the US to Vienna and back again. I fell in love with the family and their eccentric ways and strange associates. It won't make you cry as much as Owen Meany, but it will make you laugh more. Highly recommended.

Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
I loved this book. I've read a few Irvings and this is one of my favourites. I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really.
In response to some of the more negative reviews here, I would say read "The World According to Garp" before giving up on Irving. If that doesn't do it for you, then Irving's not for you. If it does, you should find his other works make a bit more sense.

A mess, 13 Oct 2005
This is the first John Irving novel I have read and will most probably be the last. I am completely bewildered by the reviews on this site - are we reading the same book? As you may have gathered, it is a portrait of an eccentric family growing up in a hotel - first in New Hampshire, then in Vienna. There is a massive cast of peripheral characters revolving around five child protagonists (Franny, Frank, Egg, Lilly and the narrator) and their parents. Maybe Irving spreads himself to thin with this large cast of players as all of them - without exception - are merely two-dimensional cut-outs. Of the children: Franny is a bit sassy, Frank is gay and a bit weird, Egg is hard of hearing and says 'What' all the time, Lilly is tiny and the narrator lifts weights. Of the parents: the Dad is a dreamer and says 'Jesus God' alot, the mother completely obsolete in the narrative, an entirely characterless figure who is unceremoniously killed off with Egg in a plane crash half way through the book (the subqequent 'grief' of which is entirely underwealming and only lazily sketched out by the author). There is little greater depth to these characters than that I have outlined above. All these character traits are presented to us early on and are merely repeated to us as evidence of individual personality throughout the book. Each trait is used as an identifier for a cast of characters who are wholly unconvincing and essentially speak with the same, authorial voice. The dialogue is repetitive and contrived, a repetition of these 'quirks' punctuated by some self-conscious swearing. The emotional world of the characters is sparse at best: there are two emotional reactions throughout the book, with characters either 'shuddering' or 'shivering' at a thought or comment. Neither the 'characters' or the scenarios are nearly as clever or eccentric as the author wants us to believe, and there are frequent returns to early motifs ('State O' Main' the bear, 'Sorrow' the dog) that are tiresome and desperately unfunny. The narrative often tends towards to surreal but most of what happens is too strange to be considered drama but not strange enough to constitute the post-modern novel. There are several slapstick deaths that are neither sad nor funny (i'm not sure which they are meant to be) and are more Fawlty Towers than Hotel New Hampshire. There is so much interesting that could be written about life in hotel that the author fails to evoke. If you want a compelling portrait of the disfunctional modern American family read Jonathan Franzen's 'The Corrections' instead.

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

garp wrote..., 21 Mar 2008
the humour in this is what captivates every one of it's readers. irving creates a special kind of relationship between his characters and his readers, you care about what happens to then when you aren't reading the book and when it's over you can just sit there for a time just thinking about it. personally this book was an impulse buy after a traumatic day, books are cheaper than smack and much better for your health. definitely worth it, i sat up reading it all night. buy it, you won't regret it.

It isn't as bad as Owen Meany..., 07 Dec 2007
A grotesque 'comedy' by a writer who thinks he's an awful lot better than he actually is, and boy does he want you to know it. Hypocritical, degrading to women and at least 300 pages too long. An 'X-Rated soap opera' with a medley of irritating characters - T.S.Garp not least of all.

New to his books, 09 Mar 2007
I only picked this up after being recommended it- and having read no John Irving books before, had no hopes for this book. However, right from the start I found myself engrossed in the storyline and the characters! In fact, putting the book down was a challenge as all the way through there is something you want resolved and want to know what happens...the events themselves are plastered with twists and turns, unusual and sometimes comical moments, but always heartfelt in one way or another. I also really liked the style it was written in, and everything came together to create a great read for those into all genres of literature.

The Dickens of our age , 12 Feb 2007
John Irving has a talent that every writer on Earth wants: he is able to create characters powerful enough to make the reader draw breath, powerful enough to make the reader leave finger marks over the cover from gripping it too tight.
I read the book when I was 15 and now I am 18. I have read many fiction books since then but none that have left an indelible impression as Technical Sargent Garp have. His character is one filled with all the flaws, hopes and failings of the Western Man. This is perhaps what is so appealing and endearing about his character: he makes the same mistakes that we would in his situation, and he suffers for them like we would. His failings include: 1) His "lust" as his mother puts it 2) His inherent contradictions that set him up to be knocked down. but we don't laugh at him, we cry with him.

What a book. Don't waste your time reading another review-go buy it now!

The first book I've bought by John Irving, now he's my favourite author, 15 Oct 2006
I really like this book. I'm a very young reader as I'd like to put it.
I find that this book has a pretty good humour and amazing, unforgetable characters and events.
I lent this book to a friend and she commented to me that she refused to read it any further because of how graphic it was when Garp's mother wants to have children but she doesnt want to be with a man so she turns to Technical Sergeant Garp who is parlylized. Personaly I don't really mind a book with too much sexual activity. There's no point in not including real life.
If you're a reader who doesn't really enjoy a book that has sex in them, then I wouldn't reccomend Jonh Irving because his novels have quite a bit of it, I'm not saying that in every single sentance there's the word 'penis'.
I would say that to anyone that likes a bit of imagination and that's mature enough to read the book without showing every single 'rude' word to the person closest to you then buy this book. I certainly enjoyed it. It's far better than any book found in my school library!

Please can I have the last ten hours of my life back?, 28 May 2007
To start with I am a fan of John Irving: "Cider House Rules" was amazing, "Garp" less so but "Hotel New Hampshire" is an unmitigated disaster, a total mess. The frustrating thing is that there is a good book in here but it is submerged under layers of unecessary detail and periods of Dickens-style twee cuteness which really jar with some of the dark subject matter (anti-Semitism, rape, incest). There are too many characters here, a lot of them made unecessarily off-the-wall-wacky, and the plot suffers as a result. Moving the action to Austria is another misfire: the same scenario occurred in "Garp" and as a result one book feels like a rewrite of the other. Overall there is just too little plot to stretch over 500 pages, the plot slows down, the bizarre traits of the characters are repeated to an excruciating and tedious extent. In some writers' hands you can add to the atmosphere with extensive descriptions, Tom Wolfe and Norman Mailer achieve this, but Irving is just not in their class.

