A review by hezaasan
Empire Falls by Richard Russo

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Elegantly structured and written in a manner that doesn't overly call attention to itself. I didn't love every character, and had some grumbles about the quality of the inner life of his female characters and some dated jokes about wife killing, but this is a writer who knows his way around yarn spinning and thread tying, and I would definitely read more from him if the opportunity should arise.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence and Mental illness

School shooting in final act had a level of detail -- and yet not quite enough detail --that was a bit of a hard read for me. It felt almost accurate and powerful but not quite.