Empire Falls
by Richard Russo
Award: Pulitzer Winner 2002
Nomination: Dublin Longlist 2003
Read: February 2, 2007 & July 10, 2017
Empire Falls tells the story of Miles Roby, who lives in a quiet town in Maine. He is the manager of the Empire Grill diner, which plays an important social roll in the town of Empire Falls, with many people orbiting Roby's world spending time there, including his ex-wife Janine and her current boyfriend, Walt.
Russo has created such a rich tapestry of history, people, struggles and economic struggles. Readers are first-hand witnesses to how these characters are trying to define themselves in the midst of a depressed local economy, trying to find their way when industry abandons the town. In this insular world with few options out, people could often feel suffocated, and that is what Russo so artfully conveys here.
I can only suspect what it would be like if someone had stayed in their hometown, married their high school sweetheart, and the only job available was to run the local grill. Playing this scenario out in it's entirety results in Empire Falls, where your kid's only option is to wait tables at your restaurant.
I loved the imagery and detail of this novel. The quiet desperation. The egos jockeying for a boost. The people swirling around each other just trying to make it through the day. The pressure and irritation of family who continually takes of advantage of you. The lack of options to make a significant life change.
Read: February 2, 2007 & July 10, 2017
Empire Falls tells the story of Miles Roby, who lives in a quiet town in Maine. He is the manager of the Empire Grill diner, which plays an important social roll in the town of Empire Falls, with many people orbiting Roby's world spending time there, including his ex-wife Janine and her current boyfriend, Walt.
Russo has created such a rich tapestry of history, people, struggles and economic struggles. Readers are first-hand witnesses to how these characters are trying to define themselves in the midst of a depressed local economy, trying to find their way when industry abandons the town. In this insular world with few options out, people could often feel suffocated, and that is what Russo so artfully conveys here.
I can only suspect what it would be like if someone had stayed in their hometown, married their high school sweetheart, and the only job available was to run the local grill. Playing this scenario out in it's entirety results in Empire Falls, where your kid's only option is to wait tables at your restaurant.
I loved the imagery and detail of this novel. The quiet desperation. The egos jockeying for a boost. The people swirling around each other just trying to make it through the day. The pressure and irritation of family who continually takes of advantage of you. The lack of options to make a significant life change.
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