It has plenty of faults but..., 29 Dec 2006
For me, John Irving is a bit of a guilty pleasure. There's a lot of things wrong with his books, many of them being mentioned by a previous reviewer. He doesn't always give his characters a rounded personality (particularly in the case of the narrator, probably something borrowed from The Great Gatsby, a book mentioned a lot in Hotel New Hampshire) and some of the events are a little too bizarre and unlikely to be believable.

Despite this, I've enjoyed all the John Irving books I've read (this one, Garp and Owen Meany) the stories are ones I can get lost in and they're the sort of books I'll sit down to read for half an hour and still be reading two hours later without even realising.

If you pick at the Hotel New Hampshire, it falls apart, but it's a great read.

best entry book for John Irving, 08 Nov 2006
I think this is the best book to start with if reading John Irving, as it has his trademarks of love, sex (sometimes incestuous), comedy and loss. As it centres on a family, there are more characters to enjoy than some of his other novels which concentrate on one or two individuals. It's a bit of an epic, moving from the US to Vienna and back again. I fell in love with the family and their eccentric ways and strange associates. It won't make you cry as much as Owen Meany, but it will make you laugh more. Highly recommended.

Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
I loved this book. I've read a few Irvings and this is one of my favourites. I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really.
In response to some of the more negative reviews here, I would say read "The World According to Garp" before giving up on Irving. If that doesn't do it for you, then Irving's not for you. If it does, you should find his other works make a bit more sense.

A mess, 13 Oct 2005
This is the first John Irving novel I have read and will most probably be the last. I am completely bewildered by the reviews on this site - are we reading the same book? As you may have gathered, it is a portrait of an eccentric family growing up in a hotel - first in New Hampshire, then in Vienna. There is a massive cast of peripheral characters revolving around five child protagonists (Franny, Frank, Egg, Lilly and the narrator) and their parents. Maybe Irving spreads himself to thin with this large cast of players as all of them - without exception - are merely two-dimensional cut-outs. Of the children: Franny is a bit sassy, Frank is gay and a bit weird, Egg is hard of hearing and says 'What' all the time, Lilly is tiny and the narrator lifts weights. Of the parents: the Dad is a dreamer and says 'Jesus God' alot, the mother completely obsolete in the narrative, an entirely characterless figure who is unceremoniously killed off with Egg in a plane crash half way through the book (the subqequent 'grief' of which is entirely underwealming and only lazily sketched out by the author). There is little greater depth to these characters than that I have outlined above. All these character traits are presented to us early on and are merely repeated to us as evidence of individual personality throughout the book. Each trait is used as an identifier for a cast of characters who are wholly unconvincing and essentially speak with the same, authorial voice. The dialogue is repetitive and contrived, a repetition of these 'quirks' punctuated by some self-conscious swearing. The emotional world of the characters is sparse at best: there are two emotional reactions throughout the book, with characters either 'shuddering' or 'shivering' at a thought or comment. Neither the 'characters' or the scenarios are nearly as clever or eccentric as the author wants us to believe, and there are frequent returns to early motifs ('State O' Main' the bear, 'Sorrow' the dog) that are tiresome and desperately unfunny. The narrative often tends towards to surreal but most of what happens is too strange to be considered drama but not strange enough to constitute the post-modern novel. There are several slapstick deaths that are neither sad nor funny (i'm not sure which they are meant to be) and are more Fawlty Towers than Hotel New Hampshire. There is so much interesting that could be written about life in hotel that the author fails to evoke. If you want a compelling portrait of the disfunctional modern American family read Jonathan Franzen's 'The Corrections' instead.

A good novel, 24 Apr 2008
The Cider House Rules is a good example of John Irving at his best - it's a long, rich, complex and always fulfilling novel. Those who are familiar with Irving's other books will recognise the basic premise - it follows the life of an American man in unconventional circumstances - but his books are too complex and quirky to be formulaic.

Homer Wells, the protagonist, is a well developed central character, and he is supported by a cast of vivid and eccentric supporting acts. Irving describes all of his characters, however minor, in great detail - occasionally almost too much. As in all Irving books (that I have read) an important role is played by a dominating, overpoweringly strong female character who influences Homer in his early life. This character is present in everything I have read by him thus far. At least this incarnation is more likeable than some of the others I have encountered.

Wells grows up in an orphanage run by the saintly Dr Larch. An important theme of the story is abortion - Larch performs them illegally but safely, after seeing the horrific consequences of 'back street' abortions. Irving clearly conducted a great deal of gynaecological research, and the process of abortion is described in graphic detail. Therefore anyone who finds this topic upsetting should steer clear of the novel.

One of the best things about this novel - as with all Irving's work - is that it's never clear what is going to happen. Like real life, it is a journey and a surprise. There is no clear end point for the reader to reach, therefore it remains surprising and fresh throughout.

My only real criticisms would be the very long chapters - which make it hard to pick up and put down - and a tendancy towards a little too much detail at times, especially with regards to non-central characters.

Overall though it's a very well written story and has more humour than a lot of Irving's books. Not as good as 'A Prayer for Owen Meany', but probably the best of the rest.

Cider House Rules: brilliant read, 18 Jul 2007
While Cider House Rules sometimes gets lost in its densely woven plots, rarely have I read such a beautifully presented story with such interesting, elaborate and well developed characters.

Irving resents us three main characters: Dr Larch, a saintly doctor in a Maine orphanage; Homer Wells, an orphan and Larch's assistant whom the novel focuses on; and Melony a brutal orphan quite different from Homer, but who influences his life utterly. This is the story of being an orphan, first in the orphanage from which Homer is never adopted and then his life working on a cider farm.

Much of his development is set in a context of sexual attitudes and his sexual understanding. Working with Larch and being Melony's `man', Homer (and the reader) is exposed to a youth of graphic gynaecological detail and a frank and basal use of sex. We then see him change as he falls in love in an impossible situation, which defines the rest of his life.

Much is made of the abortion issues in Cider House Rules, but in all they serve to reflect the themes of the plots - breaking the rules. The subject is treated carefully and allows many insights, through the complex nature of abortion morals, into the characters you, increasingly, cannot help loving in the novel.

This is a light hearted, endearing, and heart breaking book. The breadth and depth of the characters and plot leaves the reader wanting more, although the book can lull (particularly struggling at the beginning). Rarely have I felt so close to a book's protagonists. Irving does a superb job as a story teller - highly recommended.

