Empire Falls, by Richard Russo

 

Characters
Francine Robideaux Whiting – widow, owns Empire Grill C. B. – husband, deceased, 2nd family in Mexico Cindy – daughter, crippled in accident, loves Miles (born the same day as Miles in same hospital)   Miles Roby – runs diner, will inherit from Francine Christina “Tick” – daughter Janine – wife, getting a divorce, teaches aerobics, lost considerable weight David – brother, crippled arm from accident Parents:  Max – smoker but always borrowed, spit food Grace   Customers: Walt Comeau “The Silver Fox” – engaged to Janine, owns fitness club Horace Weymouth – reporter   High Schook: Candace Burke – Tick’s new friend John Voss – picked on at school Justin Dibble - student Otto Meyer – principal Mrs. Roderigue – art teacher   Charlene – works at diner, divorced four times   Jimmy Minty – police officer, always bumped side of diner when he parked Zack Minty – Tick’s old boyfriend   St. Catherine’s parish: Father Mark Father Tom – dementia, always told what he heard in confessional   Callahan’s Bar – owned by Bea, Janine’s mother	Memory Sections
	Chapter 8: Miles – age 9 – Martha’s Vineyard Mr. Miller – met them at ferry Charlie Mayne – really C. B. Poison ivy   Chapter 14: Miles – junior high school Max lost license and sold car Miles – Driver’s Ed class Mr. Brown – Driver’s Ed teacher and baseball coach Mr. Boniface – principal   Chapter 19: Miles age 9 – home from Martha’s Vineyard Mother pregnant by Max Max home   Chapter 22: Miles – high school sophomore Shirt factory closed Grace working for Mrs. Whiting   Chapter 26: Miles – 4 years after high school graduation   Epilogue: C. B. ran over Cindy Suicide

 

 

 

NOTE: Page numbers are from the hardback edition.

1.      Grace was disappointed that Miles came back home – she wanted him to finish college and move on.   Later he felt he had no choice but to stay because of his own child.  David told him, “You claim you are sticking it out for Tick, but do you know what the kid’s going to be if you aren’t careful?  She’ll be the next manager of the Empire Grill” (page 119).  Miles’ response was, “Over my dead body” (page 119).  Is he any different from his mother?  What could he have done differently in the past and in the current time?

2.      Discuss Miles – he ended up asking Cindy out even though he had no intention of doing so.   Also, he was unable to ask Francine about liquor license.

3.      Grace’s life’s philosophy was that it “was a person’s duty on earth, God’s plan – spelled out in the Bible, to make life a little more fair” (page 166).   This is what she thought when she told Miles that he had a special duty toward Cindy after the accident.  How did this idea affect his life? Was this fair to him?

4.      Discuss the other characters – Janine, The Silver Fox, Charlene, Max, and others.  What did they add to the story?   Did the author do a good job describing them?

5.      How well did the author depict the atmosphere in high school?   Was it fair of Mr. Meyer to ask Tick to befriend John Voss?

6.      When John Voss was shooting at the school, why was he going to shoot Tick?  She was his only friend.

7.      What did his habit of hurting dogs and then soothing them tell you about John Voss?  Was there a connection to him being stuffed in a laundry bag and hung from the hook on the closet door?  What could have been done to help him?

8.      On page 124, the author wrote about Horace seeing something, but he did not tell the reader what it was until page 423 (John Voss beating a dog chained to a stake.)  Did that bother you?  Did you make the connection when you read page 423?

9.      After the shooting, when Miles took Tick to Martha’s Vineyard, in the library he was mistaken for a professor or writer.   The author wrote, “To be told, at forty-three, that he looked like what he’s meant to be only increased Miles’ sense of personal failure” (page 468).  Should he have felt this way?  Was his life a failure? 

10.  While on the island he visited the cabin where he and his mother stayed and, in a dream, saw Charlie Mayne.  In the dream he told Miles that he, Miles, had killed his mother. That if it had not been for Miles she would have gone with Mayne.  Do you think this is true?

11.  This book was published in 2001.  What did you think about the references to sex with Janine?  Was it tasteful and important to the story?  How would this have been written today?

12.  Were there any parts you found particularly enjoyable or satisfying?  For example:

a.      Fracine being washed away by the river that C.B. rerouted years ago and with the cat riding on her body.

b.      Max being “sempty.”

c.      Jimmy Minty being arrested for stealing.

13.  Why do you think the author chose such a negative ending?  Did you find anything positive?  If the ending had been more positive would the book have been so successful?