Rating: 
Summary: Family Life Can Turn into a Train Wreck
Review: For those readers familiar with Tyler's more recent works, such as _Amateur Marriage_, _Ladder of Years_, or _Back When We Were Grownups_, _Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant_ will undoubtedly be found jolting in its portrayal of some rather disturbing characters, even malevolent, in the context of family.As Pearl Tull lies on her death bed, _Dinner_ recapitulates the lives of the Tull family over nearly fifty years. Pearl, the mother of Cody, Ezra, and Jenny, never recovered from the abrupt abandonment by her husband Beck after fourteen years of marriage, some thirty-five years prior. But Pearl has problems beyond a marriage gone awry. She is unusually harsh and critical, and even abusive, with her children, exhibits almost no understanding of them, is quick to take offense or misconstrue situations, and is obsessed with appearances, hers and theirs, even pretending for years that her husband had not left. Cody is absolutely malicious in his dealings with his younger brother Ezra dating from his teenage years into middle-age. Jenny, after two failed marriages, manages to get through medical school but not without first being physically abusive towards her own daughter and then becoming strangely oblivious to the needs of her family in a third marriage. Ezra, the balancing humane element of the book, becomes a partner, with a worldly, elderly lady, in a restaurant near his childhood Baltimore row home, where he still lives with Pearl, despite his mother's abhorrence at the idea. After becoming the sole owner, Ezra remakes the restaurant in his own image, making it unpretentious and home-like, hence the Homesick Restaurant. Ezra makes several attempts to gather the family for dinners at his restaurant through the years. In an apt metaphor for the book, those meals are never completed, as squabbles, usually initiated by Pearl, break up the gatherings. It may be argued that many families are essentially dysfunctional, but the uptightness and antagonisms of the Tull's are a step beyond. Jenny's concern for her patients and Pearl's grandmotherly kindness softens the otherwise harsh picture somewhat. But Pearl has already had her familial influence. Has the author captured and shed light on a realistic or probable situation? As usual, she is highly consistent and not squeamish in examining her characters. Although the story is certainly grim and stark, it has a feel of legitimacy. And that is the book's appeal. Perhaps it can be said that all of Tyler's work questions many long-standing assumptions about families. Don't look for any big lessons or triumphs in the end in her books. According to Tyler, life is what it is.
Rating:
Summary: Family Life Can Turn into a Train Wreck
Review: For those readers familiar with Tyler's more recent works, such as _Amateur Marriage_, _Ladder of Years_, or _Back When We Were Grownups_, _Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant_ will undoubtedly be found jolting in its portrayal of some rather disturbing characters, even malevolent, in the context of family. As Pearl Tull lies on her death bed, _Dinner_ recapitulates the lives of the Tull family over nearly fifty years. Pearl, the mother of Cody, Ezra, and Jenny, never recovered from the abrupt abandonment by her husband Beck after fourteen years of marriage, some thirty-five years prior. But Pearl has problems beyond a marriage gone awry. She is unusually harsh and critical, and even abusive, with her children, exhibits almost no understanding of them, is quick to take offense or misconstrue situations, and is obsessed with appearances, hers and theirs, even pretending for years that her husband had not left. Cody is absolutely malicious in his dealings with his younger brother Ezra dating from his teenage years into middle-age. Jenny, after two failed marriages, manages to get through medical school but not without first being physically abusive towards her own daughter and then becoming strangely oblivious to the needs of her family in a third marriage. Ezra, the balancing humane element of the book, becomes a partner, with a worldly, elderly lady, in a restaurant near his childhood Baltimore row home, where he still lives with Pearl, despite his mother's abhorrence at the idea. After becoming the sole owner, Ezra remakes the restaurant in his own image, making it unpretentious and home-like, hence the Homesick Restaurant. Ezra makes several attempts to gather the family for dinners at his restaurant through the years. In an apt metaphor for the book, those meals are never completed, as squabbles, usually initiated by Pearl, break up the gatherings. It may be argued that many families are essentially dysfunctional, but the uptightness and antagonisms of the Tull's are a step beyond. Jenny's concern for her patients and Pearl's grandmotherly kindness softens the otherwise harsh picture somewhat. But Pearl has already had her familial influence. Has the author captured and shed light on a realistic or probable situation? As usual, she is highly consistent and not squeamish in examining her characters. Although the story is certainly grim and stark, it has a feel of legitimacy. And that is the book's appeal. Perhaps it can be said that all of Tyler's work questions many long-standing assumptions about families. Don't look for any big lessons or triumphs in the end in her books. According to Tyler, life is what it is.
