Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain cover
Good Books rating 3.17
Buy online
Technical
  • ID: 8841
  • Added: 2025-12-22
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • ISBN: 9780679309451
  • Publisher: Vintage Canada
  • Published: 1998-01-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Cold Mountain is a sweeping tale of a wounded Confederate soldier, Inman, who deserts his post to return to his beloved Ada in the Blue Ridge mountains. His journey is fraught with danger and encounters with a diverse cast of characters, each shaping his understanding of the world around him. Meanwhile, Ada struggles to maintain her late father's farm, learning resilience and independence in a rapidly changing society. /n/n The novel masterfully blends adventure, romance, and historical fiction, offering a vivid portrayal of the American Civil War era. Frazier's prose brings the landscape and its inhabitants to life, creating a poignant and unforgettable narrative of hope and redemption.

Reviews
Book Marks Reviews · 2025-12-22
disappointing 2.00

The book is praised for its archaeological precision but criticized for lacking depth beneath its surface. It feels meticulously crafted but emotionally hollow.

This reviewer appreciates the professionalism and competence in the book's writing, noting that it's like a well-dug archaeological site. However, they feel it's missing the emotional depth and substance that would make it truly compelling. The surfaces are polished, but there's a sense of emptiness beneath. It's a book that feels more like a technical achievement than an emotional journey, leaving the reader with a sense of something missing.


Quick quotes

    The book is so professionally archaeological, so competently dug, that one can mistake its surfaces for depth.

    But it's like a cemetery with no bodies in it.

    It's a book that feels more like a technical achievement than an emotional journey.

Sci-fi Fantasy Lit Chick · 2014-10-03
good 3.50

The book is described as a good read with excellent prose and descriptive writing. It's noted for its thoughtful exploration of love and its gruesome, traumatizing aspects.

This reviewer finds Cold Mountain to be a good read, especially suitable for a cool autumn day. They highlight the excellent prose and descriptive writing, which they appreciate as an adult reader. The book's exploration of love is thoughtful and well-crafted. However, they also note that the story is very gruesome and traumatizing, which adds a layer of intensity to the reading experience. The reviewer seems to appreciate the depth and complexity of the relationships portrayed in the book.


Quick quotes

    Cold Mountain is a good read to snuggle up to on a cool autumn day.

    The prose is very dense and descriptive, which I appreciate much more as an adult reader.

    I forgot how traumatizing this story is, though. Very gruesome.

The Guardian · 2011-09-16
excellent 4.00

The novel's chapters alternate between two stories that require attention to the natural world. It's praised for its detailed and immersive portrayal of the natural environment.

This reviewer notes that the novel's chapters alternate between two stories, both of which require a keen attention to the natural world. The detailed and immersive portrayal of the natural environment is a standout feature of the book. The reviewer seems to appreciate the way the natural world is integrated into the narrative, adding depth and richness to the story. The book's exploration of the natural world is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the characters' journeys.


Quick quotes

    The novel's chapters alternate between their stories, both of which require an attention to the natural world.

    Inman's attention because he must survive in the wilderness.

    The natural world is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the characters' journeys.