The reviewer found Joe Simpson's survival story remarkable but felt the book was overly detailed and tedious, making it a less enjoyable read despite the incredible events described.
The reviewer acknowledges the extraordinary nature of Joe Simpson's survival experience and the incredible odds he overcame. However, they found the book to be excessively detailed, focusing too much on technical climbing terms and minute descriptions of the journey. This made the reading experience tedious and less engaging. The reviewer also noted that the book drags on with unnecessary postscripts and epilogues, extending the narrative beyond what is necessary. Despite the impressive survival story, the detailed and sometimes mundane descriptions detracted from the overall enjoyment of the book.
Quick quotes
Joe Simpson had a remarkable experience - totally of his whole making, but nevertheless the way he survived was pretty amazing.
However, there were times when I was ploughing through this book when I would have much preferred to be dragging a broken leg across the 'scree' at the bottom of a mountain and pissing my pants.
This tale of a bloke with a penchant for finding large geological constructions to fall off is intense in the extreme.