I have really enjoyed the previous John Irving books I have read, and The Last Chairlift started out as warm and inviting as all the others. However, this one just didn't really move along. I only got 3% through it and was so bogged down with the thought of how slow things were going, that I just couldn't proceed. The issue is not with the book, but with the reader.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me a chance to read The Last Chairlift.

Oh to sink into the cozy, yet crazy world of John Irving! I’m a long time fan and was honored to receive an ARC from Netgalley! For those younger readers or those unfamiliar with Mr. Irving’s writings, I liken it to Roald Dahl for grownups. Complex, colorfully quirky characters, ferocious, brave females and humble, almost apologetic male characters drive the tale of a young boy and his eccentric family. Themes of death, ghosts,cross dressing, wrestling, homosexuality, and what makes a family. The book is hefty, (over 900 pages!), and probably could have used a “little snowshoer editing”. Having said that, I loved this book! I found myself laughing at and with the characters, crying with the characters, cringing for the characters and cheering them on. Grab a box of Kleenex and hunker down, this is one bumpy ride, but such a satisfying read!

I loved John Irving’s earlier works, the World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and Owen Meany so I was thrilled to get an advance copy of John Irving’s new novel, The Last Chairlift. It reprised many of the themes and was very similar to an extent to the World According to Garp: Exeter prep school, unusual and eccentric mothers, ghosts, writers, family relationships and dysfunction, homophobia, wrestling, LGBTQ, politics and cultural changes, not to mention the New Hampshire and New England setting although this novel also includes Aspen, Austria, Germany, Colorado, Vermont, Toronto and New York City, among others. For those who know Aspen, and particularly the skiing there along with the iconic Jerome Hotel will enjoy the references and history. The snow laden landscapes along with skiing focus were nicely done and realistic. The novel spans the years 1941-2019, so many politically charged issues crop up, including Vietnam, homosexuality, AIDS, abortion, the Catholic Church, and others. The characters are very quirky and honestly I was laughing through most of the novel. However, I do think the editor lost their editing technique and pen. The novel at 912 pages is way too long and in many places extremely repetitive. However, I did the enjoy the story albeit a bit of a too long challenge to wade through. The dialogue is artfully done and the writing is great. I did like the book and for those who are John Irving fans, the novel will not disappoint to a large extent. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

Let me just get this out of the way. I am John Irving's biggest fan (along with many, many others). I read The World According to Garp in 1986 and fell in love. He doesn't just write - he paints an image for the reader. Needless to say, I've read his entire library since then and nothing has ever disappointed me. It makes me sad to hear that this will be his last full-length novel.

To say that John Irving's work is quirky is an understatement. The Last Chairlift goes beyond quirky. It's easily and wonderfully one of the strangest books I've ever read. The characters are memorable, each one a nod to past works (Adam is easily Garp, or Owen Meany, or...the list goes on). Irving's formula is clearly present throughout - single mother: check. protagonist trying to figure out who his father is: check. Lesbianism, cross-dressing, wrestling, Austria, over-the-top family members, bizarre accidents: check, check, check!

A hit out of the ballpark for longtime readers - my fear is that someone not having read previous works will be scratching their heads.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book by someone I've idolized for many, many years.

Genre: Literary Fiction/Sexual Politics
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: October 18, 2022

At the 1941 National Downhill and Slalom Championships in Aspen, Colorado, skier Rachel Brewster competes in the slalom event. Little Ray, as she is known, doesn’t win. However, she does manage to become pregnant. Irving begins his new novel with Little Ray’s son, Adam, journaling his life. Young Adam is sweet yet defiant of his mother. He is determined not to learn to ski. She is forever telling him to stop wringing his little hands. This theme of defying authority runs deeply through the novel, along with those of neurosis and comic obsession. Little Ray adores, for example, Adam’s short stature, and that of his step-father.

