Cold Mountain : A Novel

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Summary: Life's superabundant riches and human tragedy
Review: This book astonished and moved me deeply. Despite the leisurely pace of the prose, I could not put it down. The characters of Inman, Ada, and Ruby were compelling and idiosyncratic, each captured in endearingly human moments -- like Inman's flinging his hat out the window, or Ada's jumping on one leg to take off her trousers, or Ruby asking if she should cough. Mentioning a few details can't begin to explain this book's superabundant riches. I interpreted the ending tragically (though I've heard some people argue that the hero doesn't die). I felt so upset, I sobbed for a good 20 minutes, and then I felt furious at the author for cheating his characters of all but a taste of the happiness they deserved. I thought of writing to Mr. Frazier to complain, but then concluded that the tragic irony of the hero's death needed to be so keenly and bitterly felt, because it made the otherwise vastly incomprehensible tragedy of the Civil War personally painful and meaningful. The Civil War still rankles like an old unhealed wound in the psyche of the USA, so a Civil War story can't end "happily ever after." Perhaps readers' feeling pain through "Cold Mountain" heals something.

Rating:
Summary: A classic
Review: This is a book for someone who wants to soak up the fabulous writing and imagine the scenes the author so brilliantly decsribes, and not for someone who wants to zip through the plot. The beggining is slow, but you learn to grow with each Inman, Ada, and Ruby. This is truly a classic.

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Summary: Great historical fiction
Review: Slow and deliberate, equally sad and uplifting, can be read, put down for a while, and easily picked up again. Great book for travelling.

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Summary: Beautifully written; Couldn't put it down
Review: This book was so well-written - the way novels used to be written. It definitely qualifies as literature. The author's talent for writing elaborate descriptions made me feel like I was there in the middle of all the hardship and struggle. If you like historical novels, this one is for you.

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Summary: Flowing prose and thought and emotionally provoking.
Review: It has been a long time since I've read and enjoyed every word of a book. Each chapter is like a self enclosed story to be savored like a fine wine. A full bodied story brimming with emotion and realism. If you like more action and thrill, then read King's new Bag of Bones, his best work in years or Brad Steiger's new Alien Rapture which is rumored to be a blockbuster movie. Each is a different sub-genre, but never-the-less, excellent reads. I recommend these books highly!

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Summary: Captivating story with a perplexing ending
Review: I cannot understand why the author would so greatly build up the reunion of Inman and Ada only to have it end in death. There is something sad and yet beautiful about most tradjedies, yet this story left me confused and searching for meaning - Can you help me ?

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Summary: Haunting. Lyrical descriptions, slow at first-pace picks up
Review: My comments of praise would largely duplicate what other readers have stated, I'll add what I've not much heard about this book., that 'Cold Mountain' brought to mind Homer's 'Ulysses'.... the paradigm for all personal heroic journeys. The ending departs from the Homeric model of ultimate victory over all obstacles and return to the beloved, and to the personal paradise. The ultimate happy ending particularly resonates in the American spirit, for we believe that in overcoming all travails, our efforts and bravery will be handsomely rewarded. The ending of 'Cold Mountain', therefore, strikes a deep cord of fear......that despite all our strivings, we might not end up in our personal Ithacas, or in this case Cold Mountain. However, the ending does reflect the ironies of life. Having surmounted the insurmountable, to be cut down by the seemingly benign threat is perversly unfair....and we rail against this.... ruminating over the ending makes it haunting, and engenders discussion, and personal reflection....all to the good.

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Summary: A captivating and heart-wrenchingly lovely story
Review: I simply could not put this book down. I was drawn in by the author's descriptions of characters, actions and settings, and not at all put off by his form (which I felt gave "authenticity" to the story in its time). I have no stake in the history or its outcomes, and felt that the story transcended its particular setting. I found this to be a satisfying and very moving story of love and friendship -- and discordant alliance -- in the most difficult circumstances.

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Summary: Go Slow, Savor it...it will reward you
Review: Almost every sentence was so well crafted and constructed. although at first I thought it was too flowery, I realized how descriptive, authoritative and beautiful the writing is. As someone relatively ignorant of that period of history, it was rich in lessons of the times and also of nature. All I could think of when reading it was how special a work it is. In some ways, the book reminds me of Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett, another special story.

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Summary: Should be on reading lists with Hemingway
Review: Once I became accustomed to the style of writing Frazier used, I was truly captivated by this novel. The style of writing actually made it a lot easier to read and the descriptions of the characters were so specific. I agree with a review from Europe that it seemed far-fetched that Inman would survive so many catastrophes. I was especially upset with the ending, because it seemed that a person who survived everything up and until the end shouldn't have ended up the way he did. I was expecting a much more breathtaking ending. In any event, I expect this novel to be on educational reading lists with Hemingway and Shakespeare in the near future.