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| Plot Summary of Empire Falls |
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"
Knopf, May 2001, 25.95,479 pp.
ISBN: 0679432477
When the textile and logging industries deserted the town, Empire Falls, Maine began to more than decline. The small town appeared ready to die and remains in critical condition. Still, Miles Roby, manager of the Empire Grill, finds sustenance for the soul by observing the eccentricities of his repeat customers even as his wife divorces him to take up with one of his diners.
Everyone in town dances to the tune of the matriarch Francine Whiting whose deceased husband owned the manufacturing plants that once thrived in Empire Falls. Rich in spite of the closure of her prime income makers, Francine owns the grill that she promises will go to “tap dancing” Miles. In fact that observation of being part of a dance ensemble performing to the music of Francine provides Miles with the amused lament of what he could have been.
No author today provides deeper looks at small towns than Richard Russo does. EMPIRE FALLS is an incredible character study that insures every cast member, including those making only cameo appearances comes in three-dimensional flesh and blood and the key protagonists and several secondary players contain so much depth they feel like neighbors. The story line centers on small town life mostly from the milieu of the diner. Many of these observations come from Miles to include his self-deprecating introspection. All this makes Richard Russo's character study tale so good that readers who relish a strong insightful human drama will want this novel.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Empire Falls |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- upbeat
Life of a profession:
- blue collar worker
Other aspects:
- story of "the rich"
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Culture clash?
- family young v. old guard
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society)
- American Northeast
- American American
If story of urban/rural...
- Small town life
Job/Profession/Status story
Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Woman's story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Unusual Style:
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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