Rating: 
Summary: Dull and sloppy,
Review: A very weak entry by a writer with an otherwise strong reputation. It's the type of novel that makes one wonder if the author had anyone read it before it was sent off to the publisher. The book is plagued by a weak, formulaic plot (one which, in the end, isn't very interesting anyways), sloppy structure (Russo can't seem to make up his mind as to whether he wants to use a third-person omniscient or a third-person limited point-of-view), one-dimensional characters who leave no lasting impression, and page after page of boring, repetitious, pointless prose. Russo's characters love to talk, and talk, and talk; nothing of moment happens in the novel until the last 100 pages or so and by that point, I really didn't care. Points of the novel are downright hokey, as when Miles, the main character, carries on a conversation with a ghost--a plot device which is a sure sign that Russo was having trouble getting his character's emotions across in a more conventional, show-don't-tell manner. There are also scads of minor (though still irritating) problems: the ridiculous dialogue which at times employs every stereotype in the book (the wealthy, arrogant widow who continuously refers to Miles as "dear boy," for example); the attempts at humor which really aren't very humorous, the overused plot devices and ridiculous generalizations (the troubled youth, the drunkard father, the beautiful young mother who turns "every man's head").Russo struggles mightily in the final pages to redeem his story, by throwing some unexpected curve balls; and at rare moments, he slips into some elegant prose and makes an occasional insightful observation. Indeed, the final scene of the novel does leave an impression and leaves the reader wishing that Russo had been so creative, so unique in the previous 480+ pages. The best I can say about Empire Falls is that it's the only book by Richard Russo I have read, and so his prior work may be much better.
Rating:
Summary: Nobody's Fool
Review: I'm Nobody's Fool and, unfortunately, neither is this book - not even close. Unfortunately also, he tries, quite carelessly, to reprise Fool in many ways. A bad go from conception to completion. Maybe just a shot at making a buck - who knows. Always a bad sign when the publisher can find no reviews from substantial sources from which to quote. A big dissapointment but, from the stars already assigned by readers, clearly one can fool most of the people some of the time.
Rating: 
Summary: True to life moments
Review: I enjoyed this book, Russo populates his novels with realistic characters, and in this case it is the residents of the small town of Empire Falls. Miles Roby, the soon to be divorced protaganist, struggles with his family situation and his future. Miles runs the Empire Grill, owned by the elusive matriarch of the town, whose impact on Miles' life has been huge from his perspective. There are other well crafted characters; Max Roby, Miles' never do well father who nonetheless thrives (reminiscent in some ways to Sully in Russo's novel Nobody's Fool); Jimmy Minty, the police officer who has a simmering resentment towards against Miles; his son Zack who is on again off again with Miles' daughter improbably nicknamed "Tick"; Walt Comeau, a shady yet affable character who is marrying Miles' wife; and the mysterious kid in art class who doesn't say a word and seems to harbour a great secret. Most of all, it is a tale of real life, of regret about choices made, and the joys and heartbreaks of everyday people. If I had one problem at times it was Russo's tendency to hit you over the head with each new revelation, instead of letting the plot unfold more slowly and subtly. I recommend this novel very much, if it seems that not much seems to happen, hang in there, it is very rewarding. There are some moments at the end that don't ring true, but most of it does, and this book stayed with me afterwards.
Rating:
Summary: One of his best
Review: As some others have said, Richard Russo may be one of the best writers today. "Empire Falls" is a 'Great American Novel' which touches on just about every human emotion. It's a nice blend of humor and serious subjects. There are some gem sentences where Russo makes some great observations on who we are and why we do certain things. He pulls no punches in this book, and he doesn't wrap things up nice and neat at the end, perhaps leaving himself open for a sequel, but he's never done that (written a sequel) to date. I recommend this book and all others (4) by Richard Russo.
Rating: 
Summary: Read it in two days...
