Rating: 
Summary: Two Interwoven Paths of Growth
Review: The theme of this novel is growth. The stories entailed are about the mental and physical development of Ada and Inman, two lovers who learn to mature and see the meaning of life through their separate journeys. Ada's task is to change her pampered style of living into a self-sufficent one as she learns to take care of the farm of her deceased father. Inman's is a more perilous journey--as a Confederate soldier, he must find his way through Cold Mountain and back into Ada's arms, while fighting dangerous outlaws along the way. The paths of the two protagonists interweave as the lovers patiently survive day by day, hoping to be with each other soon. Charles Frazier's main focus is on character development. He adds several stories (flashbacks) of the past while concentrating on the present, and compares each individual's growth. Cold Mountain is about those stories--intensifying, action-packed, yet affectionate.
Rating: 
Summary: a long journey
Review: Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain is a love story between Inman and Ada. It is about Inman walking back home after war to find the woman he loves named Ada. Inman's journey showed many interesting experiences. His very long walk is very descriptive and filled with lots of details of the scenery, however I thought that there was a little too much description. At times, I found it a bit confusing because I would forget what he is describing. This book gives a good image of what Inman sees as he is wandering around in nature. Frazier showed what Inman and Ada are doing back and forth. As he shows Inman's journey, he also shows Ada's development as she learns how to be more independent. It is interesting that we are able to see what they are doing at the same time, however it gets a bit confusing at times when switching storylines between these two characters. The great amount of description gives us a picture of what the characters are going through, but it did not show us what the characters were feeling. The lack of character emotion did not enhance the love story much. Overall, I thought that this book had an interesting story plot, however it is a bit too descriptive and lacked character emotion.
Rating:
Summary: Cold Mountain
Review: Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain is a story of redemption, the cycle of life and a strongly transcendentalist philosophy of life - but mostly, it's a story about mundane tasks, walking and food. Cold Mountain chronicles the journey of a wounded Confederate soldier, Inman, and the life of a woman with whom he had a brief relationship: Ada. Set in (appropriately) Cold Mountain, the story traces Inman's journey through the mountain - in which he meets an eclectic assortment of characters, both friend and foe - back to Ada, and Ada's growth as an independent woman. Throughout the novel, Frazier's characters reflect the author's deep reverence for nature. Inman, for example, fasts for days after killing a bear cub, but doesn't think twice about killing fellow men. Beyond the plugs for nature, however, most characters seem underdeveloped, cold and unrealistic. The majority of the novel is devoted not to character development or even plot development, but description. Fans of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet and the like might enjoy the abundant recounts of what the characters have for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the step-by-step explanations of their daily tasks, but those who prefer more depth may find themselves disappointed. Frazier's style is plain - so much so that he removes from his writing quotation marks and any punctuation marks that aren't absolutely imperative, which could be considered innovative but can be frustrating to those who prefer tried-and-true conventions - and matter-of-fact. He treats death and food with the same amount of weightiness, rarely drawing the reader in to any particularly exciting action scenes. In all fairness, however, Frazier's almost brusque command of language does allow for more-or-less smooth reading, and his factual tone gives his interweaving of fact and legend a note of believability. Also on the plus side: in between the rather monotonous description that fills roughly a third of the novel, some of the 'filler' characters - like the goatwoman Inman meets in the mountain or the so-called preacher who impregnated a girl and then attempted to dispose of her - provide the book with some freshness and variety. Overall: Cold Mountain is worth reading for those who enjoy imagery and description, but for anyone who prefers plot and character, skip this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A Style Like I Have Never Seen Before...
