Bridge of Sighs: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) [Paperback]

Richard Russo (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 12, 2008 | Series: Vintage Contemporaries

Louis Charles Lynch (also known as Lucy) is sixty years old and has lived in Thomaston, New York, his entire life. He and Sarah, his wife of forty years, are about to embark on a vacation to Italy. Lucy's oldest friend, once a rival for his wife's affection, leads a life in Venice far removed from Thomaston. Perhaps for this reason Lucy is writing the story of his town, his family, and his own life that makes up this rich and mesmerizing novel, interspersed with that of the native son who left so long ago and has never looked back.

Bridge of Sighs, from the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls, is a moving novel about small-town America that expands Russo's widely heralded achievement in ways both familiar and astonishing.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Significant Seven, November 2007: Richard Russo's first book since the Pulitzer Prize-winning Empire Falls, Bridge of Sighs is a typically stunning portrait of three small town families struggling--like the town itself--to strike a balance between obsessively embracing their own history or shunning it entirely, with devastating consequences along both paths. Bridge of Sighs is pure Russo: funny, heartbreaking, and ringing completely true. --Jon Foro

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--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

The challenge facing those who perform Russo's novels is the self-effacing, low-key nature of his protagonists. The line between a faithful rendition of the character and a snoozer may be as narrow as the street that divides the rich from the poor in Russo's upstate New York town of Thomaston. Unfortunately, Morey's performance finds itself the poor side of the tracks. Lou C. (Lucy) Lynch's narration of events is read in an even, objective tone as if Morey were reading the evening news on an amateur radio show. He does emphasize words and ideas, but the overall effect is monotonous and doesn't do justice to Russo's rich material. Morey's narrative voice for Bobby, Lucy's childhood friend and nemesis, is deeper but more of the same. Morey gives a bit more energy to the third narrator, Sarah, Lou's wife. The result is more soporific than a Thanksgiving turkey, and getting through Russo's sharp account of the factory towns he knows so well becomes more a chore than a pleasure.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 641 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (August 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400030900
• ISBN-13: 978-1400030903
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (211 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rick Russo is the author of six previous novels and THE WHORE'S CHILD, a collection of stories. In 2002, he received the Pulitzer Prize for EMPIRE FALLS. He lives with his wife in Camden, Maine, and Boston.
Photo credit Elena Seibert

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

297 of 319 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In Defense of Richard Russo and a Superb, if Flawed, Novel October 24, 2007

By Gregory Baird VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I don't think that anyone could dispute that there are countless advantages to achieving literary success, but the flip side of that coin is that that there are disadvantages as well, some of which are born of those aforementioned perks. Winning a prestigious award like, say, the Pulitzer Prize, which Richard Russo did in 2002 for his previous novel, Empire Falls, gives an author freedom to explore the range of their talents without the interference of an editor. This is a blessing, no doubt, but can also be a hindrance for a writer like Russo, who has a tendency to get so caught up in his lush storytelling that it may come across as endless rambling to the casual reader. That he actually has a firm grasp on the plot no longer matters, because that impatient reader will already be lost to the story. And that's quite a shame when it comes to "Bridge of Sighs" since it's actually quite a good novel despite the fact that a good editor could have pruned some passages here and tightened a few plot-points there. The first hundred pages in particular are a little slow, but stick with it. Russo is one of the best storytellers in current fiction, and trusting him a little will be well worth the early effort.

After winning the Pulitzer Prize Russo took a gamble on a different format with a short story collection entitled The Whore's Child: Stories, which was an unfortunate misfire for him, an author who truly shines when he sticks to what he knows best, and in that regard "Sighs" is a glorious return to form.... What Russo really understands are middle-aged characters (especially men) with seemingly simple ambitions and quiet lifestyles - in short, the average American citizen. Like Marilynn Robinson (another Pulitzer winner, she for her novel Gilead: A Novel), his talents lie in making ordinary lives extraordinary. He did it for Miles Roby, the college dropout and proprietor of the Empire Grill in "Empire Falls," and he does it again for Lou `Lucy' Lynch, the college dropout and owner of Ikey Lubins Corner Market at the epicenter of "Sighs" (you probably noticed how similar those character descriptions sound, but don't be fooled - Russo is an expert at playing off the tried-and-true without making it feel redundant for a second).

What "Sighs" is ostensibly about is the relationship between Lynch and Robert Noonan, his childhood friend who is now a successful artist living in Venice while Lynch remains (stagnates?) in their old hometown of Thomaston, NY. The two men are polar opposites: Lynch timid and needy, prone to `spells' when he feels stressed and can't handle it, Noonan aggressive and independent, prone to lashing out with his fists when someone tries to cross him; Lynch comfortable living in the past and fearing tomorrow while Noonan actively tries to escape his past and runs headlong into the future. Their dueling narratives flesh out the complexities of their on-and-off friendship, culminating with their recollections of their fateful senior year of high school, a year that proved to be the catalyst for the rest of their lives. At the end of that year, as we know from the very beginning of the novel, Lynch will have won the hand of Sarah, the girl they both fell in love with and who was torn between them for an agonizing year and, perhaps, beyond, and Noonan will have run away to find his destiny in the wider world. As in "Empire Falls," Russo manages to seamlessly blend predictability with some genuine surprises for a heartfelt and multi-layered climax. Seeing how they all ended up where they are is all part of the superb ending, so anyone who doesn't make it through to the end will be missing out. Big time.

