Rating: 
Summary: Large, complex, a symphony of voices old and new
Review: Though John Irving has never been my favorite writer, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I did "a Widow for One Year" a few months ago, and "A Prayer for Owen Meany" many years ago. I had tried reading this over a decade ago, but just couldn't concentrate on so vast an undertaking at a busier point in my career. I must admit that seeing the movie, and having enjoyed it so much motivated me to try reading this particular edition (part of what turned me off originally was how small the print is on the mass market paperback editions and how hard it was ten years ago to read such a thick mass market paperpack whose spine cracked almost immediately--why don't publishers think more often about the physical aspect of reading as well as the mental one?) One of the things that particularly delighted me about this book after seeing the movie first (which is almost never the right way to do things) was how very much I LOVED Michael Caine's portrayal of Wilbur Larch, and how I loved the character of Dr. Larch even more after reading the book--I was afraid of finding out it was Michael Caine who was wonderful, and not Dr. Larch himself. But the portrayal was outstanding AND the character himself is more than memorable. Although there are a significant number of small differences between the story details in book and movie versions, the cinematic version turns out to be a fairly edifying transition to the screen of a novel of Dickensian complexity in terms of character and plot. Thus, the two versions can be enjoyed quite independently of one another, but the pleasure of the one is enhanced by the experience of the other---QUITE an accomplishment, and bravo to John Irving for having done both! The Cider House Rules may even be the best novel of John Irving's, with the outrageous tragedies which initially made me somewhat distrustful of his fiction more harmoniously integrated into this story than the others--especially the earlier ones, like GARP which made me feel uncomfortably manipulated and made his art seem somewhat silly. The novel, as opposed to the movie, is really quite comprehensible in terms of motivation and character development, which is not always the case in Irving's novels. I do highly recommend reading this novel, even if you enjoyed the movie, or perhaps especially if you enjoyed the movie, because the broader canvas of the novel allows greater scope in understanding both Dr. Larch and Candy. Also, the differences between the two stories are almost like a theme and variations to explore further. They really don't clash or conflict, but expand one another.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I--like many readers--thought the beginning was a bit slow, but the story quickly takes on life 1/3 of the way through. Irving is masterful at character development, and his subtle shifts from scene-to-scene are wonderful. The only thing that bewildered me was the use of dates. Why didn't he ever use complete years, instead of leaving off the last number...i.e., 194_ etc. Does anyone know why he did this? That's a pretty minor criticism, though. This book is a masterpiece!
Rating: 
Summary: OK
Review: This book was ok. It was mildly entertaining and I did like the ending. The characters were all very good. I got kind of grossed out by the graphic descriptions of abortions and I felt that there were too many of them. One would have done the trick.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: This was my first JI book and I really enjoyed it. I liked how all of the characters were written to be so human. They all showed their strengths and flaws and even in the best people, there were dark things about them. No one was perfect. This book made you think too, it made you debate the abotion issue in your own head, because you were not presented with a "this is how it should be" view crammed down your throat, there were debates inside the book. JI's book is filled with rich imagery and characterizations, I recommend to all.
Rating:
Summary: Not a JI fan, but there was something about this one...
Review: I liked this book not only because of the stand it took on certain issues (i.e. always two sides to a story/an issue and neither are necessarily entirely wrong, or right, holy v evil, primal v social (the obvious is the abortion issue, another is the relationship of Rose v Mr Rose to name but two) even the most despicable characters have their moment of redemption), but also in the manner with which , in a perfect world, people would/should interact with each other - in agreement or not. There is a higher ratio of saintly, Godly, devoted, nice, honest people in this book that you would find in real life... This book doesn't have as much the "surreal" tone to it as his other novels have, which was good news to me. Though it does have detail, lots of it, it only benefits its "distinct flavor". Bottom line: Bravo.
Rating: 
Summary: Tip for John Irving
Review: One word: Euphony. Look it up.
Rating:
Summary: Good Story but..
Review: I loved this story but some parts really dragged I had to force myself to keep picking it up but I'm glad I did because the story itself was compelling this is the first novel I've read of John Irvings I would like to try another one.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting book
Review: The book was captivating although a little long. It could have been shortened 100 pages without a loss to the story line (especially all those parentheses)! Overall, it was quite entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: A charming book...but not his best
Review: I have read many of John Irvings books, in fact i am a devoted fan of his. This book was wonderful and i have no complaints. However it does not have the same formula as his other books. It's more traditional and not as unique as ones such as my all time favorite "A prayer for Owen Meany." If you loved cider house rules which i did. YOu'll go crazy over Owen Meany. Overall i did enjoy this book very much, it's just that compared to Irving's other novels, i cant possibly give it 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Everyone
Review: Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down, reading whenever and wherever I had a spare moment. The book was one of the best I have ever read. Irving had a way of writing a story within a story, his orphans Homer and Melony living out the lives of Jane Eyre and David Copperfield. It was an amazing book that tore at your heartstrings, questioning pro-life or pro-choice, the fairness of being left an orphan, the ups and downs of love, family bonds, and loyalties. We watched as St. Cloud survived the ages and the strength of Dr. Larch's convictions, and his undying, strong love for his young protege, Homer Wells. We watched the love triangle between Homer, Candy Kendall, and Wally Worthington unfold over the span of fifteen years. But most of all, through the actions of the characters, we learned a little bit about ourselves. By the end of the book, I was hoping for more. This book is a must-read for anyone.
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