Beach, The

I first saw the movie on DVD a couple of weeks ago. I found the movie extraordinary. It was so beautiful, mesmerizing, and intense. The plot, the casting, the acting, the scenery, the photography it all worked together seamlessly. After reading everyone's reviews I just had to read the book. You know the cliché: "If you liked the movie, you will love the book, it's so much better." Well, not necessarily in this specific case they are both excellent. If anything, relative to their own medium the movie is a better movie than the book is for a book. This does not mean the book is bad. It is still outstanding. The book was great fun to read, and is an incredible page turner. Actually, never reading fiction I am typically an incredibly slow reader (typically 35 pages an hour). But, in this case I found myself cruising effortlessly at speeds close to or over 60 pages an hour. And, I read the whole book (400 pages) in less than 3 full days, and that was during the working week. That's definitely a personal best for me in terms of speed and pretty close to a best in terms of enjoyment too. The book has a fairly universal appeal. I frankly don't have that much interest or respect in the type of dope addicted, hedonistic, vapid and meaningless culture described in the book. Yet, somehow I could relate very much to the characters. The plot was a complex mix of Robinson Crusoe, Lord of the Flies, Apocalypse Now, and the Drifters (by James Michener). It was the group dynamics, the power plays, the politics, and the hardship that made this story so interesting. The protagonists faced wrenching moral dilemma days after days. They are put in situations where they are no clear cut good or bad answers. Sometimes given the circumstances, the apparently cruel thing is the right thing to do. Most of the characters had few redeeming qualities by themselves, but as a society they became fascinating. They became a representative microcosm of the entire of humankind. The writing is so hip, that at first it is almost irritating. How many times can you read the four letter word in the same paragraph. For a while, you almost question whether people really do speak like that. But, the genius in the writing was that it was made to be adapted into a screenplay. Voluntarily or not, Alex Garland created a magical cash machine when he wrote this first novel. Twentieth Century Fox must have gone bezerk when they came across his story. After this book, Garland did not rest on his laurels as he soon wrote "28 Days Later" which was turned into one of the best Armageddon horror movies I have seen in the past few years. As you can tell, I can unequivocally recommend the book and the movie as well. Reading this book tempts me to read again both Robinson Crusoe and The Drifters.

So many interesting things the author could have done with the plot he developed. Thought the ending was too quick but a jolly good read and interesting perspective on the human condition

Reading 'The Beach' was a transformative experience for me, one that went far beyond the pages of the book. This captivating novel paints a vivid picture of Thailand's mesmerizing landscapes and the allure of off-the-beaten-path adventures. The story's rich descriptions and thrilling narrative ignited a sense of wanderlust in me that I couldn't ignore. It was the catalyst that inspired me to embark on my own journey to Thailand. The book explores themes of escapism, the complexities of utopian ideals, and the raw beauty of nature, all of which resonated deeply with me. The author's ability to transport readers to the hidden paradises of Thailand is remarkable. It's a tale that challenges the reader to think about the essence of travel and what it means to search for a place untouched by the modern world. 'The Beach' is more than a novel; it's an invitation to explore, to seek out the unknown, and to embrace the thrill of discovery. My trip to Thailand, influenced by this book, was an unforgettable adventure that mirrored the excitement and self-discovery found within its pages.

I don't understand why this book is a best seller. It has no plot and no development. The characters are also weak. It starts out very interesting...a run down hostel in Bankok with dope fiends. a Map Etc. then when they get to The Beach the story slows way down. It is almost like you are peeking into a reality TV camera watching people's daily routines. They go to work, They Eat, They sleep. The story picks up at the very end but it is short lived, then the book ends. With that said I plan on seeing the movie. I have a hunch this novel needs film to show the beauty of the beach and the surroundings. The book couldn't convey any of that to me. This book is compared to Lord Of The Flies on the back cover. It shouldn't be, Lord Of The Flies is a classic. This is something different. Not a bad story but could have used a lot more imagination. No sexual content ? Come on !......deserted island with young backpackers from europe ????? Finished the book in 3 days. Easy Read

This novel is narrated by a young man named Richard who is given a map to a mysterious paradise in Thailand by a stranger who acts weird before committing suicide. Richard sets off in search of the island with a French couple and he stumbles upon a sort of Edenic community who live near a beach and are almost completely self-sufficient and cut off from the world. This life of fishing, gardening, cooking, and carpentering soon leads to some drama, factionalism, and then brutal violence. This is an odd book, a mixture of influences like Apocalypse Now and Lord of the Flies but catering towards a kind of teenage wanderlust for backpacking through Asia. It has suspense, drama, personality conflict, and an exotic setting where the discovery of Eden and its violent overthrow all take place.

