The Cider House Rules cover art

The Cider House Rules

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The Cider House Rules

By: John Irving
Narrated by: Jared Zeus
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About this listen

 'The reason Homer Wells kept his name was that he came back to St Cloud's so many times, after so many failed foster homes, that the orphanage was forced to acknowledge Homer's intention to make St Cloud's his home.'

Homer Wells' odyssey begins among the apple orchards of rural Maine. As the oldest unadopted child at St Cloud's orphanage, he strikes up a profound and unusual friendship with Wilbur Larch, the orphanage's founder - a man of rare compassion and an addiction to ether. What he learns from Wilbur takes him from his early apprenticeship in the orphanage surgery, to an adult life running a cider-making factory and a strange relationship with the wife of his closest friend... Classics Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Feel-Good

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All stars
Most relevant
Great story, although the political mindset of the author feels like that of his 1940s Dr Larch character. Good intentions and radical in many ways, but fundamentally as bigoted as the times he grew up in.
So surprising that it was written in the rather more enlightened 1980s.

Great US 1940-50s story woven around abortions

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This was an epic listen and well worth it. Such a good story and well told.

Excellent!

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I can’t believe I’ve missed out on reading this book for so long. With the state of woman’s rights being so trampled on in the US now it’s a sad indication of things that may have to occur again.
Leaving that aside the story is absolutely charming and the author is so subtle and brought me to tears in the most unexpected places.
Amazing

Those characters will stay with me forever

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I fell deeply in love with the narrator and was was very upset when the book ended. I loved the story too; I would never have thought that the man can use this language.
It is full of empathy, tenderness and love.
Recommend to everyone

Exquisite!!!!

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A wonderful listen from start to finish with an excellent reader. A must read/listen.

Wonderful

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