Rating: 
Summary: Gold Coast - Big Disappointment
Review: I would have given it "zero" stars if I could. I seem to be in the minority, but I hated this book. I couldn't care less about the boring characters, their problems, their lives, their horses or what happened to them. DeMille's John Sutter was at times funny, but his sarcasm and whining got old. I didn't think Frank was any great seducer and Susan is just an idiot. The middle of the book was especially boring and laborious, so by the time I reached the end I had completely lost interest - and it was no surprise. I kept waiting for something to happen and regret I wasted my leisure time on this book. It did succeed in putting me to sleep a couple of time, so it can cure insomnia. The story was too long, too boring and fell far short of the "Great Gatsby" it tried to immitate. In fact, I recommend you read F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece instead and save yourself the aggravation.I was totally disappointed with The Gold Coast - especially because I totally enjoyed Plum Island and The Lion's Game, so perhaps I read the wrong DeMille book this time. I am hesitent to buy another. I also don't like mafia stories, the Godfather or the Sopranos, so it could be me, but after reading other reviews, I learned I'm not the only one who thought The Gold Coast was a loser.
Rating:
Summary: Gold Coast - Big Disappointment
Review: I seem to be in the minority, but I hated this book. I couldn't care less about the boring characters, their problems, their lives, their horses or what happened to them. The middle of the book was especially boring and laborious, so by the time I reached the end I had completely lost interest. The story was too long, too boring and fell far short of the "Great Gatsby" it tried to immitate (or salute). In fact, I recommend you read F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece instead and save yourself the aggravation. I was totally disappointed with The Gold Coast - especially because I totally enjoyed Plum Island and The Lion's Game, so perhaps I read the wrong DeMille book. I also don't like mafia stories, the Godfather or the Sopranos, so it could be me.
Rating: 
Summary: Spellbinding!!!!
Review: I loved how John Sutter's mid-life crisis and how honest and poignant his struggles were introduced. What a tangled web we weave... Sequels are never as good, but with Demille's talent, I believe this one could hold a reader's attention just as well as the original. I read this book in one weekend (I missed an appointment to finish it!!) This book has so much more class than the SOPRANOS. How true to life this story is. It made me think, how would I react if the same situation happened to me. Other writers have tried to tell similar stories, but none as intriguing or suspenseful as this. I love how Nelson Demille sets the stage with "factual" basis for each theme. You actually believe that you may know each character and that makes it all surreal. It is hard to find authors who are not "run of the mill" nowadays. Mr Demille never lets me down. A very enjoyable read. It makes me thankful for what I have!!
Rating:
Summary: Read it
Review: Save this book for a long weekend. Once you get into it, you won't be able to put it down. If you want a real page-turner with a perplexing storyline and wonderfully complex characters, pick this up. I read this book several months ago, but even now I sometimes think about it. The ending is so unexpected.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've Read in a Long Time
Review: I am a college student and I thought that this book was so good. I couldn't help but read just "one more chapter". Usuallly, I would never have time to read such a long book, but I couldn't even put this one down. Before I was done, I ran out and bought Charm School which I am reading now. I recommend this book highly. The characters stay in your head even if you aren't reading it -- a sign of a good book!
Rating: 
Summary: Really Fun Read
Review: While I don't think this book quite measures up to the rollicking The General's Daughter (by the same author), this book does capture the same spirit and first person immediacy that I enjoyed so much there. At times, this novel is a bit drawn out... but the ending more than makes up for THAT. What an incredible story! I think it's a novel worth the money and the time it takes to read it. What more is there to say?
Rating: 
Summary: Mystery? Thriller? I think not.
Review: I cannot come to grips with this book as a mystery or thriller. It simply is not. Though superbly crafted with excellent character development I found myself waiting through the first half of the read for something to happen. Once the pace picked up I enjoyed the next 200 pages, but was again disappointed by a very predictable ending. The book is probably best described as a social commentary and may be worth the read from that point of view.
Rating:
Summary: A modern day classic
Review: I guess I am no different than many others who are astounded by the notion that this book could not be loved. I can only assume that if you don't like this book, then you probably don't enjoy actionless movies bathed in rich dialogue either. To each his own. "The Gold Coast" never announces itself to the reader as in, "hey man, here is the joke... ha ha ha". Instead, it is 625 pages of masterful character development, superb storytelling, and wonderfully detailed visuals of its unique settings. Humor was prevalent on nearly every page. It may have been wordy in parts, and Demille's rather egotistical foreword was a tad overbearing, but I enjoyed his painstaking attempts not to cheat. This book engrossed me for 10 days the way no other book ever has. I truly could not wait to read it every night. Susan's character intrigued me the most. As much as I loved John Sutter and laughed with him all the way, it was Susan that challenged me. I never could figure her out. I became suspicious of her early, but was never sure of what she was up to. In the end, I felt John was far more compassionate to his wife than I ever could have been to mine if she had acted like that. Then again, what did she do that was so wrong? How was she any different from her husband in many regards? The mystery of her character was one of the master strokes in this tale. The subtleties of this book would never translate to the big screen, and that is another reason I love it. I am tired of books being written like screenplays. Then again, in this fast food, give-it-to-me-now world, I guess that is what many people want and need. If a sellout like John Grisham -- who can be entertaining and certainly has his place - is your favorite author, then save yourself some time and don't read this book. Or, better yet, prepare yourself for a new experience, clear your mind, and read this book with enthusiasm. You may be enthralled by 3 dimensional characters, a lack of convenient shortcuts, and harsh conclusions. "The Gold Coast" is a modern day classic. I understand why it is taught in some college classrooms, and I fully expect it to grow in popularity as the years go by. It will get better every day.
Rating:
Summary: Different but good
Review: I am also new to Demille, having only read Charm School before Gold Coast. Very different books - Charm School is a tense spy thriller while The Gold Coast is a slow story of a laywer and his wife locked into their stifling Long Island life. Similarities: I came away with a greater understanding of each books' real-life settings, people and politics. Great writing, details, laughs and insights. Not a page turner like Charm School but well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A exceptional book
Review: When I read the author's foreward, I was a little disappointed to find out that this was not a thriller ("a love story"). However,I liked the "General's Daughter" and so I was going to read this book---and glad I am. The first person narrative was funny, tragic and allowed the reader to see into this man's heart and head. The book also gave a great view of the this old and rich section of the country. The plot was secondary to the characters and it was refreshing to not be plot bound by a book for a change. If you like great dialog and wit, you must read this book.
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