Wow, what a ride. I had never seen the movie before, because it sounded quite boring to me. Travellers on a remote beach. Yawn. Then my husband (who is not much of a reader like I am) mentioned how he'd read The Beach twenty years ago and how good it was. It really stuck with him. So it was with that review that I bought the Kindle book. I didn't read it straight away but started it when I was looking for something new to start at the hairdressers. That was on Thursday. It is now Monday, four days later and I have finished The Beach with great satisfaction. I simply couldn't put it down. Such gripping adventure writing and a fabulous story that carries you along. I am not a traveller myself, more of an introvert homebody, and I much prefer Europe to Asia, so for me to enjoy this book so much says a lot for the author's writing skills. I am off to find the movie now :)

Think "The Lord of the Flies," then think Game Boy, Marijuana, teen angst, and Vietnam war-flicks. An unlikely combination, no doubt, but somehow, thanks to Alex Garland's narrative gift, he manages to weave these elements into a successful, and highly addicting, first novel. Like most people, I first experienced "The Beach" through the DiCaprio movie of the same name. The movie interested me a little, and a week later, I decided to pick up the book. I know it's cliché, but believe me when I say, the book is much, much better than the movie. Richard, the main character, is a backpacker through Thailand, and, like a lot of backpackers, he is searching for that undiscovered place--paradise, if you will. Enter Daffy, a suicide who leaves him a map to a hidden beach. Richard, with some friends, travels there and discovers his utopia. I won't spoil the rest, but it's probably easy to guess. The appeal of "The Beach" is not in its premise, which has been done countless times before. The appeal lies in Garland's ability to bring something new to the table. The Vietnam flashbacks with Daffy, the conflict with the dope farmers, and the pending sense of doom are the elements in this story that make it a real page turner. We all know the ending of the story before it starts, but finding out HOW Richard's train wreck concludes is a different matter completely.

The Beach focuses on the main character of Richard, who finds a map to a hidden beach paradise while traveling in Thailand. After becoming friends with two other travelers, they set out on an adventure to find this beach. After discovering the seemingly "Edenic paradise" on a island in a Thai National Park, Richard soon finds that it's not as much as a paradise as he first thought. He comes to learn that sometimes civilized behavior tends to break down in a situation such as this, cut off from modern society, that the utopia that the founders tried to create here is harder to maintain then he originally believed. Now first I have to say that besides being a very avid reader, I also love movies. The Beach is one of my favorite movies and for some reason I was unaware that it was of course based on a book. I have seen the movie probably 20 times, so I was afraid that might ruin the book for me. However, I was very wrong. First, like a lot of book to movie adaptations, the movie is much different from the book, the plot line is not the same, huge scenes are left out or changed and a great deal of detail is missing in the movie. Second, I have to say that although I was impressed by Garland's writing, I imagine that not everyone would enjoy this book. Garland has a unique writing style and it is also very descriptive. Even if you have never seen the movie, the way he paints the picture of the beach and lagoon is amazing. I feel like I can see the whole layout of the island. There are part of this book that are quite violent and Garland's writing made them stand out to me that much more. Richard is the only character that I feel like I really got to know, although we do learn a lot about the other characters involved, there are so many people interacting with Richard on a daily basis. It would have been difficult for the author to describe each one of them in as much detail as Richard. The book is told from Richard's point of view and starts off when he arrives in Thailand before ever meeting Daffy or acquiring the map to the beach. The "feel" of the writing, is that Richard is writing this story a year or two after is happened, but then some chapters sounds more present tense. I don't really know how to explain it, but it worked really well. The book is also broken down into both sections and then chapters within those sections. Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it's a lot different then what I have been reading lately. If you have seen the movie, the book is not only a lot different, but I also enjoyed it a lot more. The things the movie left out, make the book. The way it ends was absolutely perfect after the events leading up to the "climax". It is most certainly a book I would recommend to anyone looking for something a bit different, happy reading!