Gripping, enthralling, challenging..., 10 May 2007
I loved this book; the 'cast' contains a number of memorable characters who are well-drawn and likeable. The book deals with love, morality and culture and is a fascinating and challenging read. The author includes notes which suggest he has done a reasonable amount of research into the medical and apple-growing procedures which are discussed.
This book challenged my own sense of morality and ethics, particularly around the area of abortion.
It is also very funny! Definitely a must-read.
I guess any Irving book will always be compared with Owen Meaney and Garp; to my mind, this is the best I've read.

Tiredness at work, 01 Feb 2007
I'm just sat on my dinner break and I'm feeling very tired.
The blame rest's solely on John Irvings shoulders, I just couldnt put this book down last night.
The story line is fantastic and the futher I read it just seemed to bring me closer to maine and the characters.
I will be reading more by Irving because of this book although I know I will return to this book again and again.
I would reccomend this book to anyone that enjoys reading.


Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
One of my favourite books. If you haven't read Irving before, I'd recommend starting with this or "The World According to Garp". If you like those, go to "The Hotel New Hampshire", "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and then the rest.
I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really. Nevertheless, always a fantastic read.

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

garp wrote..., 21 Mar 2008
the humour in this is what captivates every one of it's readers. irving creates a special kind of relationship between his characters and his readers, you care about what happens to then when you aren't reading the book and when it's over you can just sit there for a time just thinking about it. personally this book was an impulse buy after a traumatic day, books are cheaper than smack and much better for your health. definitely worth it, i sat up reading it all night. buy it, you won't regret it.

It isn't as bad as Owen Meany..., 07 Dec 2007
A grotesque 'comedy' by a writer who thinks he's an awful lot better than he actually is, and boy does he want you to know it. Hypocritical, degrading to women and at least 300 pages too long. An 'X-Rated soap opera' with a medley of irritating characters - T.S.Garp not least of all.

New to his books, 09 Mar 2007
I only picked this up after being recommended it- and having read no John Irving books before, had no hopes for this book. However, right from the start I found myself engrossed in the storyline and the characters! In fact, putting the book down was a challenge as all the way through there is something you want resolved and want to know what happens...the events themselves are plastered with twists and turns, unusual and sometimes comical moments, but always heartfelt in one way or another. I also really liked the style it was written in, and everything came together to create a great read for those into all genres of literature.

The Dickens of our age , 12 Feb 2007
John Irving has a talent that every writer on Earth wants: he is able to create characters powerful enough to make the reader draw breath, powerful enough to make the reader leave finger marks over the cover from gripping it too tight.
I read the book when I was 15 and now I am 18. I have read many fiction books since then but none that have left an indelible impression as Technical Sargent Garp have. His character is one filled with all the flaws, hopes and failings of the Western Man. This is perhaps what is so appealing and endearing about his character: he makes the same mistakes that we would in his situation, and he suffers for them like we would. His failings include: 1) His "lust" as his mother puts it 2) His inherent contradictions that set him up to be knocked down. but we don't laugh at him, we cry with him.

What a book. Don't waste your time reading another review-go buy it now!

The first book I've bought by John Irving, now he's my favourite author, 15 Oct 2006
I really like this book. I'm a very young reader as I'd like to put it.
I find that this book has a pretty good humour and amazing, unforgetable characters and events.
I lent this book to a friend and she commented to me that she refused to read it any further because of how graphic it was when Garp's mother wants to have children but she doesnt want to be with a man so she turns to Technical Sergeant Garp who is parlylized. Personaly I don't really mind a book with too much sexual activity. There's no point in not including real life.
If you're a reader who doesn't really enjoy a book that has sex in them, then I wouldn't reccomend Jonh Irving because his novels have quite a bit of it, I'm not saying that in every single sentance there's the word 'penis'.
I would say that to anyone that likes a bit of imagination and that's mature enough to read the book without showing every single 'rude' word to the person closest to you then buy this book. I certainly enjoyed it. It's far better than any book found in my school library!

Please can I have the last ten hours of my life back?, 28 May 2007
To start with I am a fan of John Irving: "Cider House Rules" was amazing, "Garp" less so but "Hotel New Hampshire" is an unmitigated disaster, a total mess. The frustrating thing is that there is a good book in here but it is submerged under layers of unecessary detail and periods of Dickens-style twee cuteness which really jar with some of the dark subject matter (anti-Semitism, rape, incest). There are too many characters here, a lot of them made unecessarily off-the-wall-wacky, and the plot suffers as a result. Moving the action to Austria is another misfire: the same scenario occurred in "Garp" and as a result one book feels like a rewrite of the other. Overall there is just too little plot to stretch over 500 pages, the plot slows down, the bizarre traits of the characters are repeated to an excruciating and tedious extent. In some writers' hands you can add to the atmosphere with extensive descriptions, Tom Wolfe and Norman Mailer achieve this, but Irving is just not in their class.

It has plenty of faults but..., 29 Dec 2006
For me, John Irving is a bit of a guilty pleasure. There's a lot of things wrong with his books, many of them being mentioned by a previous reviewer. He doesn't always give his characters a rounded personality (particularly in the case of the narrator, probably something borrowed from The Great Gatsby, a book mentioned a lot in Hotel New Hampshire) and some of the events are a little too bizarre and unlikely to be believable.

Despite this, I've enjoyed all the John Irving books I've read (this one, Garp and Owen Meany) the stories are ones I can get lost in and they're the sort of books I'll sit down to read for half an hour and still be reading two hours later without even realising.

If you pick at the Hotel New Hampshire, it falls apart, but it's a great read.

best entry book for John Irving, 08 Nov 2006
I think this is the best book to start with if reading John Irving, as it has his trademarks of love, sex (sometimes incestuous), comedy and loss. As it centres on a family, there are more characters to enjoy than some of his other novels which concentrate on one or two individuals. It's a bit of an epic, moving from the US to Vienna and back again. I fell in love with the family and their eccentric ways and strange associates. It won't make you cry as much as Owen Meany, but it will make you laugh more. Highly recommended.

Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
I loved this book. I've read a few Irvings and this is one of my favourites. I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really.
In response to some of the more negative reviews here, I would say read "The World According to Garp" before giving up on Irving. If that doesn't do it for you, then Irving's not for you. If it does, you should find his other works make a bit more sense.

