The Cider House Rules
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • John Irving’s classic novel about a troubled doctor, the conflicted young orphan he mentors, and what it means to be of use in the world—the basis for the Academy Award–winning film starring Tobey Maguire, Michael Caine, and Charlize Theron
“Witty, tenderhearted, fervent . . . This novel is an example, now rare, of the courage of imaginative ardor.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Good night!” he would call. “Good night—you princes of Maine, you kings of New England!”
Homer Wells grows up in a rural Maine orphanage under the tutelage of Dr. Wilbur Larch, a physician who both delivers babies and performs illegal abortions. Dr. Larch trains Homer in obstetrics and gynecology, hoping the boy will follow in his footsteps. Yet Homer refuses, unwilling to conduct the procedures.
Homer seizes the opportunity to leave the orphanage after meeting Wally and Candy, an attractive couple who come to Dr. Larch seeking an abortion. While working on the apple orchard owned by Wally’s parents, Homer falls in love and soon begins an illicit affair. Fifteen years later, a shocking discovery leads Homer to back to the orphanage—and to a decision that will ultimately alter the course of his life.
First published in 1985, The Cider House Rules explores the nature of love, the complexities of found family, and the unpredictable consequences of our moral choices.
“Witty, tenderhearted, fervent . . . This novel is an example, now rare, of the courage of imaginative ardor.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Good night!” he would call. “Good night—you princes of Maine, you kings of New England!”
Homer Wells grows up in a rural Maine orphanage under the tutelage of Dr. Wilbur Larch, a physician who both delivers babies and performs illegal abortions. Dr. Larch trains Homer in obstetrics and gynecology, hoping the boy will follow in his footsteps. Yet Homer refuses, unwilling to conduct the procedures.
Homer seizes the opportunity to leave the orphanage after meeting Wally and Candy, an attractive couple who come to Dr. Larch seeking an abortion. While working on the apple orchard owned by Wally’s parents, Homer falls in love and soon begins an illicit affair. Fifteen years later, a shocking discovery leads Homer to back to the orphanage—and to a decision that will ultimately alter the course of his life.
First published in 1985, The Cider House Rules explores the nature of love, the complexities of found family, and the unpredictable consequences of our moral choices.
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Community Reviews
Writer John Irving’s novel, The Cider House Rules, is a coming-of-age story of Homer Wells. Homer was born in an orphanage in a small town in rural Maine in the 1920s. The doctor at the orphanage, Wilbur Larch, also performs abortions for women who need them. The novel takes place between the 1920s and the 1950s. The novel took place before Roe v. Wade (1973) legalized abortions nationally, before Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) changed abortions in the United States from being legal nationally to the court ruling that abortion should be decided legally as a state-by-state issue (Abdelfatah 2022). Wilbur Larch hopes that Homer Wells will follow in his footsteps as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN). Homer Wells hopes to follow his path in life. John Irving really enjoys 19th-century novels, and The Cider House Rules feels like a 19th-century novel (Braver 2022). The Cider House Rules has a lot of references to Charles Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield, and Charlotte Brontë’s novel, Jane Eyre. The idea of rules is a constant theme in The Cider House Rules. The concept of each person's personal rules, and of those rules, which ones the characters follow and which ones a character forgets. The title of Irving’s novel comes from the list of rules that are posted at the building in which the African American migrant workers live and in which cider is made at the Ocean View Orchard, in which part of the novel is set. The novel covers a large portion of ground. The Cider House Rules was a thoughtful novel.
Works Cited:
Braver, Rita. 2022, October 23. “John Irving: A writer's life.” Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) Sunday Morning. YouTube. 7:18 minutes. John Irving: A writer's life
Abdelfatah, Rund, Arablouei, Ramtin, York, Jamie, Kaplan-Levenson, Wu, Lawrence, Yvellez,
Irving, John. 2025. Queen Esther. New York: Simon & Schuster. Kindle.
Victor, Miner, Casey, Sangweni, Yolanda, Steinberg, Anya, & George, Deborah. 2022. “Before Roe: The Physicians’ Crusade,” National Public Radio-Throughline, May 19, Retrieved: December 17, 2025. Before Roe: The Physicians' Crusade: Throughline: NPR
A poignant and heart wrenching novel that is all too relevant in today’s world. John Irving’s characters are incredibly well developed and I not only could I picture their faces, hear their voices, but I felt their pain, longing, love, so much so that it was as if I actually knew them. These characters will undoubtedly live with me for the rest of my life. This story will be one I never forget, it has seeped deep into my soul because it is so real. The stories of the characters in this book are the things that really happened to women in our society not long ago and unfortunately are happening again. This book should come with trigger warnings for: miscarriage and abortion
My first reading of this book was soon after it was first published. Reading it this time, I remembered how unique John Irving's voice is. There is no other writer quite like him. I was also amazed at how many events, topics and issues he wove into a very good story
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