The Beach

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Summary: There is no escape and no future
Review: Alex Garland committed the supreme crime against escapism. He picked up the axiomatic of « Lord of the Flies » and transposed it into our world, on some virgin island in Thailand, with adults who are trying to escape from our consumer's society to reach paradise on earth with total separation from the world (not so total after all since they have a boat to go back to civilization and buy some food, some batteries and some other items of the type), with the sun, the perfect water of a lagoon, a lot of dope (marihuana), and some coconut beer. A limited, secret society of its own. This society is dominated by a woman who exerts absolute power and chess manipulation over the members, her children in her mind. They work every morning, either fishing, or gardening, or carpeting, or cooking. Then they enjoy the sun, the sand, the water and the jungle around them the rest of the time, and then in the evening and night, their dope and their total hallucinating trips. One of the founders escapes from there, haunted that he is by the Vietnam war that does not disappear from his memory, and sends three new comers to this beach. These three arrive and are accepted and we delve into the psychology of the narrator, a certain Englishman Richard, and we discover the transformation with the erasing of time and space, of any social link with the outside world. They are obliged to share the island with some Thai people who are illegally growing marihuana in another part of the island. The description of this going back to the wilderness is marvellously described and analyzed, though interlaced with mental visits of the escaped founder who had committed suicide in Bangkok, before giving Richard the map of the island. And we discover that this society is a perfectly human society. But, due to some crises (the attack of three fishermen by a shark, the subsequent death of two of them and mental derangement of the third one, the menace of the arrival of five more uninvited - except by Richard in Bangkok - newcomers, their interception by the military guards of the marihuana fields and their subsequent torturing and killing), we find out that Sal, the female chief of this escapist society, is a real fascist, able to order Richard to kill the deranged fisherman when he escapes, and to do what is nevcessary to stop the new comers, which means death, though this death will come from the marihuana guards. She is the mother of this society, some kind of God-Mother who has the right of life and death over all the members, who forces them to work hard for survival, etc. The book reveals that normal adults who want to flee from consumer's society in our modern conditions, without any excuse since they do this trip voluntarily, that those normal adults regress to a primitive life style, but also to an absolute didactorship out of fear, an overprotective spirit concerning their little world, the secrecy of this world, their total rejection of the outside world, and of course their deeply ingrained death instinct. And this regression leads them to the blurring out of the thin limit between life and death, I mean the life and death of others (for every single one member). And luckily, just before, or rather in the middle of the killing of Richard by the other members who are drunk and stoned, Richard, the two friends he came with, another friend he made on this island and an older and mysterious friend of his, will manage to escape before being caught up in absolute horror, and death. Their is no escape from our world that does not lead to the primitive mentality of the clan and the absolute dependence the clan requires from any member and the killing by all members of those who may not be absolutely in line with that collective crushing of individual minds. This book is a masterpiece that goes beyond « Lord of the Flies », because it deals with willing adults, with a voluntary escape, and also with the colonial and imperialistic spirit that lies behind : they capture a piece of territory in Thailand and make it their own. This is emphasized by the constant allusions to Vietnam, brought into the psychology of Richard by the dead escapee's ghost who gave him the map, because for him this beach is Saigon just before the fall in 1975. A must for all those who think that escape is possble and desirable. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Universities of Paris IX and II.

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Summary: Beach Life
Review: I though The Beach was a great book.It is young fun and just makes you dream of to paradise with them.It also makes you think how people have their perfect idee of paradise and that after it is just what you think that makes it that.I read this book with great interest and it made me think and wonder and it was action full it keep me going until the end.

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Summary: This is does not represent Gen X! Worst book I ever read...
Review: If they had a negative star rating, I would use it.

This is by far the most ridiculous book I have ever wasted my money on. I am a "Gen Xer" 22 year old backpacker. This does not even come close to representing me or anyone that I know. I'm very disappointed that this is the "book of our generation". How can the 20 something's get any respect or understanding when we are represented by a immature, violent work like this?

My friends and I do not do drug, do not obsess on a war and are compassionate and spiritual people. We are opposed to violence, and you don't get much more senseless violence than this book. Not all Xers are slackers dope addicts.

I was not sure whether to laugh at this book or bemoan the fact I was roped into paying for it. I understand we all have different opinions, but I do not see how anyone but the most immature and juvenile could like this book.

As another reviewed stated, it never even looks at the beautiful, peaceful and compassionate land that is Thailand. I doubt very very highly that garland has ever been to Thailand, and if he has been *he* is the one who wasted his money on a ticket. Paradise is all around us...if you are capable of seeing it.

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Summary: INCREDIBLE! A real Page Turner
Review: The beach is one of my most loved books. It deals with everything in the American socitety by bringing together a great and unforgetable story. The story is long and at points gets a little too long but still it provides an explosive ending with a surprising outcome. I loved it. I reccomnd it to anyone who loves drugs, a little romance and some pretty heavy violence. Buy it right now!

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Summary: standing on the beach
Review: I'll have to start this review by telling you that I didn't finish the book. It was not because it was boring, but because it glorified violence unduly, a shortcoming that I find intolerable. I picked up the book expecting a lot more commentary on the treatment of the third world as a Disney park, a characteristic of my generation. This was not addressed as significantly as I had hoped. When I read the book the movie had already premiered and I couldn't shake from my mind the chain of action as a short attention span gratifying made for movie novel. I mean, I know that it wasn't, but the transfer seemed that it would be all too easy. My friend, Scott, who loves the book brought up a good point. The book is written in the first person, Richard, who is a selfish and dim witted jerk. It is interesting to walk in these shoes, although my wife moaned with frustration as the primary character bumbles through a chain of really bad decisions.

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Summary: Sticks to you
Review: I expected more from The Beach story- and thought-wise, but I can't say that I didn't like it. The narrative just gets you hooked, Garland's style flows and makes you want to read just that one more page. I might even say now a few words say more than a thousand pictures, he kind of paints pictures with his words...It's hard to explain.

I thought The Beach to be highly provocative, for some reason, and it wasn't, instead part travel story, part description of the main character Richard (he's great and thoroughly interesting, I might add) and yes, part critique on the effect of mass tourism, albeit differently than I thought.

I have to say I liked reading it, and there were a few things I really loved: the dream sequences and the ending, which I've heard they've changed in the movie and I really can't see any point to that.

Beautiful, dream-like, horrific, tense, witty, well-written. I say it's well worth reading, there something magical to it, and I'm simply forced to buy The Tesseract too.

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Summary: Our generation has finally found a literary place
Review: I loved this book because it was refreshing, witty and easy to relate to. I am a 25 year old with a bachelor's in english lit and I would strongly recommend this to anyone with a similar bio. I didn't like the Tesseract as well but we'll have to see what Garland comes up with next. Read The Beach!

Rating:
Summary: Definitely Recommend It!
Review: This was one of the best books I have ever read! The character development was fantastic, and the plot never sagged. It continuously built intrigue and suspense. I haven't seen the movie, yet, however, I am excited to get the visuals for this great story. Definitely check it out-- Alex Garland's first effort was definitely top grade!

Rating:
Summary: Wasn't as Good as the Hype
Review: The hype about this book, way before the movie, was so great that it isn't surprising that the novel didn't live up to the hype, at least in my humble opinion. I did, however, enjoy the book and bought Garland's 2nd novel when it came out.

Rating:
Summary: great
Review: this is really an astounding pice of fiction.the characters are inteligent and you really get to know them. the narrative just flows and it is just a really fun book to read.very impressive for a debut novel, almost as good as Asher Brauner with his debut "love songs of the tone deaf" I really reccommend this book.