Rating: 
Summary: No Me Gusta
Review: Good charachter development..awful plot.. didn't flow the way good books do.. had to read it for school and barely sludged through it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not just for English classes anymore...
Review: I am an AP (Advanced Placement) English student, and I was required to read this book as one of the summer selections previous to my senior year. I picked it up, expected it to be in the same class of drudgery as the other eight novels I'd already plowed through. Luckily, though, I was pleasantly surprised by Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Halfway through the first chapter, I was already hooked on the misadventures of the Tull family - they reminded me of *my* family! The Tulls are so dysfunctional that everyone can identify with them. The plot was touching, and in places evoked strong emotions, as good writing always will. The book is funny, heartwarming, and hits very close to home. I'm lending my copy to everyone I know - AP student or not. :)
Rating:
Summary: A LITTLE HARD TO CHEW
Review: I am an avarice Anne Tyler fan, several of her books lining shelves of my library. I count on her stories to introduce me to vibrant, eccentric, loveable characters. Also, I count on coming away refreshed and enlightened. "Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant" left me with an upset stomach. The Tull family, though fitting the eccentric characteristics, are more morose and unlikeable than any Tyler family I have read prior. Only one seemed tolerable, and he was a pathetic, lonely soul. BUT...Anne Tyler did not shirk her writing duties. All her strong suits of descriptions, dialogue, character developement, flowing prose are intact. The only reason it rated a 4 was for the unsympathetic characters that haunted me well after the read. I believe good writing and Anne Tyler are synonymous, so don't skip this offering. Just be aware it is more maudlin than most.
Rating: 
Summary: Dull and Just Boring
Review: I am surprised at how many people loved this book and found it great. I found that I really couldn't get involved with any of the characters, and worse yet, Pearl was so downright annoying. There was really no story, just skipping from one character's dull life to the next, and I finally put it down unfinished. A total bore. I gave it two stars because I did like the first chapter, but it seemed to die a quick death from there.
Rating:
Summary: What a Job!
Review: I believe that this novel is Anne Tyler's best. It allows you to truly connect with the characters but at the same time points out things that we all experience (even if may not know it). She allows you to see all the characters point of view rather than just one.
Rating:
Summary: Dull and joyless - Tyler's worst book so far
Review: I guess I'm in the minority around here, but I found this book tedious and joyless. I didn't grow to like ANY of the characters or care about what happened to them. I have very much enjoyed Anne Tylers' other books and recognize that she is a major talent. Her observations are keen and her prose is flawless, but not even she could bring this family of bickering, simpering and aimless people to life for me. I will confess that I didn't make it to the end -- I listened to the audio version and made it to the 6th tape before realizing that life is too short to waste on books you don't like.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolute piece of crap waste of time junk
Review: I had to read it for school over summer and I didn't enjoy it. It just babbled on for 303 pages about how a family grows up. By the end, you've heard the story from each family member's prospective. Over 300 people in my school had to read this book and not many liked it. Some of the parents who read the book pitied their children who had to read it. It was like watching an old black and white documentry about WWII planes all day for a week straight. If you dig that sort of thing than this book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Actually Quite Good
Review: I had to read this when and I took Women's Writing. This is not really the type of book I get excited about. But in all honesty, it is an excellent book. Tyler presents us with a mother and 3 different types of children. First we see them quarrle in a domestic environment. Later, we see how the children relate to one another as they grow into adults. One one hand I can not say this was a personal favorite of mine. But I do not deny the fact that it deserves a place in the museum of women's writing.
|