Review: ... is exhibited within this wonderful novel. Having two stories go on at once throughout the novel keeps it interesting leaving barely any room for boredom. If you're a person who enjoys looking at repeated figures, there are several themes within the novel you can contemplate on. Where there are themes there is symbolism within this novel in which you will find shape the stories, and making it to be quite an interesting set of tales. True, this book has been labeled as a "romance" novel by some, but you hardly remember that idea when reading. So if you're not into romances, don't count this novel out (and if you are a romance novel lover, I would definitely not count this one out either!). Some books are really deep with symbolism and themes, whereas this book is not. The book is simple enough to where you can read it on your own for smooth, easy reading, and yet is deep enough to where you can discuss the book with a friend. If you're pondering as whether to get it or not, go get it, it will end up being worth your time!
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Summary: An Insightful Walk in the Woods.
Review: When I first heard the review of this book, I don't know why, but it reminded me of Forrest Gump. After the completion of this novel, I can tell you it's almost nothing like Forrest Gump. This book is a lot more serious and is based on life lessons. The main character, Inman meets most of the new people along his journey. Each of the characters he meets adds on another piece to building the puzzle of himself. He is put into many difficult situations and faced with characters with contrasting personalities which helps him experience and see how different everyone is. On the other side of the story, Inman's love, Ada is learning to build herself as well. She learns to be self-reliant, being able to accomplish all jobs by herself. This novel is a classic example of how two characters in love with each other's personalities, leave to go far away, develop their own character and meet back up almost both like brand new people. As much as they have changed, their feelings for each other have not. This book has a lot of great symbolism in places unexpected. The main thing that I've learned from this story is to not expect people to be what they seem like from the outside. The characters in this novel are very deceptive. Characters who can seem pure just by their names may turn out to be evil and sly, while on the other hand, the most unexpected characters turn out to be some of the kindest people you'll ever come upon. This book is a great read if you like lots of descriptive imagery. It can be slow at times, but gets quicker as it develops along with a surprise twist ending!
Rating:
Summary: A commendable first novel, imperfect but shows potential
Review: Frazier's first novel is a tome set in Civil War times. Inman, a Confederate solider has been wounded and is lying in a convalescent hospital in eastern Carolina. While idling the time away he thinks of his homeland in the Appalachian hills of western Carolina and embarks on a journey across the state to return to his homeland and the woman that he loves, Ada Monroe. This trek, a mark of desertion and faith is the cornerstone of Cold Mountain, named for the hill overlooking his beloved home.
A parallel story, told in alternating chapters is that of Ada. The daughter of a recently deceased minister, we meet Ada in a state of melancholy and inertia as she whiles away her time on the homestead, letting the land and herself slowly decay. Her fortunes, however, are changed with the arrival of Ruby, an illiterate local girl, sent to Ada by a neighbor. However, what Ruby lacks in academic prowess she more than compensates with tangible knowledge of how to plant crops, dress game, preserve food and generally live off the land. This knowledge, so foreign to Ada, is a lifesaver and the alternating chapters speak of Ada's conversion from a genteel lady of Charleston to an able woman of the land and mountains.
Inman's journey, however, is much more complicated. While trying to imitate Huck Finn's journey of self-discovery, Frazier populates the trek with introductions of a menagerie of characters including a goat lady who lives in utter seclusion deep in the hills, a defrocked minister whose morals and ethics barely rise above that of a heathen and a young woman whose husband was killed in the war and whose shabby house and limited land, combined with a baby in tow, lead Inman to feel unmitigated pity.
Eventually Inman finds his way back home but soon after reuniting with Ada and sharing requited love, he is killed by a young man, a member of the Home Guard. Ironically, Inman had partially subdued the youngster, only to have him fatally shoot Inman when Inman attempted to ameliorate the situation without killing the Guard member. His disgust for killing, for fighting and his deep, passionate thirst for survival with peace and some breadth of harmony costs Inman his life.
Frazier's book is a feast of visual and natural imagery. He constantly brings the land and the weather, especially fog and rain to the forefront, giving the setting almost character appeal. In many cases he overdoes this writing. As is the wont of a first time writer it becomes a bit of a crutch, allowing him to skirt through passages at the expense of deeper character development. However his prose is rich and vibrant and it is this skill that allows him to bring a superficial balance to the book. Indeed for someone who wishes to get a sense of the country, this book would shower the reader approvingly. However, in the final analysis, Frazier's cavalier ending of Inman's life is showy and melodramatic, even though he understates the writing of the passage. A good first novel, but one hopes Frazier's future endeavors will marry his talent as a chronicler of setting with a stronger development of character and story.
