“Not one wrong note.… Russo demonstrates a stunning ability for nailing the essentials of character and atmosphere.”

— Newsday

“Immensely satisfying.… [Russo is] an unpretentious master of fictional technique whose deeper wisdom expresses itself in the distinctive fallibility, decency, humor, and grace of the indisputably, irresistibly real people he puts on the page.”

— The Boston Globe

“The kind of big, sprawling, leisurely novel, full of subplots and vividly drawn secondary characters, that people are always complaining is an endangered species. Yet in part thanks to Russo’s deft satiric touch—much of the book is laugh-out-loud funny—it never feels too slow or old-fashioned.”

— Salon

“Russo’s most assured novel yet.… Empire Falls makes you wish you’d stayed in that small town you grew up in.”

— San Francisco Chronicle

“[Russo is] one of the best novelists around.… As the pace quickens and the disparate threads of the narrative draw tighter, you find yourself torn between the desire to rush ahead and the impulse to slow down.”

— The New York Times Book Review

“That Empire Falls resonates so deeply is a measure of its unexpected truths.… Richly satisfying.”

— The Washington Post Book World

“A rare novel, thoughtful and entertaining.”

— USA Today

“Engaging.… Russo’s unique talent is his way of yoking wry humor to serious sadness, and rollicking entertainment to social commentary.”

— The Plain Dealer