John Irving is one of the prominent novelists of our time—it is a terrifying honor to be asked to review his work. His most recent book, which he wrote at the age of 80, is a 912-page tale laced with his recognizable brand of subtle detail and humorous dialogue. As usual, his characters are oddballs. They have flaws and quirks and sometimes they're annoying or downright unlikeable, but you end up loving them anyway. Many of the topics touched upon, including sexual nonconformity, are exactly what you’d expect from Irving.

One of my favorite chapters is “The Lesbians’ Children,” which seems to encapsulate the spirit of the novel. Now a gay mother, Little Ray, and her lover, Molly, live happily together with Little Ray’s gay husband. Little Ray’s son, Adam is straight. His best friend is his older cousin Nora, who is gay. As a young teen, Adam needs to close his ears, and curious mind, to the loud orgasms of Nora’s lover, Em. Eventually, Adam will marry Em. Irving refuses to cage his characters’ identities, weaving theses threads together with such wit and empathy, it’s hard to imagine the plot unfolding any other way. Ahead of his time, Irving’s 1978 classic, "The World According to Garp," featured a rare example of a sympathetic trans character. The world may at last be catching up.

With such a lengthy novel, it’s not surprising to see it grow sluggish in places. Probably fewer chapters could have resolved this problem. But come on, it’s John Irving. The man is famous for long, strange novels. Did I mention the ghosts? Or the fateful lightning strike? Just get the book and sink in.

Nobody can craft dysfunctional characters as superbly as the great John Irving--and THE LQAST CHAIRLIFT is a splendid example of that. Alas, this novel would have benefited from a little trimming--yet it's always a treat to read a master at work.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity of an early read.

Seven years in the making, and well worth the wait!

Again, John Irving gives us an exceptional multigenerational portrait of a witty, sympathetic character and his dysfunctional yet charming family that was so interesting to read, I could not put it down until its satisfying conclusion. Many times I laughed out load!

Adam Brewster is a character as great and unforgettable as Garp and Owen Meany.

Clocking in at 912 pages, I never wanted it to end. I will happily purchase the hardcover when it's released so I can read it again and again! Five stars-plus! (And will share this review again on Amazon in October.)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reading of such an incredible story.

I read A Prayer for Owen Meany as a senior in high school and fell in love with Irving's style of writing. I have read several others by him, and I was happy to be approved to read The Last Chairlift.

I enjoyed reading Irving's style again, but I felt like this book was bogged down by its sheer length. I felt like many of the pages could have been cut out while keeping the integrity of the book.

I loved reading the secrets that were revealed, and I thought that Adam was a phenomenal character, simply because his reactions and feelings were truly realistic. I think many will see their own families through Adam's eyes because many tend to evade the past rather than accepting the truth.

I wanted to love this book, but again, the length kept it from being a winner for me.

Adam Brewster and his family and friends populate this very long book with unforgettable characters and situations. Adam’s mother, “Little Ray” Brewster, had a one night stand at the Jerome Hotel in Aspen, CO as a nineteen year old and returned to her New Hampshire family “with child.” Her first love and her work was ski instructing so Adam was raised mostly by grandparents, aunts and uncles while Ray was away. The book contains many of Irving’s recurring themes - very small people, wrestling, New Hampshire, unusual sex, lesbianism, writing career. I thought it was too long by half, but I guess Irving just had a lot to say. At age 80, this is probably his last novel, capping a career that includes many memorable books. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I chose to request this book because I really enjoyed some of the author’s previous books. I must say that this one just did not capture my attention. I did find it funny in a lot of places but it is very, very long and exhaustive. I found I just could not get involved with the characters or the settings throughout the book. I know that others have found this ideal for them but it just is not ideal for me.

I found this book to be another hit from the author. As usual the author presents an array of unusual characters. At times it was a slow read but that can be expected in a 900 page book. This is a book which I would recommend to others.

