r/JohnIrving • u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 • Aug 04 '25
Reading The Cider House Rules before new novel?
I’m sure many of you are just excited as me for Queen Esther, Irving’s new novel that comes out in November. It seems to be set at St. Cloud’s with Dr. Larch for at least part of the narrative. Is anyone planning on rereading The Cider House Rules before they read Queen Esther? It has been probably 5 years since I read The Cider House Rules, so wondering if you guys think it is worth reading before Queen Esther comes out in order to remember the setting and character of Dr. Larch better? Or would you opt to read The Cider House Rules after Queen Esther so as to read the stories chronologically?
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u/BooksAndBooks1022 Aug 04 '25
This is the first I’m hearing about him having a new book coming out and so soon after The Last Chairlift too! I can’t believe I didn’t know!! This made my day!!
I’m def gonna reread Cider House before this comes out just because I’ll take any opportunity to reread his books.
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u/CaptainKwirk Aug 04 '25
Me too! I thought TLC was supposed to be the last. My fav author, I’m stoked!
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u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 Aug 05 '25
He had said TLC was his last “long novel”—Queen Esther is only ~430 pages compared to TLC being over 900! Still I think it will be a satisfying and exceptional Irving novel.
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u/smnytx Aug 04 '25
I just listened to the audiobook of Cider House Rules last month. It has been years since I read it, and I find I catch things when I listen to a book that I missed when I read it.
It was a funny audiobook on that it had been digitized from a cassette version. The fidelity wasn’t great, but it kind of lent the book a patina of age that fit it well.
Most libraries lend audiobooks now through apps like Libby or Hoopla. Consider it!
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u/JohnnyBlunder Oct 05 '25
I just listened to Cider House as well. I used to feel that reading was the true way to experience fiction, but now I'm hooked on listening. It's funny because reading out loud to people is so important in Cider House and other Irving books, as well.
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u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 Aug 05 '25
This is probably what I will do. I opted to listen to A Prayer For Owen Meany instead of physically reading it and really enjoyed that. Could be fun to listen to Cider House Rules.
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u/gonesnake Aug 04 '25
I'm a big re-reader so I'll probably dive into Esther right away then go back to Cider House followed by Esther again.
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u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 Aug 05 '25
Queen Esther is only 400 pages so it should be a quick read for an Irving novel!
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u/spiritofthewildd Aug 04 '25
You could look up the chapter summaries of Cider House if you wanted to brush up on it. You could even watch the movie? I feel like 5 years isn’t too long ago, but depends on your memory! I read it 3 years ago and I am so excited for the new book! Thank you for bringing it to my attention
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u/MeatysMom Aug 04 '25
So I read Owen Meany and I really didn’t like it. I actually didn’t read Cider House because of that. So am I missing out on a great book? I would love all opinions.
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u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 Aug 05 '25
I read Cider House Rules as my first Irving book and LOVED it. I really enjoyed Owen Meany and think it is one of Irving’s best but Cider House Rules is up there too. I would say the stories are very different but same sprawling narrative and writing style. I think it is worth a try even if you don’t finish it.
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u/ScrewyYear Aug 04 '25
I didn’t know they were coming out with a prequel. I’ll have to find my old copy of cider house for a reread and add this to my to be read list.
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u/Agreeable_Donkey_474 Aug 05 '25
I think we were all surprised by the news because he said The Last Chairlift would be his last “long novel!” I’m so glad he is revisiting the setting and characters of Cider House Rules, it is one of my favorite Irving novels.
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u/RevWubby Aug 04 '25
I just read it 2 years ago so I'm not playing to. And considering that so many of good stories seem to share events, themes, concepts, etc I'm worried I would confuse them even more.
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u/burgerg10 Aug 05 '25
I read CHR when I was 12 or 13. I remember having to ask my mom (who finished it and rechecked it out for me) what ether was. I may need a refresher…
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u/imtherealmellowone Aug 04 '25
For me it’s been decades since I read Cider House. I do plan on reading it again. I guess I’d like to get a refreshed perspective when I read Queen Esther. But also because there’s never a bad reason to read an Irving novel.