Rating: 
Summary: Yadda, yadda, yadda, meaning of life. . .and finally, yadda
Review: It's supposedly about a girl searching for the meaning of life, at the same time corresponding with an anonymous mentor. But it's really just a backdrop for the author's minimal knowledge re: philosophy. Reads like a Phil 101 textbook. It was a rehash of basic theories. Blah. He wove this cheap girlish teen-squeal mystery story around all the crap to make it look like a novel. Now that I got that out of my system: This book was a poor excuse for a novel. A mere showcase and mediocre backdrop for the author's regurgitation of the history of philosophy. Did he once inject his own philosophic views?? Made me think of a piece of lint set against black velvet: Absolutely nothing outstanding. Basically rehashing a basic textbook run, it's as if he were trying to convince himself that the money he spent on phil 101 wasn't a waste by cutting and pasting this awful story together. What a slapdash and muddy work of garbage! I'm sorry I bought it. If you're up for a heavy dose of melatonin and a night of rolling your eyes in dismay, read Sophie's World. If not, do the laundry or sacrafice a chicken. And don't forget to pretend you're doing a good job of it, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice introduction to heavy stuff
Review: I just finished Sophie's World. I would recommend it to anyone with a passing interest in Western Philosophy. However, anyone working in the field will be bored. After having spent a lifetime reading philosophy, on and off, this is one of the best overview books I've run across. The problem with most "philosophers" (at least modern day) is that they don't want you to know how little they have to say about "life" and living. But this book is simple and straight forward, and actually understandable. No technical crap or special nonsense language. For the passing observer interested in what might be of use to them in this field, I recommend this book. But people working in "philosophy" will find it too "simple".
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Summary: I was enthralled in the journey of this young girl.
Review: Once I picked this book up I found it hard to let it go. Philosophy is finaly presented in a way that the layman can understand. I was entertained as well as enlightened. That always makes for a good read.
Rating:
Summary: The story could have been better, but is's a good book
Review: The thriller is good until we find out who Sophie is, although it makes us think about who we really are. Anyway, the story really could have been sustained to make a better book. But the parts about philosophy are great, explaining complicated theories in simple words. Specially as an introduction to western philosophy, this book achieves its goal! I couldn't understand the review by Kirkus Reviews! Why do they think that "Gaarder can fool Norwegian youths into learning philosophy, but savvy American kids won't be so easily hoodwinked."??? As I see it, he doesn't believe that american kids can learn philophosy, an idea from which I totally disagree. They really were very unfortunate in that comment!
Rating:
Summary: an interesting book , if that is what you are looking for
Review: I was looking forward to read this book , and I must say that it was much different than I thought . I didn`t think that it would be so much history , but after getting used to all the information , the book was very fun reading . It is a book you either love or hate , I loved it because it was well written and the story about Sophie doesn`t drown in all the philosophie . You should read it!
Rating: 
Summary: Utter crap!
Review: Cheap, boring and simplistic. The story never gets going, the treatment of the philosophers is as fun as a textbook on computer science.
Rating: 
Summary: Not very intellectual
Review: If you have prior knowledge to, and interest in philosophy, don't read this book. The short-stories in between the different philosophical presentations are like reading a paperback novel written for teenage girls, and the presentation of the different philosofical ideas is quite superficial. If you have a developed interest in philosophy, the book is crap. If all you want is an introduction, it might be useful if you are able to ignore the badly written story that sort of nits it all together.
Rating:
Summary: don't read this book because you have to
Review: This is the sort of book that you can either love or hate. But to love it, you have to realize that not all of it is light reading. A lot of it is quite textbook-like. Only readers intersted in the history of philosophy AS WELL AS the clever plot line will truly enjoy the genius of this masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful presentation of philosophy
Review: Mixing the history of philosophy, with an engrossing plot.. I couldn't put it down until I had finished it!
Rating:
Summary: I would have given it negative stars if I could
Review: Sophie's World is a philosophy text book with a small unrelated and poorly written story thrown in between sections. A horrible book.
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