Review: First and foremost, Richard Russo is a storyteller. With engaging, often hilarious characters ... true-to-life dialogue and situations ... a credible small-town setting ... people making the best of their often-disappointing lives ... this is a novel that reached out and grabbed me. I cared (and feared) what was going to happen next, how it was all going to come out. Yes, there are big, thought-provoking contemporary themes as well. But mostly, I was caught up in the story itself and, at its end, I found myself hoping for a sequel, not quite ready to let go. As others have said, Richard Russo is one of the best!!
Rating:
Summary: Memorable one-liners and vivid scene descriptions
Review: As the other reviews attest, this is a well written, intriguing and thought provoking novel. I've hardly read any novels in 30 years, generally enjoying history and other nonfiction, but this was a great read that I couldn't put down, and that I recommend it highly. Beside the well developed, believable characters and multiple interesting story lines, Russo delivers hundreds of memorable one-liners and vivid scene descriptions. No doubt this will be made into a movie. The main character, Miles Roby, constantly reflects on the "mistake" he made 20 years earlier by coming back to his terminally depressed hometown of Empire Falls, Maine and running a short order grill rather than finishing college and being the professor he imagined becoming. And yet, what's missing in his life? He is liked and respected, serves on the school board and provides other valued community services, is raising a fine daughter, has multiple social relationships, is surrounded by people who care about him and lives in a community with no traffic congestion. Is any of this worse than his plight might be in a soulless upscale suburb, sunbelt city or congested metro area surrounded by people who know and care little about him? Sure, Miles is no financial success, his wife left him and many of the people he knows have striking character flaws. But those things can happen anywhere. Being a lifelong resident of Empire Falls doesn't sound so bad to me.
Rating:
Summary: Russo is the American George Eliot
Review: Empire Falls tells the story of a town on the verge of disappearing, and the people who have already disappeared into it. Miles Roby, his disfigured brother Dave, his estranged wife, and his sensitive, wise daughter struggle like moths pinned to a board against the forces of revenge. Mrs. Whiting, who owns the Empire Grill, most of the town, and the bankrupt weaving mill, tries to impose her will on Miles to destroy his life, as her husband destroyed her life first by having an affair with Miles' mother, and then by committing a damaging mistake that ruins their future. Russo is obsessed with rotten fathers, crazy widows, ruined downtowns, places and people far away from dot.com lives, soccer momism, and corporate anonymity. For Russo, every act of malice rings down the years, every act of bravado is shamed by the light of day. In his books, people get on with their lives whether they want to or not. Much like George Eliot, in her masterwork, Middlemarch, Russo sees a community made up of the ambitions, desires, and failures of its inhabitants. No cowboys in this fiction, just trapped people who love and hate their bonds, like most of us.
Rating:
Summary: A book that's real and that I can feel
Review: This book is going to one day be considered a classic. Russo is an excellent story teller. Every page made me feel as if I were actually there in Empire Falls and as if I had known the characters my whole life.
Rating:
Summary: Jerome Weidman meets Garrison Keillor...
Review: ...with a dash of Stephen King, a soupçon of Sherwood Anderson, and a dollop of Edgar Lee Masters.
Rating:
Summary: Straight man moves to Maine
Review: Sorting through new releases in a small bookstore in Cork, Ireland, I found Empire Falls. Russo's previous triumph -- Straight Man -- made me receptive to his next work, and he did it again. Empire Falls beguiled me and drew me into an intricate web. While this is fiction, Russo has a method for intricate detail, small asides, and colorfully connected characters, coloring each with a clear sense of reality. Miles Roby has an understandably difficult life to manage: a disappointed soon-to-be ex-wife, a beautiful mother dying young, a struggling diner in failing blue-collar northern city, a troubled teenaged daughter, and several old nemeses he simply can't shake in this small, decaying town. And the middle-aged fears and doubts Russo portrays reminded me of my own mortality and the value of family and friends. Like Will and Joel in James Kaplan's Tw Guys from Verona, Miles and David Roby share some dark secrets and common struggles, not as supermen or masters of the universe, but as likeable if crippled protagonists. And Russo has the talent to remember the pettiness and pain of high school life as well. After reading this, you want to hug your children, call your retired parents, and make better contact with your friends. Humanity triumphs.
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