Cold Mountain

Rating:
Summary: Follow all recipes and you will have a bestseller
Review: I found this book mediocre and stereotypical. I looks like author took a formulas from some books that enjoyed success before and mixed them in a blender: Journey + Horrors of War + Horrors of Slavery + Romantic Story + Chase and Fighting. Nothing original at all. You would loose nothing by missing this opus.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Although I am sure that this novel accurately portrayed Ada and Inman's lives during this Civil War period, I found the character development lacking in that I couldn't muster sympathy for either of the two main characters. The most interesting personalities, in my opinion, were Ruby and her father, and then only marginally interesting. I was disppointed when I reached the end of this book, unfortunately, and felt like my time would have been better spent doing/reading something else.

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Summary: A wonderful read, with a confusing ending
Review: I would like to think of myself as a Civil War Historian. I found Cold Mountain to be an incredible read. It gave many glimpses into how the war affected different people in different lifestyles. I loved the book until I read the last six pages. I thought the ending was rushed and the story did not gain from the conclusion. Overall, it is worth the read. I only hope that Mr. Frazier spends a little more time on the ending of his next work.

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Summary: finest new American novel in years
Review: As a woman, I was thrilled with the double protagonists of Ada and Inman and their respective journeys. As a teacher of American literature at a private school, I have added Cold Mountain to my curriculum for September. Thank you Mr. Frazier.

Rating:
Summary: The best new book I have read in years
Review: I read about 3-5 books a week, the most of which slide through my mind as being entertaining stories, attempting to sound literate. Cold Mountian has not left me since I closed it 9 months ago. It is a deeply moving as any book as I have ever read, and everything I have read since has paled in comparison. This is an unforgettable novel that will remind you why you ever fell in love with reading to begin with.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, moving story
Review: The character may be fictitious, but their perseverance to struggle for the things they long for make me admires them. Cold Mountain is a powerful novel of romance and hardships. This book is an absolute necessity in the library of every book lover.

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Summary: Destined To Be A New Classic
Review: I finished this book nearly 6 months ago, but continue to be haunted by the brilliant symplicity of the author. The story itself was compelling enough to forego an in-depth exploration of the personality of the lead character, Inman. Each sentence seemed to be perfectly constructed to the point where adding words, or removing them, would allow the structure to fall. I couldn't tear through this book as I usually do with popular fiction. Several times I needed to set it aside after a few pages to like my mind chew on what I had read. There wasn't a moment I didn't feel as though I was walking next to Inman or the woman he was going home to. It is one of the most breathtakingly simplistic and beautiful books I have read in a long time, and I won't be surprised to hear it become required reading of every junior year high school student within 30 years.

Rating:
Summary: A Splendid Read
Review: I have a great and deep interest in American History and look for works that depict the essential spirit of the American People. Ken Burns "Civil War" moved me deeply and in a way inspired a search for well written fiction and non-fiction. Cold Mountain is one such book, and will remain memorable for a long time.

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Summary: Depressed All Night
Review: I am a Southern history and literature buff, so I looked forward to reading this book. It really held my interest from beginning to end. I even began to compare it to Odysses' journey home after the Trojan War. Some of the descriptions were down right poetic! I must say, though, that the ending devastated me. I know we can't expect "happily ever after" endings, but the author seemed to be heading in that direction, and that's what I desperately wanted for Inman and Ada, especially after all the trouble they went through. I couldn't sleep after reading the ending. I had to read that part over several times to make myself believe that was the way it ended. An excellent read!

Rating:
Summary: The best book I have read in two years
Review: This book is outstanding!