The Cider House Rules
Irving's novel, The Cider House Rules, begins in the 1920s in St. Cloud's orphanage in Maine where Homer Wells is born and spends most of his adolescent years. Three times he is adopted by well-meaning families, but later returned to the orphanage. Dr. Larch, who is in charge there, would just as soon have him stay, for he becomes an able assistant to the doctor in performing abortions and delivering babies.
Wally Worthington, whose wealthy parents are in the apple and cider business, gets to know Homer when he, Wally, takes his girlfriend Candy to the St. Cloud's orphanage for an abortion. These three become close friends and Homer accompanies them back to the Worthington orchard where he spends the next twenty years. It's a new life for Homer, and he realizes that his years at the orphanage are "...supposed to be left behind."
Wally, who became a captain in the Air Force during WW II, crashes his bomber in Burma, and Candy and Homer assume he is dead. When Candy becomes pregnant with Homer's child, they return to the orphanage briefly to have their baby delivered.
But Wally surprises them when he comes home crippled and still wants to marry Candy. Homer has to lie about Angel, their child, so the marriage can take place. He explains to Wally that he'd adopted Angel from St. Cloud's orphanage.
Several friends don't believe this. Melony, Homer's girlfriend years before at St. Cloud's, doesn't and exclaims, "I only ever met one [Dr. Larch] who didn't let his dong run his life." Mr. Rose, a boss during the apple harvest, has his own cider house rules, one of which is to expose Homer's lie if he ever mentions what Mr. Rose is doing with his own daughter. Worse than that, Homer and Candy begin to suspect that Wally sees through their cover-up story.
In the end, Homer returns to St. Cloud to take Dr. Larch's place, but under the alias of a missionary doctor. Wally explains to Homer's son, "You can't get Homer out of St. Cloud's, and you can't get St. Cloud's out of Homer."
Besides the conflicts Irvin creates for Homer after he leaves the orphanage, he also presents pro and con arguments in regards to abortion. Dr. Larch will perform them, illegally, but Homer, who has closely witnessed them, believes that each fetus has a soul. He explains, "...an abortion should be available to anyone who wants one, but I never want to perform one."
What some readers might think is missing in this fascinating story is Homer and Candy's confession to Wally that they are young Angel's parents. Irving builds up suspense around their lie in the last half of the book. But then, perhaps to speed up the ending of a near-600 page novel, chooses to pass over this climax and give the story a relatively happy ending.
The Cider House Rules was written in 1985, and was recently made into a movie which has been nominated for an Academy Award.