Reviews

Chances Are... by Richard Russo

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shareen17's review

4.0

Three friends spend a weekend together in Martha's Vineyard, the same place a fourth friend of theirs disappeared many years ago. It was an engaging mystery, as well as an interesting look at male friendship.

eavers's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

seaswift14's review against another edition

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hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

billymac1962's review

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4.0

As I begin this review, I'm not sure whether this will rate a 5 or 4-star read for me. Actually, let me rephrase that. I'm rating this one a 4.5, but where I waffling is whether to round up or down.

Empire Falls still stands as one of my favourite novels of all time. It had everything: a great story and great characters. I tried twice to read Nobody's Fool, and both times it couldn't hold my interest.
So now, happily, I can say I've read and finished another of his books.

And again, it was a great story overall, and with great characters.
The premise is irresistable: we have three college buddies in 1969, and all three are in love with the free spirited Jacy, who is their "fourth musketeer".
After their last year of college, with the Vietnam draft threatening, the four spend the first weekend of summer together at a one of their summer homes on Martha's Vineyard. Following the weekend, Jacy is never seen again.
Fast forward to present day, and our buddies are 66 years old, and gathering for old time's sake one last time at this summer home before it's sold. Hanging over all their heads is Jacy.

I was very much absorbed in this one. It was a fairly short novel by Russo's standard, a bit over 300 pages, and it moved along well enough. The reason I can't quite give this one five stars is that there was certainly a lot of self-perusing by Lincoln and Teddy. A lot of the same questions circling back, over and over. This broke up the narrative momentum in a big way for me. But, this is where it was a good thing that this was only 300 pages long.

Utimately this was a very satisfying read, and Russo really is fantastic. Hey, he wrote Empire Falls.
Even though this didn't quite match up, I would still highly recommend it.

I really, really wish he hadn't mis-spelled Janis Joplin, though....(Janice?!)

4.5 stars...rounded down this time.

shirleytupperfreeman's review

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Mickey, Lincoln and Teddy became best friends in the late 60s when they attended a private, east coast college as work-study students from very diverse backgrounds. Now 66, the men are reuniting for the weekend on Martha's Vineyard. The fourth member of their group was Jacy - a beautiful young woman who was definitely not a scholarship student. Each of the men are at a bit of a crossroads in their lives. Memories of their last, post-graduation, visit to the island stir up complicated feelings and questions - particularly, what happened to Jacy? It's a mystery, a story of male friendship and a story of an era written by an author at the top of his craft.