The Cider House Rules

Okay, so this book happens to be in my top 30 - I can say that when I first read this book I got the same emotional blow from it as The House of the Spirits and took a while to recover. I seem to get more emotional about books than real life events - is that bad? 

I found this book when I was browsing the bookshop near where I live and well, it was on sale. I was only about 14 at the time and it looked like quite an emotional read. I had heard about the film adaptation - but really only thought about it when I caught sight of the book. I held its hefty weight in my little asian hands for a time and then read it that very night. Completing that large book in the space of 2 and a half days really goes to show how enthralling it really was for me. 

Characters:

My favourite character was Angel. He was that character that was created from dramatic irony and you spend most the book silently screaming to them all of the truths you have discovered. "HE'S YOUR FATHER!" As you point to the character - and "OH MY GOD CANDY! HOW COULD YOU!" Whenever Angel did something that urged on some tearfulness. Angel was truly a great character and his time in St. Cloud's was not wasted - I think though, that it was just so harrowing watching him completely unaware of this.... I'm not gonna give spoilers. 

Themes:

My favourite theme was emotional attachment. There is a series of references to emotional attachment in this novel - especially in the orphanage scenes - and the scenes with the abortions. It is clear that many who work at the orphanage want to keep an emotional distance from the babies as they want the kids to be able to transfer quickly and easily. Be that as it may, that is not always the case and it can be quite emotional at times. *cries*

Storyline:

I really enjoyed the part where Angel is born in St. Cloud's. It seems like such an emotive experience - yet there's something missing from it. As if the atmosphere is incomplete or even tainted by something bad. A good juxtaposition on Angel's name as well. I quite enjoyed the writing style of Irving and think that his work is very emotionally charged and when you really get into it - you don't even realise how long the book is. You just don't want it to end. 

Verdict:

I give this book 9

100% for characters: I really did love the character of Angel, and also of Candy - she just seemed so incomplete all the time. *cries*

100% for themes: Emotional attachment always gets us going when it comes to novels. I'm more attached to fictional characters than real people. Please, am I crazy? 

100% for storyline: Angel's birth is one of the greatest birth scenes I've ever read. It. Was. So. Good.