Rating:
Summary: cold novel
Review: Cold Mountain is the story of a man's journey in the literal sense as well as a trip within himself. Our protagonist, Inman, travels great distances for his love, Ada, who meanwhile is busy taking care of her farm. On his journey, Inman meets several characters and undergoes many adventures. A parallel to Huckleberry Finn's adventurous journey in Mark Twain's classic can easily be drawn, but one critical difference remains. Huck Finn left the reader on the edge of their seat - Inman doesn't. Beautiful writing animates the journey, but we never really get a feel for the characters. The reader cannot really get into the book when they have little interest for the state of the protagonist. However, vivid imagery of nature and a wonderful theme of human's connection with nature makes this book a worthwhile read. It leaves the reader with a lot to question and think about. As the title boldly pronounces, this book is cold. The emotional aspect of the novel is clearly lacking. Those willing to think beyond what is contained in the text may find Cold Mountain a thought provoking read.
Rating: 
Summary: a man, a woman, a bear
Review: The story behind the story is simple and revealed after the first two chapters of the book. It is a story of two people, one man, one woman, as they each journey towards their individual dreams and find peace in themselves by way of self-redemption and self-sacrifice. The man is a soldier who has self-retired after a "fatal" bullet and gathers himself as he embarks on his long walk home. On the other side of the mountain, the woman sits alone yearning for help on her farm and wholeness in her life. Each bump in the road for the man is accompanied by a droning parallel of the woman and her farmwork. Will the man make it home and reunite with the woman? Will the woman ever finish her chores? Read this book to find out. Personally, I believe this novel is an admirable attempt to clone a timeless classic, but i fail to recognize the allure and originality of an Odyssey. The senseless brutality and heartless farm scenary contributes to my recognition of this novel as FAIR.
Rating:
Summary: An trek in the mountains of Tennessee and into human nature.
Review: Literally the story of a very long walk home, Inman finds his way home across thousands of miles of wilderness. His story of self-discovery and love for a woman he left behind make this story beautiful in places, sad in others, and occasionally make for humorous stories.
Inman's walk home is not merely a walk in the park, so to speak. It is a walk for self-discovery, as the woman he loved at home struggles for her own existance. His often fatal encounters with people across the splintering South brings out the best and worst in human nature. At the same time, Ada's daily struggles exemplify the struggles of the people of the time.
Although the ending leaves something to be desired, the tale of a Confederate deserter walking home to home and his sweetheart in the last days of the Civil War is somewhat original and an altogether "different" setting from mainstream Civil War novels. I give this book 4 out 5 stars for being generally entertaining and thought-provacative, but because I did not like the ending I detract 1 star. (I thought the author might has just gotten tired of writing at the end, and so did not put a proper finish on things.)
If you are interested in the Civil War and not too worried about historical accuracy, this book is for you. It is an epic tale of violence, romance, and adventure, and takes the reader deeply into dark secrets of the human nature.
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Summary: The beauty of nature and love
Review: Cold Mountain is a novel that has encompassed the world of love and nature. Love in a sense not just of a romantic aspect but also of an essential family love. The colorful characters and heavenly scenary add to the beautiful descriptions that Frazier adds to his book. The detail that he uses propels you into the novel and into the lives of its characters. The action, suspense and even the dull moments of the novel keep the pages turning. This book has been a wonderful window into the world of self-reliance, hope, love and friendship. It is full of symbolism and of themes that leave you intrigued and mystified, allowing the reader to form their own imaginings of the story and its settings. This book has certainly taken me to a wonderful world in all of the seasons and has touched my heart like I never knew a book could.
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