A mess, 13 Oct 2005
This is the first John Irving novel I have read and will most probably be the last. I am completely bewildered by the reviews on this site - are we reading the same book? As you may have gathered, it is a portrait of an eccentric family growing up in a hotel - first in New Hampshire, then in Vienna. There is a massive cast of peripheral characters revolving around five child protagonists (Franny, Frank, Egg, Lilly and the narrator) and their parents. Maybe Irving spreads himself to thin with this large cast of players as all of them - without exception - are merely two-dimensional cut-outs. Of the children: Franny is a bit sassy, Frank is gay and a bit weird, Egg is hard of hearing and says 'What' all the time, Lilly is tiny and the narrator lifts weights. Of the parents: the Dad is a dreamer and says 'Jesus God' alot, the mother completely obsolete in the narrative, an entirely characterless figure who is unceremoniously killed off with Egg in a plane crash half way through the book (the subqequent 'grief' of which is entirely underwealming and only lazily sketched out by the author). There is little greater depth to these characters than that I have outlined above. All these character traits are presented to us early on and are merely repeated to us as evidence of individual personality throughout the book. Each trait is used as an identifier for a cast of characters who are wholly unconvincing and essentially speak with the same, authorial voice. The dialogue is repetitive and contrived, a repetition of these 'quirks' punctuated by some self-conscious swearing. The emotional world of the characters is sparse at best: there are two emotional reactions throughout the book, with characters either 'shuddering' or 'shivering' at a thought or comment. Neither the 'characters' or the scenarios are nearly as clever or eccentric as the author wants us to believe, and there are frequent returns to early motifs ('State O' Main' the bear, 'Sorrow' the dog) that are tiresome and desperately unfunny. The narrative often tends towards to surreal but most of what happens is too strange to be considered drama but not strange enough to constitute the post-modern novel. There are several slapstick deaths that are neither sad nor funny (i'm not sure which they are meant to be) and are more Fawlty Towers than Hotel New Hampshire. There is so much interesting that could be written about life in hotel that the author fails to evoke. If you want a compelling portrait of the disfunctional modern American family read Jonathan Franzen's 'The Corrections' instead.

A good novel, 24 Apr 2008
The Cider House Rules is a good example of John Irving at his best - it's a long, rich, complex and always fulfilling novel. Those who are familiar with Irving's other books will recognise the basic premise - it follows the life of an American man in unconventional circumstances - but his books are too complex and quirky to be formulaic.

Homer Wells, the protagonist, is a well developed central character, and he is supported by a cast of vivid and eccentric supporting acts. Irving describes all of his characters, however minor, in great detail - occasionally almost too much. As in all Irving books (that I have read) an important role is played by a dominating, overpoweringly strong female character who influences Homer in his early life. This character is present in everything I have read by him thus far. At least this incarnation is more likeable than some of the others I have encountered.

Wells grows up in an orphanage run by the saintly Dr Larch. An important theme of the story is abortion - Larch performs them illegally but safely, after seeing the horrific consequences of 'back street' abortions. Irving clearly conducted a great deal of gynaecological research, and the process of abortion is described in graphic detail. Therefore anyone who finds this topic upsetting should steer clear of the novel.

One of the best things about this novel - as with all Irving's work - is that it's never clear what is going to happen. Like real life, it is a journey and a surprise. There is no clear end point for the reader to reach, therefore it remains surprising and fresh throughout.

My only real criticisms would be the very long chapters - which make it hard to pick up and put down - and a tendancy towards a little too much detail at times, especially with regards to non-central characters.

Overall though it's a very well written story and has more humour than a lot of Irving's books. Not as good as 'A Prayer for Owen Meany', but probably the best of the rest.

Cider House Rules: brilliant read, 18 Jul 2007
While Cider House Rules sometimes gets lost in its densely woven plots, rarely have I read such a beautifully presented story with such interesting, elaborate and well developed characters.

Irving resents us three main characters: Dr Larch, a saintly doctor in a Maine orphanage; Homer Wells, an orphan and Larch's assistant whom the novel focuses on; and Melony a brutal orphan quite different from Homer, but who influences his life utterly. This is the story of being an orphan, first in the orphanage from which Homer is never adopted and then his life working on a cider farm.

Much of his development is set in a context of sexual attitudes and his sexual understanding. Working with Larch and being Melony's `man', Homer (and the reader) is exposed to a youth of graphic gynaecological detail and a frank and basal use of sex. We then see him change as he falls in love in an impossible situation, which defines the rest of his life.

Much is made of the abortion issues in Cider House Rules, but in all they serve to reflect the themes of the plots - breaking the rules. The subject is treated carefully and allows many insights, through the complex nature of abortion morals, into the characters you, increasingly, cannot help loving in the novel.

This is a light hearted, endearing, and heart breaking book. The breadth and depth of the characters and plot leaves the reader wanting more, although the book can lull (particularly struggling at the beginning). Rarely have I felt so close to a book's protagonists. Irving does a superb job as a story teller - highly recommended.

Gripping, enthralling, challenging..., 10 May 2007
I loved this book; the 'cast' contains a number of memorable characters who are well-drawn and likeable. The book deals with love, morality and culture and is a fascinating and challenging read. The author includes notes which suggest he has done a reasonable amount of research into the medical and apple-growing procedures which are discussed.
This book challenged my own sense of morality and ethics, particularly around the area of abortion.
It is also very funny! Definitely a must-read.
I guess any Irving book will always be compared with Owen Meaney and Garp; to my mind, this is the best I've read.

Tiredness at work, 01 Feb 2007
I'm just sat on my dinner break and I'm feeling very tired.
The blame rest's solely on John Irvings shoulders, I just couldnt put this book down last night.
The story line is fantastic and the futher I read it just seemed to bring me closer to maine and the characters.
I will be reading more by Irving because of this book although I know I will return to this book again and again.
I would reccomend this book to anyone that enjoys reading.


Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
One of my favourite books. If you haven't read Irving before, I'd recommend starting with this or "The World According to Garp". If you like those, go to "The Hotel New Hampshire", "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and then the rest.
I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really. Nevertheless, always a fantastic read.


a new fan, 28 Oct 2008
i was given this book to read by a colleague and was slightly intimidated by the 900 odd pages by an author i hadnt read before, however i have to say that Until i Find You was one of the most moving, gripping novels i have read. At the end of the book i was so sorry it had ended and Jack Burns has left an indelible impession upon me as well as turning me into a John Irving fan.

