Cold Mountain

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING
Review: this book was fantastic. i could not put it down. it is definitely not your fairy tale ending book. MUST READ. I loved how the author started at 2 different points. As the book progesses, the points move closer to one another and finally meets in the end. absolutely brilliant!

Rating:
Summary: Look up "boring" in the dictionary, & you'll find this book
Review: I tried so hard to enjoy this book. I felt I had an obligation, as many friends and relatives had recommended it, and as I am from North Carolina, where much of this novel takes place. But it was torture. After countless hours of reading about this poor man trekking through the woods, and about this poor woman trying to survive on her own, I just gave up. Don't believe the hype.

Rating:
Summary: Discover anew the great joys of a truly monumental work.
Review: The story told by Mr. Frazier is really a simple one. A Civil War soldier, severely wounded in battle, decides to leave the balance of the war to others. Armed only with a trusty pistol, he sets out on a long sojourn in search of the young woman he had chanced to love, however briefly, some four years earlier. In alternating chapters, Frazier also tells this woman's story, and, in so doing, he presents something of a metaphysical, even spiritual, underpinning for the struggles for survival and the quests for love which consume these two protagonists. And he accomplishes this task with such marvelous attention to descriptive detail and human drama that by the climax, I was completely consumed by the passion and beauty of the denouement. "Cold Mountain" is the best book I have read in a long time, combining as it does all of the elements of great fiction. It is uplifting and inspiring, exciting and challenging. Like all classic literature, it teaches, moves and captivates its readers. It is a great work.

Rating:
Summary: Cold Mountain shall take its place among classic literature.
Review: Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Cold Mountain is that it is Charles Frazier's first novel. Before I had even neared the middle of the book, I began to compare it to classics such as Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter, for Cold Mountain contains within all the elements that allow a work to persevere through the ages. The depth of intellect and insight combined with superb weaving of a complex plot create a text rich in detail and imagery. Frazier has an incredibly mature and well-developed writing style that afforded the story a dignity no longer seen in modern literature; an element I feel that has been tragically lost. Frazier's development of character and plot appear to be almost divinely inspired, for it does not bow to worldly expectations but ventures forth to create a mold all its own. Some feel that Frazier chose an illogical path in the closing of his narrative, yet I argue that Frazier remained true to the bold nature of truth and did not allow his work to degrade into a simple fairy-tale. To expect such an ending to a work as deep and moving as this one is to allow society's demand to ignore the harshness of reality to overtake one's soul. I strongly recommend one add this work to one's reading list as it will appear many years from now among authors such as Shakespeare, Twain, and Dickens.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most beautiful books I have ever read
Review: I read for pleasure and diversion and I read a lot of books during the year. Cold Mountain is without doubt one of the most beautifully written and compelling works of fiction I have ever read. This is fine writing.Mr. Frazier's descriptions of places and times past are brilliant and mesmerizing.I look forward to his next novel.

Rating:
Summary: Tough but worthwhile
Review: This was a tough one to get through. Took almost a year of snatches of reading. It finally picked up somewhere in the middle. And then came the ending, which was so sad and beautiful, and when I read the last sentence I just stared at the white wall for quite awhile. I sympathize with those who complain about the book and somehow can't finish it. Frazier's prose at times is very clunky and over-physical and some of his similes are a struggle for the average reader. My advice is: This book is like a realtive it takes a while to get used to. Stick with it and never give up the faith. (Alex Sydorenko, Chicago, July 1999)

Rating:
Summary: The ending is unforgettable
Review: I have to admit reading this book was somewhat tedious at times with all of the descriptive text. But after a few chapters, the way Frazier cleverly alternates the tale of these two lovers leads to a worthwhile read. Fascinating characters flow in and out of the traveler's journeys. The slow detailed pace only makes the rapid and intense surprising conclusion unforgettable. I am happy to hear that they have just agreed to make the book into a movie.

Rating:
Summary: Poetry on every page
Review: For any person who has worked or lived in the Appalachian mountains, this superb novel will remind you again of the unique character and honest pride of the people in that region. For any person interested in the Civil War period, the book will further educate you of the horrors endured by those who stood far from the fighting lines. For those who simply desire a good tale, Cold Mountain has it all - love, hate, conflict, death, religion, music, magic, old, young, animals, regret, loyalty, and more.

Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: I agree with the reviewer who pointed out that "The Triumph and the Glory" and "Gates of Fire" were far more suspenseful than "Cold Mountain", and that they offered a perhaps higher quality of overall satisfaction with plot, theme, and stunning realism. But Cold Mountain is beyond compare for what it does offer--an unforgettable experience in a beautiful setting, with a generous offering of wisdom and insight to boot.

Rating:
Summary: Unable to maintain interest
Review: I was unable to maintain interest enough to finish the book, despite repeated attempts. Perhaps the story about his trek into the battle would have been more interesting.