Rating: 
Summary: A flawed yet powerful novel
Review: I have mixed feelings about "Cold Mountain." On one hand, there's no denying what a great and tragic story it is; on the other, you have to wade through a whole lot of soupy prose to get there.Frazier is at his best when he sticks to storytelling: what happens, to who, and how. Inman's journey, the people he encounters along the way, and how he deals with them, are the meat of this story. We don't need to know the shape of every tree, bush, and leaf; we don't need to know the consistency of every pot of stew; we particularly don't need to know every thought that goes through Inman's head. It's a pet peeve of mine, this business of characterization through description of thought. We should be able to know a character by what he does, and what he says; telling us his every thought is a crutch. Sure, it's harder to write that way. But in real life, that's how you deal with people; you can't read minds, so you know people by their actions, and their words, and you use your intuition. There is a certain poetry to Frazier's writing, and the language can sometimes stand on it's own merits. However, a little goes a long way, and too much results in the reader slogging through words much as Inman slogs through the mud. After awhile, we want Inman to get home more for our sake, than for his! Having said all that, the fact remains: what a story. And though I read others who dislike the ending, it blew me away. Ada' story has a mixed ending, as well. Yes, she will likely live the rest of her life as a "spinster," to use a un-PC term of the day. But she has found a life worth living, not the one planned out for her by her father, not the one she planned for herself. But she discovers the merit in the life she is forced to lead, the satisfaction that comes from marking the points on the horizon between which the sun moves to mark the seasons, year after year. She has done more than simply endure and survive; she has found a meaning to her existence, a deeper understanding altogeter. Flaws and all, this book certainly merits the effort required. It takes some patience, and a good deal of coffee at times, but I think it's worth it in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Awful.
Review: I had high expectations for this book after all the hype, but once again, reviews and accolades mean very little. The characters are unlikeable and uninteresting, the plot is predictable, the events are ridiculous, and the writing is tepid and formulaic. I gave up after about 100 pages. Don't waste your time and money, not when there are so many truly wonderful books out there to read.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful lyrical story
Review: Down to earth, rich, and lyrical, Cold Mountain has become my favorite book. I rarely ever want to read a book twice but THIS, this I definitely look forward to reading again. Perhaps it is having some ties to the area he so richly describes and appreciating so many of the details he includes. The book truly takes you away from your present world and leads to a further "in the pit" appreciation of what war has been and always will be at its bottom line; a heinous crime against the everyday people who bear its brunt. Its mix of beauty and brutality is a stunning masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: if you like bad travel magazines, this is for you
Review: This book is the new version of The Bridges of Madison County. It's fine for those who are not looking for literature or even a well written book, but a major disappointment to those who believe that a National Book Award should be meaningful. Looking back over the last ten years' winners, however, it is clear that the National Book Award has become meaningless and seems to be selected by magazine editors - not particularly good ones either.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book...slow start, good middle, and great end
Review: I bought it because it seemed to be one of the must-reads, lodged in the prime spots in prime bookstores. However, the start takes awhile to catch on, with immense, and mostly uninteresting details for a reader who wants to get hooked immediately, but once you are through the first few chapters, you get hold of the entire layout, the alternations between Inman's homebound adventures, and Ada's existentialist chores, and then you link them all up, and almost expect a "happily everafter" in the end, but here the author fools you in a wonderful way, and you are left sad, and fulfilled as well, because of the non-stereotype endings. A good book for people with some patience, some intelligence, a heart with some spiritual love (not physical love only), and a desire to go through the uninteresting parts to the wonderful, interesting core.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, detailed, and romantic
Review: The author utilizes many pages in developing very detailed images of the trials and tribulations of the main characters. I was not captured by the emotional and love interests of the characters for each other by their expressed thoughts during the book. While on a positive note, the conclusion captures the reader with a story which is quick moving, active and romantic.
Rating:
Summary: Good story, not well written.
Review: Yes, it's a good story, echoing many similar stories to be found in the south. My wife's family has such a story of a family member, wounded during the civil war, walking back home, many miles and hardships, but with a happier ending. The writing, however, has too many factual errors, and the language is strange: not always modern, but never 1860s, with some regional expressions, but not consistent. Then the author is in love with two words, modal and seamless, used way too many times, even if they had been appropriate. I expected to come across proactive, too.
Rating:
Summary: Please Mr. Frazier, write another!
Review: You high school and college kids who were "forced" to read this ... I hope you will look back when you are older and realize how fortunate you were to have such insightful teachers. I'm not a teacher, but I once was a student and I understand how you feel. But please read again! And *feel* it. I'm an editor, and I read a LOT every day. Various topics. Various styles of writing. "Cold Mountain" thrilled my soul at times. Mr. Frazier's detailed but never maudlin descriptions often put me right on that trail with Inman. And Ada's melancholy was palpable after Mr. Frazier detailed her day-to-day life for me, rather than just telling me "she's depressed." There were often spots in the book where I would back up and re-read a passage, and sometimes read aloud, just for the SOUND of it. The words and the way he put them together, like an intricate work in stained glass. I so admire Mr. Frazier's skill ... and the story he told with it. I read it months ago, and it still pops into my mind occasionally. (Of course, it doesn't hurt that I drive past the real Cold Mountain occasionally.) I think it's time for me to read it again.
Rating:
Summary: Painful Detail
Review: The topic is good, although I could not understand why the author chose to be so exhaustive in describing the surroundings, atmosphere, mood, and every possible occurrence. I found the detail to be waistful and bothersome, and took away from a possibly good story.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books of the decade.
Review: Maybe it's because I am a Civil War buff. Or maybe it's because I am from the south. Or maybe it's because so much of the folklore that Frazier weaves into this novel is similar to the folklore in my own heritage. Whatever it is, this book grabbed me and would not let me go. This was one of the few times in my reading experience that I hated to see the end of the book drawing near.
|