A Good Read, 17 Sep 2008
A very good book indeed which I enjoyed. I say that as a person who views wrestling, tatooing and the early sexualisation of children with a lot of distaste.
There is a reason for the excessive detail in tbe first 150 pages and once you get into the rhythm and past it, things are fine.It's a good sign to me if one is able to love, hate, like or dislike characters. It means they are well drawn.
Of course one could have constructed a much shorter book with the same plot outline. For those in a hurry I am sure the Guardian had a 200 word and a 50 word synopsis.

Familiar territory, great charaters but a disappointing ending, 25 Aug 2008
I'll not summarise the story, see other reviews for this. If you've read JI before then you know what to expect. This is one of his best but I don't think it is quite up there with his very best - nevertheless I found this unputdownable and loved every page of it.

As usual a huge array of somewhat unusual charaters have been created - these are not everyday folk and some of the things they do are way off the credibility scale. The book takes a real twist about two thirds of thw way through which makes the reader doubt much of what has been read before (just as the main character doubts his own memories) and I think this is the most effective and impressive element of the story.

For me the Hollywood/fame section of the story is the least interesting and I thought that the author may of been thinking about the film version of the book at this point.

My only other difficuly with the book was its ending, not so much in the plot ending which was OK but in some of the retrospective story that is given at this point which I just found silly (e.g the pictires on the wall). The ending seemed to be rushed which seems incredible in a book of 900+ pages.
Despite this though I would recommend this book, but not ahead of the Owen Meany, Garp, Cider House and Hotel New Hampshire.

Maybe not your cup of tea, but still a great book., 12 Jan 2008
Covering much ground, there were sections of the book I "learned" to quickly skim through...detailed descriptions of tattoos, descriptions of old Euro-church architecture, etc. Some may love these elaborations; it didn't mean much to me. Irving certainly seemed to enjoy telling us about them. But there was a point to it, I understand-- it was a part of these characters lives.

Without a doubt the book as a whole was intruiging. The story is rich with emotion and love and pain and injustice and struggle and loss and success. Just like life. And throughout every phase of Jack's life, as strange as it was at times, I really wanted everything to work out for him.

Back to Form for Irving, 24 Oct 2007
I loved this book. Irving's output is prolific and sporadically brilliant. I felt that he had lost his lustre of late, but I really rate this book with his finest work: Owen Meany, Garp and Hotel New Hampshire. It is classic Irving, tragic boy, haunted by his past and his complex love/hate relationship with his mother. The action follows Alice the mother and her quest to locate the boy's father via the tattoo parlours of the world. It's quirky, irreverent, dark and very, very sad, but with that wonderful humane touch that saves his stories from being too terrible to bear. Thankfully there is little wrestling here, Irving's obsession with which spoils many of his other works for me.

Life Changing? Not for me., 26 Sep 2008
Having greatly enjoyed `The World According to Garp' I was looking forward to `A Prayer for Owen Meany `which has the reputation of being Irving's best book. But I was sadly disappointed and remain somewhat baffled by the praise heaped on this novel - it is not dreadful, but not wonderful either.

I didn't warm to Owen, while at times intriguing I found him increasingly annoying as the book progressed. THE DECISION TO HAVE ALL OF HIS SPEECH IN CAPITALS DOESN'T HELP AS IT FEELS LIKE HE IS SHOUTING & LONGER PASSAGES ARE DIFFICULT TO READ. John Wheelwright the narrator is bland and dull, only distinguished by his love of Owen. Which leaves only the supporting character to add interest, I'd have liked more of Johns', Mother, Grandmother & his cousin Hester.

My second problem is that the book is too long by at least 200 pages. The basic plot elements would make a decent novella. Once Owens fate is mostly revealed, about half way through, narrative & character getting lost in a long wade through dull and often repetitive diversions on religion, Vietnam, contras, Johns boring life in Canada. Before we finally get anywhere near a conclusion. I was tempted to give up about 2/3rd through, only carrying on in hope of a revelatory ending.

My biggest problem though is that while Irving seems to be trying to make points about faith and religion. It isn't clear what they are, and the whole thing becomes increasing turgid. Some claim this book as life changing (though without saying how their lives have changed). They are I think reading it as an endorsement of faith, but I'm not sure if that is the intention. Irving twice quotes Thomas Hardy on `living in a world where nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently' and the underwhelming nature of the key `revelations'' here (Johns father, the detail of Owens fate) seem to fit with that view. But it is such a mess of ideas it is difficult to know what Irving intended.

A novel I will remember, but couldn't recommended.



Takes your breath away, 28 Aug 2008
Every few months I take time out from my work and sit and read these reviews on Amazon, just to remind me of this wonderful book and to bring back my experience of reading it for the first time. Five minutes into reading the reviews and I'm silently weeping.

It's a utter privelidge to have had the opportunity to read such a book.

Beautiful Owen , 13 Aug 2008
I read this a few weeks ago and half-way through it I thought it was a bit over-long. It's a great story and the characters are superb - Owen has to be one of the best characters of all time. But it's a bit of a marathon of a book and as I read it I just wanted to finish it - not because it was boring but because I'm always eager to read my next book. However, as I got towards the end a strange thing happened. The closer I came to finishing it the more I didn't want it to end. The more you get to know Owen the more you want him to be part of your life forever. And you know what? I think he will be. A truly great book. Long... but you might end up wishing it was longer.

Against the tide, 23 Jul 2008
This was the first book by John Irving I've read and I found it rather too drawn out for its own good.I can't believe I've read the same book as the other reviewers or is the Irving publicity machine so convincing as to warp the literary sensibilities of a large part of the educated population.
As soon as I picked the book up and saw the location (New England) I knew I was in trouble,I don't go a bundle on the intellectually aspirational type people who write from that neck of the woods,they seem to write for sewing cicles and coffee mornings in my mind,but maybe I'm just bitter and twisted.Its just too comfortable for me ,like being smothered with expensive cushions or drowning in warm beer.But maybe thats what the general public wants it obviously sells in vast quantities.
To sum up I think I was too impressed by the shining accolades bestowed upon it.It obviously touched many people and I suppose these will be among his loyal fans, mainly made up of spiritually retarded sentimental dreamers with unrealised literary ambitions,but I guess I'm being a tad cruel and reactionist now.


