Rating: 
Summary: A must read
Review: Give yourself a few pages to get into this wonderful story. It is a good history lesson about the Civil War and all the gross bad things that go with, including some of the things that I didn't know. Ada and Inman live and roam the hills of the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains. I soaked up the description of the trees, valleys, fog, foliage and people. Desertion- survival in the wilderness- making the most of the land- warding off murderers and animals. From Ruby- who knew the land, to Teague- the man in charge of the guard in search of deserters, to Pancy- the daft banjo picker. This is a must read.
Rating: 
Summary: A sappy Civil War soap opera? Pretty darn close. . .
Review: Having heard this was a critically acclaimed and good Civil War book, I decided to give Cold Mountain a try. And, boy, am I EVER sorry I did. This book is filled with repitition and its core is a rather pointless soap opera-esq story that could've happened in this day and age. Where should I start: Every character in this book is just CARDBOARD; they have no personalities, and you NEVER care for them no matter how bad of a plight they're in. Every action related event is blatantly one-sided towards Inman; nothing can kill the guy! It's like he's immortal! Completely unrealisitic. Other than that, the romance in this book is just sickening and unnecessary. Do you really care that Ada and Inman like each other? No! You just want the book to end. Overall, if you like romances, pick up this book. Otherwise, forget it; this ain't the book for you. It's garbage from page 1 and I'm very disappointed in Charles Frazier for penning such an absolute work of trash.
Rating:
Summary: One Journey Without, Two Journies Within
Review: In Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier alternates chapters between Inman and Ada, bringing them closer and closer together as the novel progresses. These two characters, who in the beginning of the novel are ill-suited for each other, each embark on a journey of survival and discovery, Inman's being a literal journey, the long walk home from the war, and Ada's being the figurative one, the journey into adulthood through the trials of being able to subsist on her inherited land. It is the journey that these two people take that melds them into a compatible pair, and as the novel progresses, Frazier lovingly binds them together in a world carefully and flawlessly recreated for the reader. It is a powerful first effort, well researched and carefully detailed. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Cold Mountain was a great book. Being from the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina myself, I can relate to the scenery, but not the events. I live about 10 miles from the "actual" Cold Mountain. The book was detailed and a bit long, but it was great.
Rating: 
Summary: cold mountain
Review: Reading this book was like walking with Imran back home to his sweetheart. He had kept a dream alive all the way home that she would be waiting on the door step dressed in her finest. We must all hold onto to our dreams in the world...
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful writing, marred slightly by the ending
Review: For the sheer pleasure of gorgeous writing, nothing I've read recently can top "Cold Mountain." With exquisite care and careful choosing of his words, Charles Frazier recreates the Civil War-era Smoky Mountains and its people so vividly you are transported in time to walk beside Inman on his journey home, or to help Ada and Ruby make a go of the farm. It is not a cheerful book, but the Civil War was not a cheerful time. My only quibble was with the pat made-for-the-movies ending. If the reader can overlook that, he/she will be rewarded. This is one of the rare books to be savored over a long rainy weekend. And sorry, naysayers, it does deserve all of its awards.
Rating:
Summary: a lyrical spirit journey
Review: I loved this book. Although I am not a fan of much of southern writing (or anything southern, if truth be told), this book grabbed me and never let go. The writing was poetic; the comparisons to both Homer and Cervantes are apt, and the story is complex and rich. The characters are knowable, and although my knowledge of their experiences is nil, the whole was written in a believable manner. I didn't understand all the mountain terms either, but the gestalt was clear. The three main characters I found fascinating, and all the people met along the way were as well. No one was larger than life, but they met life's challenges head-on. I was sorry and sad when the book ended; I haven't cried over the fate of fictional people in a long time. I think Cold Mountain will stay with me, as few books have recently.
Rating:
Summary: Essential reading
Review: So much has been said already about this masterful work that brevity seems to be the best choice. This is more than a book, it is a story filled with melodious language and images that stay with me long after it has been put back on the shelf. Frazier offers no easy answers to understanding the human condition, but he supplies the reader with a perfect vehicle for self discovery. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating journey that goes nowhere
Review: I enjoyed this one up to about half way but then ran out of patience with it. The last half became a real struggle. The low rating is because it failed to live up to its early promise. Inman's journey was for me the most interesting aspect. It shows us the normally unseen harsh and unpleasant side effects of the civil war with fascinating and sometimes repulsive detail. I am looking forward to seeing the movie 'Ride With The Devil' for another slant on the 'home guard'. The problem was that after a while his endless series of hair breadth escapes got a bit much for me. I could not identify with a man who seems to shrug off his daily near death experience and just keep trudging on. Ada's exploration of farming life tended to become a grown-up 'Little House On The Prairie'. Enjoy this book for its great description of the life and times but don't expect any plot progression or deep human insight.
Rating:
Summary: A literary masterpeice!
Review: This was the most moving, best written book I have ever read. The descriptions make you feel as though you are taking part in the lives of the characters and the scenary. I was so caught up in the story I could not put the book down. Stirring, beautiful and tragic.
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