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Summary: a long walk to a (short) shaggy dog story ending
Review: Cold Mountain is a disappointing read. A long walk to a short end. The walker takes on no particularly identity. The woman walked toward has more interest, more spirit. But really we only care that they end up together. The incidents on the road are entertaining, not ineffable. The incidents on Cold Mountain little more. One reads on only to find out whether the lovers find each other. A poor excuse, but what is life, anyhow? Why does everyone like this book? The insistent scent of the mountain laurel? I don't get it.
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Summary: Appreciation of this book still grows.
Review: Not an easy book to get into, but well worth the effort. I feel educated besides entertained.
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Summary: Terrific book, but a little too long
Review: Cold Mountain contains incredibly rich imagery - the reader feels, smells, and hears everything the two main characters experience. The characters, and those they encountered, were amazingly well-defined. Their struggles and triumphs were exhausting to read, and dread of the next day's events clouded each page. The only disappointment I had was that the book went on a little too long with same, dark drudgery - it didn't add anything to the otherwise incredible book.
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Summary: Ending a very big disappoint
Review: The story left me wet and hungry. One more day looking for food and fighting the elements.I was glad that all the help Inman received came from the women he met on his way home to Ada.My problem is the ending , it is very , very disappointing and really ruins the story. Sounds a bit like the book "Chost"
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Summary: Fabulous. I recommend it highly to anyone.
Review: I loved this book. Frazier pulls the reader in until you find yourself taking the journey with Inman, tilling the fields with Ada. I found myself actually physically cold while reading this book--which testifies to Frazier descriptive prowess. I especially enjoyed his compassionate view of the oddball characters Inman meets along his journey.
Rating: 
Summary: Cold Mountain left me cold
Review: After all the hype I was very disappointed. While well written, the characters evoked no emotions from me and much of the story seemed disconnected. Although interesting from an historical standpoint, at times I wondered why the author felt I needed to know what he was telling me. I think this is one book that will make a better movie.
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Summary: Mixed Feelings...
Review: After all the hype I had to read this book. As a vacation read, I have to admit it was a slow one. The ending was slightly anti-climatic. However, after I completed the book, the more I thought about it the more I think I enjoyed it.
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Summary: A magnificent American masterpiece
Review: This is clearly one of the very best books I've ever read in my life. I should point out, before I summarize why I liked it, that I was fully prepared to *not* like this book from the outset. (1) I had read a lot of the glowing reviews and interpreted them as hyperbole, and (2) soon after having started reading it I had the misfortune of reading a review of it in SLATE (the trendoid e-zine) in which the idiot reviewer described the ending of the book in detail!! Incredible. Nevertheless, I kept reading. And I'm very, very happy that I did. If you're looking for a rock 'em, sock 'em civil war adventure story, this ain't it. If you're looking for a thrilling, cliffhanging page-turner, this ain't it either. However, if you're looking for an incredibly compelling and emotional tale of the most painful time in the history of this nation, as exemplified by the story of two characters, this is definitely it. The writing is gorgeous and evocative in the extreme. I have rarely, if ever, encountered such well-created characters. Every time I opened the book to read it I felt as if I was entering in to the next episode in a recurring dream. It's magnificent, you've got to read it, and I'm so glad we've got such a terrific and gifted new writer in this country - we can sure use one.
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Summary: A marvel of a first novel
Review: The parallell journies of the central characters of this novel are a beautiful rendering of what happens to people and relationships when circumstances out of their control alter their world. Reminiscent of the Odyssey, Inman and Ada's experiences ultimately remind us that life is a serious of twists and turns of fate that we must simply accept and move through. The story is unique in that it tells the coming of age of both a female and male protagonist simultaneously and is successful in doing it.
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Summary: Disillusioned warrior going home; classic character?
Review: Reading Cold Mountain, it occurs to me how often we read of the "Glories" of war, but not its real human cost. Perhaps this figure of "soldier going home" should become a standard stock character in more of our fiction? There is no problem beleiving that this was the exact mood of the time, and the disposition of those particular people in such terrible days. With the language, and the setting, I bought it hook line and sinker! I cannot recall ever reading a better story involving such a disillusioned and bitter soldier! I just finished Stephan E. Ambrose's book about D Day, and was appalled at the waste of so many fine young lives! Certainly one has to celebrate that heroism of 1944. Heroic? Certainly, but one might wish those who start all these wars would have more such characters as Inman to read about, instead of conquerers! I had trouble starting to read this one, because the opening was far too melancholy for me. I am glad I stuck with it, though, because I found it really grew on me. There were elments of the style that I greatly appreciated: Inmman's character is kept clinically abstract. We aren't given anything of his past, or personality, except what is demonstrated here. Strong silent deer hunter type. We are seeing the rest of the world only through his eyes, and can then appreciate all those other sights, sounds and characters so much the more. The way Frazier has of developing every other character into someone we really care about, instead of using cardboard background figures as other writers do too often, makes for the real excitement of the book. I liked so many people in this: The goat woman especially. Ruby. Veasy, the errant preacher. Stobrod the musician. And, of course, Ada, and her misguided preacher father, from Charleston. Ruby really captured my imagination, as the prototype of a modern environmentally concious person! The goat woman was altogether fascinating, and so mystical! I loved her. She reminded me of early visits with my own great-grandmother from the same historical period. It surprises me that, among all the reviewers here, no one compares Inman to a western gunfighter, or to a travelling Ronin! I had that feeling all the way through "Cold Mountain"; that I was re-reading some of the best of the classic Musashi stories from Japan! There are scenes in the wilderness which might well have been lifted right out of those classics! You have the same kind of toughness and stoic perserverance. Remember, this was over a hundred years ago. On the subject of toughness, I found those particular understated details of how Inman deals with his neck injury, and survives, to be compelling and real. Been there, done that. I know that the experience of starving, almost to death, is spot on. The proper thing here, is that this is writ with such understatement, rather than dramatically. I can surely appreciate that. Did anyone notice that all the people who actually helped Musahi, I mean Inman ;>) , were women? The men were mostly adversaries, or somehow very threatening to him. Right up to the end! Speaking of which; a lot of readers faulted the "unhappy" ending. I found it quite special and ironic that Inman relaxed, tried to trust someone, and gave the kid a break. The epilogue just brings it all home: life goes on, and these were our ancestors. Loved this book, and wil be re-reading it soon! I will watch for more from Charles Frazier!
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