Much thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an early opportunity to read John Irving’s last LONG novel “The Last Chairlift” When Irving said this would be his last long novel, he left no doubt whether it was a novella or novel, it weighs in at 900 pages or roughly 30 hours. Now I am a long time Irving fan. The World According to Garp is a modern classic and A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorite all time books. I did enjoy The Last Chairlift, but I would say with the length, it is probably not a good introduction to Irving if you have not read him. I think this book really plays to long time readers. His recurring themes are all here. Mother Son relationships, wrestling, hotels, LGBTQ, New England, Schools and of course plenty of quirkiness! The novel does reference Moby Dick throughout the story, a part of the theme, and the novel is also told in different formats. A good chunk of the novel is in screenplay format. Wrapping up, before I reach 900 pages, but once again, I think longtime readers of Irving will feel quite at home, and maybe a little nostalgic enjoying one of the worlds great storytellers last works of art. Thank you for reading! #TheLastChairlift #NetGalley

I fell in love with the eccentric band of characters: Adam, his mother Little Ray (a ski instructor), her lesbian life partner Molly (a ski patroller), Little Rays husband Mr. Barlow (English teacher/wrestling coach/eventual transgender woman), Adams cousin Nora and her nonspeaking girlfriend Em (pantomimes her way through life) and plenty more. Its a very non-traditional family to say the least, but the amount of love and support shared between them is moving.

The book spans between the 1940’s to present day with plenty of focus on sexual intolerance, the AIDS epidemic, political (republican) bashing over the decades. Some of it became a little long winded but again the moments of humor and my investment in the lives of the characters pulled me through.

Most of the book is narrated in first person by Adam, other parts were written as a screenplay. That was a little harder to follow but I guess it added another dimension to the book. Again Im not familiar with any of his previous work so I cant compare but I enjoyed it. I would only recommend it to committed lovers of reading, because you are going to invest a lot of time and it takes a little patience at moments.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

John Irving writes creating such beautiful imagery and believable raw characters. I love this complicated novel, with its complicated characters, and their complicated lives set in our increasingly more complicated world.

This book is a doozy due to its size and the extensive detail Irving takes you into. It might have been the mere mass of the book or that it just wasn’t for me but I found myself forcing myself to read unfortunately. I am a fan of Irving’s others works but this one just didn’t work for me.

I'll start with how much I loved some of her older works and that I really was excited to get an advance reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion.

It was slow going from the start, learning about Adam, his gay mother Little Ray, her gay husband the little snowshoer, Adam's influential stepfather and all the other characters. Too repetitious in many cases, but also way more details than we needed is how I'd best describe this 912 page book. Easily it could be cut in half and that might still be too long.

Adam has no idea who his mom is, but he knows she likes small men and compares himself to any small man who may have been in her life at the time of his conception. As a champion skier she was competing then so there were many people who might have been attracted to her then.

The family is bizarre, with an understanding grandmother to Adam, who does not interfere when his 2 aunts battle with and criticize his mother and his stepfather. Little Ray's father, who stopped talking entirely when he learned of her pregnancy, is referred to by so many titles that I was glad once he was out of the picture in a bizarre way.

Actually, bizarre is the best word to describe the whole book. If I mentioned how bizarre each character was, you'd never finish reading this review. There were moments of wit and once I laughed outloud. Adam's aunts, laughing uncles and grandfather were too out there for me. The issues of being gay or transgender took up a lot of the book which didn't faze me, but if that bothers you, don't read this book.

Overall it was way too long and many parts were just plain boring. Other parts were interesting enough to look forward to the next chapter, only to be ley down again. Too rollercoaster-ish for me.

John Irving’s much awaited new novel is a treasure chest of the memorable characters and backstories I love him for, and it is probably twice the length of Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville. I mention this because another thing I enjoy about Irving’s work is that he always shines a light on other works of fiction that have factored into his life.

This tome focuses on Adam Brewster and his formative years in Exeter, New Hampshire, amongst relatives with diverse world views and lives. The reader can count on encountering some zaniness, here.

