Rating: 
Summary: I wanted it to be good...
Review: I thought the movie was pretty good so I read the book. And I wanted it to be good, but overall I really wasn't impressed that much with it. If you are looking for page-turner, this is not what you are looking for. If you like travel, then you might like it. It's interesting, let's leave it at that. Not one to burn the midnight oil over. As for Garland, his first novel is good, there is no doubt. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't like the first person throughout the whole thing...it read like a diary or something. If I want to read a diary, I'll read Anne Frank's(or my sister's!). The book is good, but could be better. I would have given it 3 stars, but the ending is good, better than the movie's, so I added one more. If unsure, save some money and just see the film.
Rating: 
Summary: The WORST
Review: Can't believe people like this book so much. It never engaged me, never seemed believable or anything more than the stolen stories of Lord of the Flies and Robinson Crusoe combined. Lame and worst of all not even a good beach read!
Rating:
Summary: Book and movie, both well done
Review: I've seen the movie, and I've read the book. I can't lie and tell you it wasn't good, because i enjoyed both versions of it. The movie was well acted by Leonardo DiCaprio as Richard, and the directing was amazing. And of course, the beach in Thailand, the sight was beautiful. The book had a lot of detail, but i didn't understand some parts of it, the movie cleared it all up. All in all, I recommend you read the book first, then watch the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: over rated!
Review: contrite topic that's been written about a thousand times... Lord of The Flies, Rushing TO Paradise, Eco's The Island of The Day Before, Films-with Anne Heche and Harrison Ford, Return to paradise... someone winds up in se asia or an island things go wrong then they discover themselves, whatever... this is a good book for armchair adventurers and wannabe backpackers... much better adventure travel reading like Redmond O'hanlon and Tim Cahill... a big fan of Thailand in general his descriptions of Bangkok and the islands are great, and he does have a pleasant voice... I would say see the movie but Leo depresses me, so you might as well read the book...
Rating: 
Summary: The Beach
Review: I could not put down this book until I finished it. I recommend it to everyone who dreams of traveling to the absolutely most perfect place in the world. We can all identify with the characters chasing this dream. I loved it. I saw the movie today and I really enjoyed it but did not feel I was traveling with the same characters in the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: The Beach by Alex Garland is a great book and should be included as one of the best freshman books ever. It's fast paced (but not to fast paced so that you don't know what's going on half the time) and can easily be read by even a casual reader in less than a week and a half. I'm only 14 and it took me only two weeks. You can't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Frighteningly realistic, believable, poignant & insightful
Review: A brillant book on many fronts. On one front, it was "just" an adventure book but somehow, from the first few lines, my imagination was captured by the vividness of the scenes described. What was best of all was the depth of the main charcacter who was an anti-hero and yet remained sympathetic to the reader. He was delusional, and rational in turns. Always there, and yet sometimes he viewed himself from a distance. How many of us have not experienced that "disengagement" at some point in our lives? His characterisation of Jed, Sal,Bugs and Daffy, were well fleshed out and realistic. Many times, I found myself asking whether Daffy was really there or whether he only existed inside Richard's head. And as a reader (unlike watching the movie), I felt free to interpret and imagine as I liked. I feel strongly also that the author, Alex Garland, must had lived much of what he wrote, as he did it so unerringly. I'm glad I read the book before I watched the movie. Before the movie came out, I already felt that it could obviously not allow us to explore the psyche behind the main character "Richard" and that was so interesting and pivotal in the book. (Just for the record, the movie was alright, quite enjoyable but lacked the brillance of the book) For example, in the book, we are always within Richard's head, knowing his thoughts and feelings. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: The book is amaizing. The movie is terrible.
Review: Isn't it unfortunate that this absolutely phenomenal book had to be adapted into such a terrible film? I am the first one to say that this book would make for a great movie but what in the world was Danny Boyle thinking when he decided that Jed and Cassie, or for that matter character development as a concept, weren't important for the film? Or that the movie needed a happy ending? Or that every single telling moment of the book should be cut? Or that the audience wouldn't understand anything remotely subtle? The film is perhaps the most condescending literary adaptation I've ever seen. There are childrens films with more depth and insight than the film The Beach. If you love the book, don't see the movie. What was Danny Boyle thinking? Who knows. Perhaps the movie was an adaptation of the Cliff notes he skimmed through one day.
Rating:
Summary: A top book
Review: I read this book 2 1/2 years ago, before there was any mention of a movie. when I started reading this, I couldn't believe how accurate his depictions of the backpacker culture were. I felt , whilst reading this I could have written it myself as I had travelled the exact route Richard had 3 years earlier.His experiences were identicalto mine for the first half of the book. I loved his characterizations.I'm sure we all know some of those characters.I felt this book was written with such honesty,that I'm sure some of us have thought the thoughts of Richard before. An excellent read. I have been telling anyone who will listen to read this book for years.Anyone of the Generation X will empathise with this character.I saw the movie this week and I was quite pleased with how it turned out,although the nationality switch of Richard was disappointing and I feel they played safe with the portrayal of Richard,in that as soon as he started showing his madness they pulled the character back. The performances were commendable & I think Leonardo did a good job although he wouldn't have been my first choice, Robert Carlyle was superb as usual. The saddest part was that they butchered the ending, Hollywood couldn't resist the Happily Ever After!
Rating:
Summary: the best book I've ever read
Review: you need to read it ! it's really great and the best book so far for the generation X like they call us. I kept taking it again after putting it down at 2h30 AM with work at 7 the next morning... you can stop reading it, but I didn't wanted it to end, as I was so much into the characters and the story. I haven't seen the movie yet, but, I already have a movie of this story in my head, thanks to Garland's wonderful way of writing. Do I need to say more ?...order it right now !
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