The Beach by Alex Garland Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Beach
Book Review: A very good book.
Summary: 4 Stars
One og my reasons for reading this book is as a assistant professor in Tourism & Hotel Management.Espesially if you are into the issues of backpacking and eco tourism. His writing style with jumps in time and place keeps you on your toes. This could acctually have happened. I am also thinking of possibly have this book as required reading in my class. I dont know if I want to see the movie as this, I have heard, is made with and american hero. Well the film and the book will be two different things. I have just started on hgis next book, and I hope that it is as good.Book Review: A 21st century must read
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best books I have ever read (and I've read quite a few). It could be I relate to the characters fairly well but I'm quite sure that is not all to it. Once you finish reading you wish you lived at the beach, at least for a while. It's fast paced, set in a paradise that almost sprays your face with saltwater and the clearest sand every time you turn a page. The book conveys such emotion that it can make you reread many times just to see if such and such would do something different. The movie is obviously not the greatest; I'd say the book does the same regarding the atmosphere and setting but strongly surpasses the movie character and plotwise. I truly recommend it. Its quite a shame that Garland (and most others) won't ever write a book like this one again.Book Review: A 5* book that should be on your reading list!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Beach is quite simply a brilliant must-read! It's a compelling story with intriguing characters and it keeps you hooked from beginning to end! I recommend reading this and adding it to your 'reading list' if you're one of those people like me who keeps a list of books to read!!
The Beach is one of my favourite books and I only have 2 favourites! (I'm a tough reader to impress - I like novels that are different) so if you're into all things weird and wonderful, get this book! You won't regret it!
Book Review: A Breeze and A Surprise
Summary: 5 Stars
How do you rate a good book? By the number of big words used? The promises of saving the world or change your life? The Beach is neither. Yet it achieve every spec of a good book in a down-to-earth and pleasant way. The pleasantness comes through the way in which Garland portrays his characters and story. He kept things light. He didn't use big words. He didn't describe 10 pages on a vase. The story sailed along. Every now and then, Garland inserts nuances of philosphy (expressed through the plain language of that of a regular young person). While you may just be absorbed in the fantasy-like story that Garland in painting, out of nowhere a web of conflicting thoughts confront you. Suddenly you realize that the story is not about a paradise beach, but about the human conditions. It is about the evolution of evil. It is about where evil stems from (good). It is about how something so naive and fun can suddenly be betrayed into paradise-lost.
Without giving away the essense of the story, my suggestion for those who might be reading the book for the first time is to closely monitor the progression of the story in reference to the rise of Nazism, or rather any extremisms. Garland ingeniusly presented the process in which human desires manifest, going overboard and becoming evil. The most incredible part is that he seemed to have done it so effortlessly, so "unintellectually" ... ultimately most effectively.
The Beach falls into the same category of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, or George Orwell's 1984 (see my reviews on those books as well). Yet what distinguishes The Beach is the way in which Garland presented his ideas. And he is anything but conventional.
The book is worthy of reading over and over both for its intellectual and entertainment value. Just as a footnote, please do not in any way think the Hollywood movie version portrayed the essence of Garland's thoughts at all. The movie had good visuals, but for the thoughts, read the book. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
Book Review: A Classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
Easy reading at its best. No need to take this work seriously, it's just a great story! If you're a traveller (especially to the region) it's a must read. Can see how stay at home yanks might not find it appealing but anyone with a sense of adventure will be gripped!