Who can forget Owen Meany? , 05 Jun 2008
Every now and then, about once a year or so, I take this book down from the shelf and just look at it for a while without opening it. You see, I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. I read the opening lines; again I am instantly captivated and find myself thinking of Owen Meany.
INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU

garp wrote..., 21 Mar 2008
the humour in this is what captivates every one of it's readers. irving creates a special kind of relationship between his characters and his readers, you care about what happens to then when you aren't reading the book and when it's over you can just sit there for a time just thinking about it. personally this book was an impulse buy after a traumatic day, books are cheaper than smack and much better for your health. definitely worth it, i sat up reading it all night. buy it, you won't regret it.

It isn't as bad as Owen Meany..., 07 Dec 2007
A grotesque 'comedy' by a writer who thinks he's an awful lot better than he actually is, and boy does he want you to know it. Hypocritical, degrading to women and at least 300 pages too long. An 'X-Rated soap opera' with a medley of irritating characters - T.S.Garp not least of all.

New to his books, 09 Mar 2007
I only picked this up after being recommended it- and having read no John Irving books before, had no hopes for this book. However, right from the start I found myself engrossed in the storyline and the characters! In fact, putting the book down was a challenge as all the way through there is something you want resolved and want to know what happens...the events themselves are plastered with twists and turns, unusual and sometimes comical moments, but always heartfelt in one way or another. I also really liked the style it was written in, and everything came together to create a great read for those into all genres of literature.

The Dickens of our age , 12 Feb 2007
John Irving has a talent that every writer on Earth wants: he is able to create characters powerful enough to make the reader draw breath, powerful enough to make the reader leave finger marks over the cover from gripping it too tight.
I read the book when I was 15 and now I am 18. I have read many fiction books since then but none that have left an indelible impression as Technical Sargent Garp have. His character is one filled with all the flaws, hopes and failings of the Western Man. This is perhaps what is so appealing and endearing about his character: he makes the same mistakes that we would in his situation, and he suffers for them like we would. His failings include: 1) His "lust" as his mother puts it 2) His inherent contradictions that set him up to be knocked down. but we don't laugh at him, we cry with him.

What a book. Don't waste your time reading another review-go buy it now!

The first book I've bought by John Irving, now he's my favourite author, 15 Oct 2006
I really like this book. I'm a very young reader as I'd like to put it.
I find that this book has a pretty good humour and amazing, unforgetable characters and events.
I lent this book to a friend and she commented to me that she refused to read it any further because of how graphic it was when Garp's mother wants to have children but she doesnt want to be with a man so she turns to Technical Sergeant Garp who is parlylized. Personaly I don't really mind a book with too much sexual activity. There's no point in not including real life.
If you're a reader who doesn't really enjoy a book that has sex in them, then I wouldn't reccomend Jonh Irving because his novels have quite a bit of it, I'm not saying that in every single sentance there's the word 'penis'.
I would say that to anyone that likes a bit of imagination and that's mature enough to read the book without showing every single 'rude' word to the person closest to you then buy this book. I certainly enjoyed it. It's far better than any book found in my school library!

Please can I have the last ten hours of my life back?, 28 May 2007
To start with I am a fan of John Irving: "Cider House Rules" was amazing, "Garp" less so but "Hotel New Hampshire" is an unmitigated disaster, a total mess. The frustrating thing is that there is a good book in here but it is submerged under layers of unecessary detail and periods of Dickens-style twee cuteness which really jar with some of the dark subject matter (anti-Semitism, rape, incest). There are too many characters here, a lot of them made unecessarily off-the-wall-wacky, and the plot suffers as a result. Moving the action to Austria is another misfire: the same scenario occurred in "Garp" and as a result one book feels like a rewrite of the other. Overall there is just too little plot to stretch over 500 pages, the plot slows down, the bizarre traits of the characters are repeated to an excruciating and tedious extent. In some writers' hands you can add to the atmosphere with extensive descriptions, Tom Wolfe and Norman Mailer achieve this, but Irving is just not in their class.

It has plenty of faults but..., 29 Dec 2006
For me, John Irving is a bit of a guilty pleasure. There's a lot of things wrong with his books, many of them being mentioned by a previous reviewer. He doesn't always give his characters a rounded personality (particularly in the case of the narrator, probably something borrowed from The Great Gatsby, a book mentioned a lot in Hotel New Hampshire) and some of the events are a little too bizarre and unlikely to be believable.

Despite this, I've enjoyed all the John Irving books I've read (this one, Garp and Owen Meany) the stories are ones I can get lost in and they're the sort of books I'll sit down to read for half an hour and still be reading two hours later without even realising.

If you pick at the Hotel New Hampshire, it falls apart, but it's a great read.

best entry book for John Irving, 08 Nov 2006
I think this is the best book to start with if reading John Irving, as it has his trademarks of love, sex (sometimes incestuous), comedy and loss. As it centres on a family, there are more characters to enjoy than some of his other novels which concentrate on one or two individuals. It's a bit of an epic, moving from the US to Vienna and back again. I fell in love with the family and their eccentric ways and strange associates. It won't make you cry as much as Owen Meany, but it will make you laugh more. Highly recommended.

Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
I loved this book. I've read a few Irvings and this is one of my favourites. I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really.
In response to some of the more negative reviews here, I would say read "The World According to Garp" before giving up on Irving. If that doesn't do it for you, then Irving's not for you. If it does, you should find his other works make a bit more sense.

