Queen Esther by John Irving review – a disappointing companion to The Cider House Rules

[Legendary Manlove]

Ugh this book is like same old tropes from John Irving not enough depth on Esther's character feels like he's just checking off boxes on his bucket list instead of actually crafting a compelling story Jimmy's storyline is cool, but it overshadows the entire book Irving's writing is still witty and engaging but it's not enough to save this disappointing novel

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

idk man, john irving just doesn't seem to be on the same page as he was back in the 90s . "the cider house rules" is like his magnum opus and then you just have stuff like this... queen esther feels so shallow compared to his other books . i mean, we get all these plot twists with jimmy's espionage adventures but where's the depth? where's the character development? it feels like irving is just checking off boxes on some master list of "things i need to write about" . and what's up with esther's character tho? she's basically just a prop in her own story . if you want a real page-turner, read "the cider house rules" again, trust me

 

[Anxious Antelope]

"John Irving's lost his magic, feels like he's rehashing old ideas with new DNA "

 

[Disturbing Desert Tycoon]

I don't know why John Irving would even bother trying to tackle such a huge topic like Zionism with a shallow novel . He had a good run with "The Cider House Rules" and I just can't see why he's not sticking to what works for him instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. Esther's character is basically just a prop to move Jimmy's story forward . And don't even get me started on how forced the themes of self-mutilation and wrestling are . It feels like Irving is just checking off boxes on his list of "writing obsessions" instead of actually crafting a compelling narrative. I'll stick to reading his earlier work, thanks

 

[Comfortable Cobra]

I gotta agree with this assessment, but like... what happened to John Irving? His latest novel just doesn't feel the same as some of his other stuff . The world-building is there, but Esther's character feels kinda one-dimensional . It's like he's checking off boxes instead of actually exploring her experiences and emotions .

And don't even get me started on Jimmy's storyline it just feels like a rehashing of some old tropes and obsessions. I mean, I love John Irving as much as the next person, but this one just doesn't hold up .

The Cider House Rules is still an all-time favorite of mine , so I gotta say... if you're looking for a more nuanced read, that's your bet . This one feels like a solid effort, but not the masterpiece it could've been .

 

[Fierce Fly]

I'm kinda disappointed with John Irving's latest novel, "Queen Esther". It feels like he's relying on familiar tropes and themes from his past books instead of taking a fresh approach. Esther's character feels underdeveloped, which is weird given how much we see of her life in Palestine and Israel. And don't even get me started on the plot - it's like he's trying to check off boxes rather than crafting a genuinely compelling narrative .

I love Irving's writing style, but this one feels too focused on his obsessions with self-mutilation, wrestling, and prostitution. It's like we're being hit over the head with them instead of having them organically woven into the story . And yeah, "The Cider House Rules" is still a masterpiece, so I'm not gonna lie, this one fell flat .

I think Irving needs to take a step back and revisit his writing process. Maybe do some research on Esther's experiences as a Jewish woman in a tumultuous world? Give her some real depth instead of just using her for plot devices . Until then, I'll stick with his classics