But the deeper theme of the novel has to do with our families and how they shape who we are - whether we want them to or not. For Lynch, a nervous and needy person, looking at his parents there was never any question which one he would rather be like: his (foolishly?) optimistic father easily won out over his sensible, grounded mother because what Lynch desires more than anything else is for his father's simple, good-hearted vision of how the world works to be true. The possibility that life can be senseless and cruel is terrifying to him, therefore he rejects it outright. And yet, he is his mother's son, so his optimism represents a choice rather than an inclination, and somehow he must strike a balance between his reality and his desire. Noonan hates both of his parents equally - his father for being a domineering and abusive presence and his mother for being a weak-willed depressive too damaged to get out of her own way. And though he rejects both of them, it terrifies him to know that he is more like them than he would care to admit. Sarah, meanwhile, is literally torn between her parent's disparate world's thanks to their separation and subsequent divorce: summers with her free-spirited, alcoholic mother and school years with her eccentric, rigorously intellectual father. Through them, Russo explores the holds our parents have on us and how, whether we want them to or not, our families mold our lives, and neither Lynch, Noonan or Sarah will ever truly be at peace until they come to terms with the parts of their parents that reside in their own selves. "Do you think we'll end up like them?" Sarah asks at one point. "What if it isn't up to us? What if we're going to end up like them and there's nothing we can do about it?" It's brilliant stuff, deftly handled by Russo, whose acuity for his leads and how they behave and why is nothing short of revelatory. He also scores big with his bit players - his affection for the mischievous Uncle Dec and embittered Gabriel Mock Jr. is palpable.

But as I said earlier, Russo is best at dealing with what he understands, and while he brings 98% of the cast to vibrant life, he seems uncertain of how to handle characters like Hugh, an effete Manhattan intellectual, or Kayla, an African-American preteen living in poverty on Long Island. Lucky for Russo, those misfires are few and far between.

They say that still waters run deep, and this novel, despite looking like a creek, is a veritable ocean. Despite its flaws, "Bridge of Sighs" is a thrilling and enjoyable read once it's had time to get going. Reading this book was a truly effecting experience for me; I can't stop thinking about it, and that, in my humble opinion, is the true test of what makes a great novel.

Grade: A- Read more ›

90 of 105 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great great great September 24, 2007

By D. Mahoney

Format:Hardcover

Russo once said: "When a favorite author of mine comes out with a new book, I always hope for two contradictory things: first, I hope it's like all the other books of his or hers that I love, and second, I hope he's not going to repeat himself. Sure, it's a paradox, but I suspect I'm not alone in my desires."

Bridge of Sighs is exactly that--a great book that'll feel both familiar and fresh to Russo readers. I'm a long-time fan of his books and Bridge of Sighs is everything I hoped it would be; it's also a book I'd press on anyone who hasn't read his previous work. Highly recommended.

50 of 57 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars More sighs than bridges November 3, 2007

By Oregon Writer

Format:Hardcover

After having this book on my shopping list, waiting for its release, I was excited when I opened the package to see the cover of Bridge of Sighs. I sat down immediately to begin this big book. Richard Russo KNOWS small towns, and how they work, and how the people interact and love and hate and exist. Empire Falls has intrigued me each of the times I have read it, and the movie is wonderful as well, being superbly cast.

Bridge of Sighs falls short. Way short. I put it back on the shelf twice, having given up on it. Yet, I kept wondering what happens when they all get to Italy, so I retrieved it and started in once again. Well, you who have read it know what happens so I won't divulge that here. Suffice it to say I was disappointed.

And bored. I hate to admit it but yes, I was bored by this book. This small town was somehow less relevant, and the relationships were all strained and unhappy. Weird, even. I was bored by the people and bored by their problems. I felt that conclusions about causation were wrong, and weakened the book.

I will always run right out and buy a Richard Russo book, but I hope next time I will be more richly rewarded.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait... November 9, 2007

By Cynthia K. Robertson TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Richard Russo has not only become one of my favorite two authors (along with Pat Conroy), but the Bridge of Sighs is one of the best books that I've read this year. Russo is not as prolific as other authors, but his books are worth the wait.

The Bridge of Sighs is told in two voices--Louis C. Lynch (Lucy) and Robert Noonan.
The book starts with the boys as neighbors and elementary schoolmates in the dying fictional tannery town in upstate New York, Thomaston. Most of the story belongs to 60 year old Lucy, who is writing the story of his life. Lucy was never popular and while intelligent, he was more of a plodder. His best and only friend Bobby was brash, over-confident and a fighter. He would also disappear for periods of Lucy's life. During high school, Lucy and Bobby teamed up with Sarah Berg, who becomes Lucy's wife and also figures prominently in the story. Lucy comes from the most stable family, and their family grocery store, Ikey Lubin's, becomes a home for them all. "It was clear that she [Sarah] loved not only the Lynches but also Ikey Lubin's, as if the store satisfied some deep craving, and everything she could ever imagine was right there on the shelves."

While writing his life's story, Lucy and wife Sara are planning a trip to Venice. Lucy's childhood friend is now a famous artist living in this enchanting city. But Lucy does not like leaving Thomaston and his family suspects that he will do something to sabotage the trip. Little does anyone know the scars they all carry from childhood and how that baggage still affects their lives. Also, there are still unresolved issues between Lucy, Sarah and Bobby that need to be addressed....

Nobody writes small town dramas like Russo, and Bridge of Sighs is filled with wonderfully fleshed-out characters (and I mean characters), bullying, racism, unrequited love and the trauma of adolescence. It is also filled with heroes. There's Big Lou (Lucy's sweet, overly optimistic father), Tessa (Lucy's realistic but good-hearted mother), Sarah (Lucy's lovely, long-suffering wife), and Lucy himself. Despite the fact that these are fictional characters, I came to love them and care about what happened to them. But where Russo really moved me was his expertly-woven plot and how everything came together at the end. In fact, it's a book that I didn't want to end.

Bridge of Sighs is definitely worthy to stand along with Russo's other masterpieces including Empire Falls, Mohawk, and Nobody's Fool. Read more ›