The Beach

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Summary: thought provoking gen-x coming of age tale
Review: A great story about the downward spiral of a group of twenty-something new age hippies who thought they found paradise on a deserted stretch of beach in south east asia.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read -- an absolute page-turner. I read it in 3 days. The imagery is wonderful and makes you feel like you are right there. Anyone who fits into the generation 'x' category will definitely relate to the pop culture details and the overall mentality of the main character, Richard. It has the perfect blend of intelligence, intrigue, suspence, and humor. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic - an escape to another world
Review: I've just finished The Beach after spending a quiet weekend in a cottage in the rain. The book gripped me from start to finish and despite several surreal moments, the book really did transport me to another world. One of the most absorbing books I've read for a long time.

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Summary: I Want More
Review: An absolutely awesome book. Made me want to quit my job and hang out in those fields all day. I actually went out and bought guide books for Thailand because this book was so inspiring. I can't wait for his next one.

Rating:
Summary: An instant classic that generates thought on many levels
Review: Garland sculpts an instant classic around generation X themes and concepts. This is the first book I have ever read that taps into the psyche of my generation. After finishing the book, one cannot help but dissect the levels of meaning he places over this tale.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!
Review: This is a book you wish carried on and on beyond the last page. I think Garland will have a difficult time trying to better this first effort. Despite many of the perceptions many people have about the substance of this book, like 'its a critique on western values' etc, The Beach is first and foremost a gripping narrative. It is not highbrow and it is not an academic study, it is a story and as such it has few discernible flaws. If you are looking for fun and entertainment READ this book. If you want to waste your time contemplating moral dialectics then don't bother. .

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Summary: Makes you wonder about what you are doing with your life!
Review: This book was a thrilling and exciting piece of modern literature. Easy to get in to, and difficult to put down. Can't wait for the next novel to come from Alex Garland.

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Summary: The most incredibly suspence filled book I have read to date
Review: I bought this book because the name has been in the press lately. I didn't know what to expect. After the first few pages, I could not put it down. I finished it tonight, and was sad because it was over. I became Richard, and everyone else who was a part of the beach. The book takes you in, and totally submerses you into, that you are there, with all of the characters. So tastefully written. I just can't imagine seeing this book on film. WOW...definately a must buy!!!

Rating:
Summary: One of a kind!
Review: Here is the one book I've been waiting for. It tells a story about a man who travels to the far east, and ends up on a beach full of equals. But as the story goes on the people finally realise their differenses and are driven into disorder. The book is great because it says something about the restless souls of young people, and our need to explore. This one comes highly recomended in my book!

Rating:
Summary: The Beach is EPIC
Review: Just want to say that I'm in awe of Alex Garland for his first novel, The Beach. A man in his mid-twenties, he relates to young, urban culture while simultaneously spinning the type of intricate yarn that most storytellers never achieve in a lifetime. Mad props to Alex, and looking forward to his next piece of work.