Adam has been born out of wedlock to Rachel “Little Ray” Brewster, an expert skier and former serious competitor. Since Ray spends part of the year as a ski instructor in another location, Adam spends plenty of time missing his mother. In her absence, Adam’s early experiences involve hearing his insufferable maternal aunts moralize about his mother’s situation, seeing ghosts in his attic bedroom, and having his grandmother read to him from Moby-Dick. He also becomes close to Nora, an older cousin. She and her girlfriend Em become important people in his life. Another wonderful, important character is Elliot Barlow, yet another adult who will act as a lodestar in Adam’s life. Additionally, his mother’s girlfriend, Molly, is also there for Adam, at times helping him to better understand Little Ray. All the while, though, Adam has burning questions about his father, who his mother will not talk about.

As the years pass, Irving reminds us of plenty of history, especially concerning sexual politics. The outside world’s opinions and laws affect the lives of Irving’s characters in profound ways, and their reactions are a vital part of the plot. Another part of Adam’s saga is aging, and the loss of these special souls in his life, and how they all stay with him, in various ways.

Bits of this book seem to be autobiographical. For instance, Irving’s biological father was indeed a mystery to him, so he let his imagination run with that. Irving even communicates, through Adam, that “biography isn’t good or bad enough to work as fiction,” at least in itself. It’s been an important ingredient in his novels, but not the most important one.

The characters Irving invents are memorably unusual and for the most part endearing. I certainly haven’t mentioned them all! Some parts of this saga would work well as short stories, and that brings me to my only criticism. This novel could have and should have been more thoroughly edited. There was some repetition at times, which would have been needed if it had been split into smaller segments, but altogether, it was too much.

I am honored to have been given this opportunity to read this marvelous novel as an early reviewer. Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster.

This is quite possibly the longest book I have ever read, 30+ hours; I typically read a book in 4-6 hours, so this one was like the equivalent of 6 normal-sized books. I loved the first half, the characters are fun and quirky, and their relationships are unique and heart-warming, but even though I loved them, with a book this long, I got tired of them. I absolutely hated the later chapters that were written as screenplays. I get John Irving is a legend, and this is rumored to be his last novel, but it just seemed indulgent. A lot of the parts could have been edited out to form a much more enjoyable story. I was hoping for another Owen Meany, and although there were glimpses of that kind of genius, this book just did not measure up in the end,

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The richness of familial detail is astounding. When I finished the book I felt like I had lived a lifetime with Adam and his family. The Last Chairlift ranks high along with Owen Meany and Garp.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {THE LAST CHAIRLIFT - John Irving}

I have never read anything by John Irving before, but the synopsis on Net Galley peaked my interest. I had no clue the book was 912 pages long, took me about 2 weeks to read. If it wasn’t for Adam (who is narrating his life story) and his hilariously dysfunctional and unconventional family, I would not have labored through it. I fell in love with the eccentric band of characters: Adam, his mother Little Ray (a ski instructor), her lesbian life partner Molly (a ski patroller), Little Rays husband Mr. Barlow (English teacher/wrestling coach/eventual transgender woman), Adams cousin Nora and her nonspeaking girlfriend Em (pantomimes her way through life) and plenty more. Its a very non-traditional family to say the least, but the amount of love and support shared between them is moving.

The book spans between the 1940’s to present day with plenty of focus on sexual intolerance, the AIDS epidemic, political (republican) bashing over the decades. Some of it became a little long winded but again the moments of humor and my investment in the lives of the characters pulled me through.

Most of the book is narrated in first person by Adam, other parts were written as a screenplay. That was a little harder to follow but I guess it added another dimension to the book. Again Im not familiar with any of his previous work so I cant compare but I enjoyed it. I would only recommend it to committed lovers of reading, because you are going to invest a lot of time and it takes a little patience at moments.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!