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*****
Richard Russo won the Pulitzer Prize for this book in 2002. Long ago! I read it long ago too, and then read it again just now for my book club. Worthy of note is the fact that we talked about this book more than any book we have read in a long, long, long time.
I liked it but did not love it the first time around – or the second. But the book club discussion changed my mind. What struck me was that there are so many characters in the book – which in other books can be disconcerting – but not in the case of Empire Falls. We all seemed to know every character by name and have strong feelings about each and every one of them – even Timmy the cat. This truly is the definition of well-developed characters and of a character driven novel.
So…this is the story of the people in a struggling New England town called Empire Falls. The main character is Miles Roby who manages the Empire Grill. Learning about his disappointments and troubled relationships, we move through the book.
Miles is the son of Grace and Max Roby. Grace is long deceased but very much present in her son’s life, while Max is a despicable character very much present and always in need of cash.
Miles is in the process of divorce from Janine who is in the throes of a relationship with Walt Comeau a.k.a. the Silver Fox. She loves Walt for the sex, which she didn’t get enough of from Miles. Perhaps because Miles has always been in love with Charlene, a waitress at the Empire Grill. Meanwhile, Janine’s mom, Bea, is ever in Miles’ corner and combative with Janine.
Another important character is Tick Roby, Miles and Janine’s teenage daughter. She brings all the drama of high school to the novel – and there is a lot. She has an ex-boyfriend, Zach Minty, who is a character I despised along with Zach’s father, Jimmy Minty. Miles hates Jimmy too and always has. They go way back – they were next door neighbors growing up.
A second family is very important in the book, the Whitings. Basically, they own the town and Francine Whiting has many people under her thumb, including Miles. She is the owner of the Empire Grill and of the most awful character in the book, Timmy the cat. Argh!!! I hated that cat!
In 2005, the book was turned into a mini-series which is still available today. It has a star-studded cast including:
- Ed Harris as Miles Roby
- Joanne Woodward as Francine Whiting
- Paul Newman as Max Roby
- Philip Seymore Hoffman as Charlie Mayne
- Helen Hunt as Janine Roby
- Robin Wright as Grace Roby
I didn’t tell you about Charlie Mayne, but there is a lot to learn about that guy! Just you wait and see…
A unique thing about the book is its prologue and epilogue. They seem like they belong to another book entirely. However, they set up three generations of the Whiting family.
For those who thought from the title that we would witness the fall of an empire, the prologue and epilogue show us that we actually have.
My book club and I recommend this book!
*****
Click here to learn more about Empire Falls on Amazon.
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