The Mosquito Coast

Rating:
Summary: Psycological Study
Review: I never before met a character quite like Allie Fox. I felt that "The Mosquito Coast" was really a psycological study of Allie, a genius who nevertheless is maniacally driven to constantly prove himself worthy. Some aspects of characters as disparate as James Cagney in "White Heat" and Kurtz in "Heart of Darkness-Apocalypse Now" come to mind. I too took to loathing this character until, almost at the end, where on the last page a revealing sentence kind of summed up why Allie was the way he was....and then I felt profoundly sorry for him and the ruin he brought upon himself and those he (yes really) loved.

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Summary: The perfect book for the frustrated intellectual
Review: We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to study this novel in our high school English class, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Being in an enriched class, most of us have our beefs with society, and it was refreshing to hear such a cynical view :-) The whole novel is captivating and engrossing, and really challenges the way we think about society in general, and the way we think about ourselves. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant and wonderful narrative
Review: This book is amazing. It is an excellent critique of American society and the lengths that some individuals will go to to get away from it. It is so inspiring on many levels. The father-son relationship is terrifying and makes me feel so fortunate to have a mentally stable father. But I feel Allie Fox is greatly maligned in many ways. He wanted what was best for his family, even if he did not approach this from the best angle. I loved this book, and I am not ashamed to say that I cried at the end.

Rating:
Summary: Theroux leaves one reader confused and frustrated...
Review: I wouldn't recommend this book. There's a scene early on (page 48 in the Avon paperback edition) in which Theroux describes a gas station attendant as having "a wet wasp in each nostril". If you don't believe me, take a look. It's mentioned in passing -- no particular emphasis or explanation of what the deal is with that. Why would the guy have wasps in his nostrils? Later in the same scene, Theroux says the man "snorted the wasps into his nose." How anyone could continue to read the book after that point is beyond me. What are we to think? Was that some fad in the days the book was set? Did people snort wasps for kicks? Or was it a folk remedy for some medical problem -- something similar to people with arthitis allowing bees to sting them? Theroux doesn't tell us. I couldn't continue with the book. I kept thinking -- "But what about the wasps? What did that mean?" Am I missing something here? Does everybody else know about wasp snorting? Or did everyone just assume it was something they didn't need to know about? I'd sure like to know what that was about. Even though I didn't read much beyond page 48, I'm still giving the book two stars -- one for each wasp.

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Summary: An unbelieveable tale of a genius meglomaniac
Review: An engrossing read. I don't think I've ever read a book before where I got so angry and disgusted with one of the main characters! I found myself plotting for his dimise and wishing his family would gain the strength to leave him and become independent. Through this book, Theroux painted a bleak picture of what life must be like for people who live with someone who has meglomaniac-type mental illnesses -- especially for the children. Not a book to make you feel warm and cozy, but a book that will make you think!

Rating:
Summary: Thought-Provoking, Painful, Profound Literature
Review: Reading Theroux's novel is definitely a moving experience. Portraying an intelligent maniac through the innocently brave eyes of his 14-year old son, Theroux forces his readers to examine the relationship between father as son while analyzing a story of a genius gone mad. Allie Fox, though a savage egomaniac, is strangely endearing and one feels profound sorrow at his transformation throughout the novel. A captivating adventure story about a family in search of freedom, The Mosquito Coast is ultimately a thought-provoking analysis of man's strengths, weaknesses, and ego.

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Summary: The Stereotypical American Takes on Nature(Guess Who Wins)
Review: Great novel which works on many levels. First, entertaining adventure story which keeps turning and twisting the plot. Second, great character study of a man who has a great mind and some right ideas who goes completely insane. Lastly, Therouax attacks the American belief that we can will anything, like fitting the proverbial round peg in a square hole. No man, not even the isolationist, bull-headed, strong-willed, anti-establishment rebel American can tame the wilds of nature. I enjoyed seeing Allie Fox's son Charlie's evolution from blind faith in his father to honestly contemplating killing him.

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Summary: THE BEST BOOK OF ALL TIME!! I UNDERSTAND HIS IDEAS
Review: The Mosquito Coast is the best book I have ever read!!!!! I saw that a lot of my thoughts were the same as Allie Fox's. I've never saw so much of myself in anyone before. If you don't like to read get the movie of the same title starring Harrison Ford (America's movie hero). I have read this book more than I have any other. If you like a good adventure, or maybe you want a book to change your world view, and if you like complicated minds fighting for a good cause then its for you.

Rating:
Summary: Profoundly irritating
Review: Although it's the only thing that's ever inspired me to go to South America, this book annoyed me to no end. Selfish? Allie's beyond selfish. Imagine Heart of Darkness with a protagonist who insists on dragging his entire family along with him (and imagine a family cowed, blindly faithful and weak enough to go along). Insane, unsympathetic, infuriating blowhard of a character. Hated every other minute of reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: Kept me reading, Shows a whole new point of view!
Review: This book by Paul Theroux kept me reading, I can't say I was totally enthralled 100% of the time but I did learn some new things. It was smart to have the story as seen through an adolescent, The story and the events would be tainted if the reader saw the story through Allie's eyes. I realized how people in the United States tend to take everything for granted and we don't make any effort to change the setting around us, Allie Fox would consider most of us savages. I don't reccomend this book for everyone, and be patient, It starts slow.