RaveJanuary MagazineRusso brings as much life and dignity to the minor characters in Empire Falls as he does to the key players: one of the reasons the book works on so many levels … The plots and subplots in Empire Falls are as numerous as the secondary characters, though all of these subplots hinge on a single theme: the generational bloodsucking of the Whitings and the subsequent repercussions on a seemingly doomed New England town. Empire Falls is a stunning, tragicomic portrait of the lives contained there. Russo's dialog snaps and his descriptions resonate but it's his understanding of humanity and his ability to portray his characters with equal measures of dignity, grace and humor that quietly astounds. Empire Falls is a perfectly rendered portrait of small town, blue collar life.
Jonathan Franzen
PositiveJanuary MagazineJonathan Franzen is one genius of a wordsmith as well as a journeyman observer of the human condition...it buckles with such stylishness you have to give him points for trying even while you wade through crazy plot twists that you sense on the first read will never be connected … What makes The Corrections work is Franzen's sharp eye, attention to detail and, ultimately, his ability to let us see deeply into people who, at first take, don't appear to warrant a second glance. As he leads us through this family epic, however, Franzen peels away layers of protection until we're allowed to see the worthwhile person that the veneer of coping has covered so neatly. It's a good trick and a warming one and Franzen pulls it off with aplomb.