A mess, 13 Oct 2005
This is the first John Irving novel I have read and will most probably be the last. I am completely bewildered by the reviews on this site - are we reading the same book? As you may have gathered, it is a portrait of an eccentric family growing up in a hotel - first in New Hampshire, then in Vienna. There is a massive cast of peripheral characters revolving around five child protagonists (Franny, Frank, Egg, Lilly and the narrator) and their parents. Maybe Irving spreads himself to thin with this large cast of players as all of them - without exception - are merely two-dimensional cut-outs. Of the children: Franny is a bit sassy, Frank is gay and a bit weird, Egg is hard of hearing and says 'What' all the time, Lilly is tiny and the narrator lifts weights. Of the parents: the Dad is a dreamer and says 'Jesus God' alot, the mother completely obsolete in the narrative, an entirely characterless figure who is unceremoniously killed off with Egg in a plane crash half way through the book (the subqequent 'grief' of which is entirely underwealming and only lazily sketched out by the author). There is little greater depth to these characters than that I have outlined above. All these character traits are presented to us early on and are merely repeated to us as evidence of individual personality throughout the book. Each trait is used as an identifier for a cast of characters who are wholly unconvincing and essentially speak with the same, authorial voice. The dialogue is repetitive and contrived, a repetition of these 'quirks' punctuated by some self-conscious swearing. The emotional world of the characters is sparse at best: there are two emotional reactions throughout the book, with characters either 'shuddering' or 'shivering' at a thought or comment. Neither the 'characters' or the scenarios are nearly as clever or eccentric as the author wants us to believe, and there are frequent returns to early motifs ('State O' Main' the bear, 'Sorrow' the dog) that are tiresome and desperately unfunny. The narrative often tends towards to surreal but most of what happens is too strange to be considered drama but not strange enough to constitute the post-modern novel. There are several slapstick deaths that are neither sad nor funny (i'm not sure which they are meant to be) and are more Fawlty Towers than Hotel New Hampshire. There is so much interesting that could be written about life in hotel that the author fails to evoke. If you want a compelling portrait of the disfunctional modern American family read Jonathan Franzen's 'The Corrections' instead.

A good novel, 24 Apr 2008
The Cider House Rules is a good example of John Irving at his best - it's a long, rich, complex and always fulfilling novel. Those who are familiar with Irving's other books will recognise the basic premise - it follows the life of an American man in unconventional circumstances - but his books are too complex and quirky to be formulaic.

Homer Wells, the protagonist, is a well developed central character, and he is supported by a cast of vivid and eccentric supporting acts. Irving describes all of his characters, however minor, in great detail - occasionally almost too much. As in all Irving books (that I have read) an important role is played by a dominating, overpoweringly strong female character who influences Homer in his early life. This character is present in everything I have read by him thus far. At least this incarnation is more likeable than some of the others I have encountered.

Wells grows up in an orphanage run by the saintly Dr Larch. An important theme of the story is abortion - Larch performs them illegally but safely, after seeing the horrific consequences of 'back street' abortions. Irving clearly conducted a great deal of gynaecological research, and the process of abortion is described in graphic detail. Therefore anyone who finds this topic upsetting should steer clear of the novel.

One of the best things about this novel - as with all Irving's work - is that it's never clear what is going to happen. Like real life, it is a journey and a surprise. There is no clear end point for the reader to reach, therefore it remains surprising and fresh throughout.

My only real criticisms would be the very long chapters - which make it hard to pick up and put down - and a tendancy towards a little too much detail at times, especially with regards to non-central characters.

Overall though it's a very well written story and has more humour than a lot of Irving's books. Not as good as 'A Prayer for Owen Meany', but probably the best of the rest.

Cider House Rules: brilliant read, 18 Jul 2007
While Cider House Rules sometimes gets lost in its densely woven plots, rarely have I read such a beautifully presented story with such interesting, elaborate and well developed characters.

Irving resents us three main characters: Dr Larch, a saintly doctor in a Maine orphanage; Homer Wells, an orphan and Larch's assistant whom the novel focuses on; and Melony a brutal orphan quite different from Homer, but who influences his life utterly. This is the story of being an orphan, first in the orphanage from which Homer is never adopted and then his life working on a cider farm.

Much of his development is set in a context of sexual attitudes and his sexual understanding. Working with Larch and being Melony's `man', Homer (and the reader) is exposed to a youth of graphic gynaecological detail and a frank and basal use of sex. We then see him change as he falls in love in an impossible situation, which defines the rest of his life.

Much is made of the abortion issues in Cider House Rules, but in all they serve to reflect the themes of the plots - breaking the rules. The subject is treated carefully and allows many insights, through the complex nature of abortion morals, into the characters you, increasingly, cannot help loving in the novel.

This is a light hearted, endearing, and heart breaking book. The breadth and depth of the characters and plot leaves the reader wanting more, although the book can lull (particularly struggling at the beginning). Rarely have I felt so close to a book's protagonists. Irving does a superb job as a story teller - highly recommended.

Gripping, enthralling, challenging..., 10 May 2007
I loved this book; the 'cast' contains a number of memorable characters who are well-drawn and likeable. The book deals with love, morality and culture and is a fascinating and challenging read. The author includes notes which suggest he has done a reasonable amount of research into the medical and apple-growing procedures which are discussed.
This book challenged my own sense of morality and ethics, particularly around the area of abortion.
It is also very funny! Definitely a must-read.
I guess any Irving book will always be compared with Owen Meaney and Garp; to my mind, this is the best I've read.

Tiredness at work, 01 Feb 2007
I'm just sat on my dinner break and I'm feeling very tired.
The blame rest's solely on John Irvings shoulders, I just couldnt put this book down last night.
The story line is fantastic and the futher I read it just seemed to bring me closer to maine and the characters.
I will be reading more by Irving because of this book although I know I will return to this book again and again.
I would reccomend this book to anyone that enjoys reading.


Good stuff, 19 Jul 2006
One of my favourite books. If you haven't read Irving before, I'd recommend starting with this or "The World According to Garp". If you like those, go to "The Hotel New Hampshire", "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and then the rest.
I'm not good at long books, but don't baulk at an Irving; though I often feel they could be a bit shorter really. Nevertheless, always a fantastic read.


a new fan, 28 Oct 2008
i was given this book to read by a colleague and was slightly intimidated by the 900 odd pages by an author i hadnt read before, however i have to say that Until i Find You was one of the most moving, gripping novels i have read. At the end of the book i was so sorry it had ended and Jack Burns has left an indelible impession upon me as well as turning me into a John Irving fan.

A Good Read, 17 Sep 2008
A very good book indeed which I enjoyed. I say that as a person who views wrestling, tatooing and the early sexualisation of children with a lot of distaste.
There is a reason for the excessive detail in tbe first 150 pages and once you get into the rhythm and past it, things are fine.It's a good sign to me if one is able to love, hate, like or dislike characters. It means they are well drawn.
Of course one could have constructed a much shorter book with the same plot outline. For those in a hurry I am sure the Guardian had a 200 word and a 50 word synopsis.

