Cold Mountain

Rating:
Summary: A Keeper
Review: I had skimmed reviews and discussions of this novel on various literary websites and in various literary book reviews but had not bothered to set aside the time to read this saga until a week ago. And I am sorry I didn't read it a good deal sooner, just so I could be now approaching the time to read it again. It's been a long time since I found myself visited by someone's writing, by someone's scenes and phrasing during the haunting hours in the night. The gypsy woman, the hellish treatment by the homeguards, Ruby and Ada hair braiding contests, and finally, Inman's remembrance of Ada's hands expressively, intimately and caringly measuring the shrunken size, fore and aft, on his frame, and then his thoughts and his return gesture of love will stay with me, and I am grateful for the (literary) memories. I won't bore anyone with more comments on the wealth of research and the linguistics delights of archaic dialects but the total package of history, myth and pure storytelling is a noble work.

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing and unforgetable.
Review: I finished this book 10 days ago and immediately felt a wave of sadness, knowing that my time with these wonderfully-developed characters and contexts was over. I have started, and set aside, uncompleted, four books since then. Will I ever be able to enjoy another novel again? It's hard to imagine anything ever measuring up to Cold Mountain.

Rating:
Summary: The best 356 pages I've read in a long time!
Review: I bought Cold Mountain a couple of months ago and, thinking I wouldn't be able to put it down once I started it, have been saving it for a time when I'd be able to read without interruption. A four-day February beach trip provided the perfect opportunity.

This is a wonderful book! From the very first line - "At the first gesture of morning, flies began stirring.", I was hooked, and stayed with Inman, Ada, Monroe, the Swangers, Sara, Ruby, Stobrod, the Preacher, and the Goat Woman, right to the end. No, it's not a "pretty" story - war and what it does to people isn't pretty. Sure, I'd have preferred an ending that brought tears of joy, rather than tears of pain; but there really wasn't any other way for the book to end.

I'm neither an historian, nor a Civil War buff, but I loved this book! The word imagery made me "see" the trail that Inman followed, and "feel" what he and Ada felt. Surprisingly, this former English teacher loved the way Frazier punctuated the dialogue - understated, but effective, and just the way a storyteller would write.

So why do I give it a "9", instead of a "10"? I was a little confused by some lack of detail, like Monroe's church affiliation - just what was an "assembly" in 1864? A map covering the land Inman walked would have been helpful for the geography enthusiasts (I had to get out a map of North Carolina to find Salisbury); and a glossary for Frazier's mountain terms would have been a real bonus for those of us not from North Carolina.

Did these minor complaints keep me from enjoying the book? Heck no, and I can't wait for Frazier's next novel - I may even reread Cold Mountain, or one of his travel books - and I'll surely read his next book before reading any of its reviews. I am so glad I read these reviews AFTER I read the book!

Rating:
Summary: One of the most enthralling books I've read
Review: When I saw a brief description of "Cold Mountain" in the Spring 1997 announcements issue of "Publishers' Weekly", I thought I might be interested in reading it--the premise intrigued me, especially since I'm a bit of a Civil War buff. To say that "Cold Mountain" was "interesting" is like saying that hot fudge sundaes taste OK! I cannot remember reading a novel in which at the end, I was simultaneously sad, yet also elated! Sad, because--well, I won't say, just in case anyone who has not read the book is reading this review! But, I was also elated because I felt that I had just finished one of the best pieces of contemporary American writing. It's difficult to say what the best thing is about "Cold Mountain"--I would have to say that in my opinion, Charles Frazier has created characters that evolve over the course of the novel in a way that makes the reader want to meet these people. I'm not just referring to Ada and Inman, either; Ruby, Stobrod, the widow--all of them leave a powerful impression on the reader. Anyone who loves great literature should read this book, if they haven't already!

Rating:
Summary: Lyrical, evocative
Review: It was a story of convergence, painted upon the canvas of the Civil War. I truly believe that the 2 main characters would not have appreciated each other prior to their experiences, so beautifully described in Frazier's book. It can be savored a chapter at a time as a compilation of short stories, or read during a rainy weekend. The message for me is that who we are is ever-changing, and therefore a product of the context of our lives.

Rating:
Summary: Great book.
Review: The reviews have been mixed. Fine. No book is going to have complelely partisan reviews. But in order to read and thoroughly enjoy this book I think you have to be an avid reader and have a keen eye for truly good writing.

Rating:
Summary: Fred Stubbs, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Review: My son left me this book after reading it himself at Christmas. In other words I started to read it by accident. The authors ability to paint a picture with words is astonishing and coupled with the way in which he weaves the lives of Inman and Ada together made the book a pleasure to read.

Rating:
Summary: I just couldn't get into it.
Review: I tried to read this book twice and just couldn't. It didn't hold my interest, my mind kept wandering to things that I could be doing. When I took it back to the library for the second time, I thought I was the only one that felt like that, but our library manager said he had felt the same way. I had really wanted it to be great, because the Cival War times are so interesting to me.

Rating:
Summary: Where are the quotation marks?
Review: The lack of quotation marks to indicate dialogue made this a very difficult read. Is the lack of quotation marks a current writing trend? I hope not! Additionally, see p. 188 about the 6th paragraph down, "His beaver hat and a bright throat scarf." Is this a new form of sentence structure?! hope not! This book won awards??!!

Rating:
Summary: Moving, Touching...Fabulous!
Review: Don't miss this book! You'll be blown away by the writing, the setting, the characters, the story. I only hope we see more from this author. He is a marvel and a joy to read.