Rating: 
Summary: The best book ever!
Review: "The Beach" is the best book I have and will ever read. You can't help but really like Richard. I wish there was a sequel! The descriptions of the luscious beach made my mouth water. I couldn't put it down. Alex Garland deserves a Pulitzer for this work. I will never forget it.
Rating:
Summary: Most Highly Recommended!
Review: Without a doubt, one of the best books I've read this year. The other reviews uncover the story line but let me say it definitely kept me rivetted. I'm not sure about about the movie with Di Caprio - it will probably ruin the whole tale for me. If you travel and want an intense reading experience - then get this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Certainly in my top ten books of all time!
Review: Having travelled in Thailand on many occassions, Garland's description of this most beautiful part of the world was second to none. I found it almost disturbing reading how much like Richard I actually am. Dont we all go to Thailand looking for Vietnam? Clearly the film will be dispointing as the point about Richard's character is that he is English. Does Di Caprio attempt this? I doubt it.My only reservation is that I was never satisfied that Mr Duck's role was suitably explained or understandable. Was he Richard's alter ego? Despite that a great story, well written enough for a first novel and I look forward to more.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling!
Review: This is an amazing book! Both beautiful and shocking. Garland's descriptions of Thailand are lush and inviting, and the characters are solid. I would reccommend this book to any traveler or would-be adventurer. It's a wild ride that never lets up for a moment, screaming to a startling finale that will haunt you for days.
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the parallels, ignore the back cover, buy the book
Review: The overblown parallels to other works nearly spoiled this wonderful book for me. There's no question that it's a page-turner. But it's more than the flimsy piece of pop trash that the hype would lead you to believe. Garland has certainly taken inspiration from past classics. However, the comparison shows his originality in breaking away from his models to tell a story that is both uniquely relevant to our shrinking world and timeless in showing how "paradise" would dull the senses to the point of robbing its inhabitants of their humanity. The book misses five stars in my book because, although Garland is a more than competent writer, he is not a great one Although the three main characters are multi-dimensional, the others are just cardboard cut-outs, which lessens the impact of the story.
Rating:
Summary: A MODERN CLASSIC
Review: I could rave about this book for days and tell you a specific part that drew me in to the point where nothing else mattered around me for days. I will not. I will say that this quite possibly is the greatest book ever written. It should be issued to you when you are born.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorry Thailand
Review: The Beach is a good book. Garland expertly catches the transparency of pop culture youth. The character sketching is suitably scant ( during my reading, I found my mind drifting away and amusingly wondered how they would react if their mothers arrived by boat on a 'two week cruise of Thai islands - with free golfing excursions' ). The narrative is quick and the plot structure adequate for a book that never achieves the depth of the lagoons it describes. My only worry is that hoards of young 'travellers' ( minus parents ) will descend on Thailand - a country that is yet to be invaded - drunk on western pop culture. Costa Del Thailand here we come.
Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: This is one of the best books I¡¦ve ever read. I could hardly put it down. I thought the beginning especially had the hallmarks of genius. I look forward to reading the author¡¦s other works. I have no regrets about giving this 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: It was excellent
Review: I really enjoyed this book, i read within one day! i couldn't put it down. I hope the film *(starring leo di caprio) is just as good. The part when they were in the dope fields for the first time was really good i felt although i was there too!
Rating:
Summary: awesome first novel for such a young but very mature writer
Review: Before reading this book, I read Garland's second novel, Tesseract, which was excellent, so I had to read his first. I was amazed at how different the two are from each other, but equally sophisticated, fast-paced and complicated. I might actually go see the movie with Leonardo.
| 