Familiar territory, great charaters but a disappointing ending, 25 Aug 2008
I'll not summarise the story, see other reviews for this. If you've read JI before then you know what to expect. This is one of his best but I don't think it is quite up there with his very best - nevertheless I found this unputdownable and loved every page of it.

As usual a huge array of somewhat unusual charaters have been created - these are not everyday folk and some of the things they do are way off the credibility scale. The book takes a real twist about two thirds of thw way through which makes the reader doubt much of what has been read before (just as the main character doubts his own memories) and I think this is the most effective and impressive element of the story.

For me the Hollywood/fame section of the story is the least interesting and I thought that the author may of been thinking about the film version of the book at this point.

My only other difficuly with the book was its ending, not so much in the plot ending which was OK but in some of the retrospective story that is given at this point which I just found silly (e.g the pictires on the wall). The ending seemed to be rushed which seems incredible in a book of 900+ pages.
Despite this though I would recommend this book, but not ahead of the Owen Meany, Garp, Cider House and Hotel New Hampshire.

Maybe not your cup of tea, but still a great book., 12 Jan 2008
Covering much ground, there were sections of the book I "learned" to quickly skim through...detailed descriptions of tattoos, descriptions of old Euro-church architecture, etc. Some may love these elaborations; it didn't mean much to me. Irving certainly seemed to enjoy telling us about them. But there was a point to it, I understand-- it was a part of these characters lives.

Without a doubt the book as a whole was intruiging. The story is rich with emotion and love and pain and injustice and struggle and loss and success. Just like life. And throughout every phase of Jack's life, as strange as it was at times, I really wanted everything to work out for him.

Back to Form for Irving, 24 Oct 2007
I loved this book. Irving's output is prolific and sporadically brilliant. I felt that he had lost his lustre of late, but I really rate this book with his finest work: Owen Meany, Garp and Hotel New Hampshire. It is classic Irving, tragic boy, haunted by his past and his complex love/hate relationship with his mother. The action follows Alice the mother and her quest to locate the boy's father via the tattoo parlours of the world. It's quirky, irreverent, dark and very, very sad, but with that wonderful humane touch that saves his stories from being too terrible to bear. Thankfully there is little wrestling here, Irving's obsession with which spoils many of his other works for me.

Very different from a lot of Irvine's stuff - loved it, 26 Sep 2008
The plot is on the same scale as some of Dickens' works - it covers some thirty or more years, and conveys the subtle changes that befall the three central characters in that time.

I was at first reluctant to open this book as my previous experiences with Irving have not been entirely happy ones; I had thought him to be rather misogynistic in his portrayal of female characters, and the lack of depth that he was prepared to attribute to them. Here, however, I am glad to say that I couldn't detect it at all.

There's a real affection for the characters in the writing, and some very funny set-pieces are played out.

This edition (The Ballantyne Readers' Circle imprint) features a Q and A session between the author and his editor - not perhaps the most challenging of interviews, but it gives a fascinating insight into the way that Irving approaches writing - one thing he insists upon is knowing exactly what happens from the beginning to the end of a story before he writes any of it, and it shows in how pleasantly structured the plot feels as it progresses; as a reader one feels capable of trusting the writer to convey one to a satisfying conclusion.

And the ending is wonderful :)

good in parts, 21 Jan 2008
At its best, this book is very good. Up until the main character goes to Europe the story is engaging. The tragedy of a marriage breaking up and the sexual awakening of a young man are complex and well written. But, oh dear, the Amsterdam episode is unbelievable, tedious and frankly, silly.

Sorry to say not worth reading, 05 Sep 2007
At one time I was a big fan of John Irving, 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' remains one of my favourite novels, and 'The World According to Garp', 'The Hotel New Hampshire', 'The Cider House Rules' etc. (the film of which was dreadful incidentally) are all, in my opinion, with some caveats wonderful and original novels. However 'A son of the Circus', the novel which preceded this one, was by Irving's standards disappointing but there was enough in it to keep me reading. Unfortunately it was perhaps the beginning of the end as Irving's importance as a writer.

Nevertheless on publication I went out and bought a signed hardback of this novel. Unfortunately the bad omens signified by his previous novel were more than realised. The plot I found was unengaging, the humour laboured and unamusing, the characters uninteresting.

Unfortunately this book for me represented a complete collapse of form on Irving's part and since reading it I have been unable to venture reading his subsequent efforts. If you are new to Irving I strongly recommend his earlier novels, start here and you will wonder how the man gained his reputation.

Mixed emotions - is this art, o just an entertainment?, 13 Mar 2007
John Irving is a famous author, and "A Widow For One Year" is a famous book. Dozens of reviews are written about it by professional critics, and hundreds are written by normal readers like me. Why bothering writing another review?

Because I have mixed emotions about this book. And because I do not seem to agree with many critics.

John Irving writes in a beautiful language. "A Widow For One Year" is a page-turner, which will be an interesting part of your life for the time you will be reading it - two days, a week, a month - depending on how fast you read. The book has a plot, it has a murder, it has an intrigue, contains many beautiful episodes. Here you will find a love story of a young boy with a mature woman, you will find grief, loss of children, several European tours of Ruth Cole, the main character. Sounds familiar? Like in a "World According to Garp", you will find here the details of lives of many writers, even writers who write books about other writers, you will find lots of sex, lots of words in French, German, and Dutch, written in italics, you will find prostitutes, lust, a male cook, who is better than a female cook, you will find sports, etc. This is book is a good story. It is a pleasant read.

But... What does it want to tell me? What is the message the author gives?
Does the book want to tell something at all? Or is it just a nice story without a deeper intellectual background? Is it just like a soap opera which makes you feel great as long as you watch it and leaves nothing what you can think about after it is finished? If I look at "A Widow For One Year" in such a way, I can say that it has fullfilled its purpose.


Not one of his best, 08 Nov 2005
Forget about magical realism; forget about the exploration of grief and loss, and the complexity of human relationships. This book has an awful lot of sex. No, make that: a lot of awful sex. Still, maybe that's what people like, and maybe that's why so many are prepared to forgive Irving for falling so far below his usual high standard. I think that one reason I found this book disappointing was the the main character was not at all engaging; I didn't really care what happened to Ruth