Book Review: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

Author: Charles Frazier

Title: Cold Mountain

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic

Format: paperback

Pages: 449

Published: January 1, 1997

Where I got It: My shelf (Gift)

Summary: 

Cold Mountain is a novel about a soldier’s perilous journey back to his beloved near the Civil War's end. At once a love story & a harrowing account of one man’s long walk home, Cold Mountain introduces a new talent in American literature.

Based on local history & family stories passed down by Frazier’s great-great-grandfather, Cold Mountain is the tale of a wounded Confederate soldier, Inman, who walks away from the ravages of the war & back home to his prewar sweetheart, Ada. His odyssey thru the devastated landscape of the soon-to-be-defeated South interweaves with Ada’s struggle to revive her father’s farm, with the help of an intrepid young drifter named Ruby. As their long-separated lives begin to converge at the close of the war, Inman & Ada confront the vastly transformed world they’ve been delivered.

Frazier reveals insight into human relations with the land & the dangers of solitude. He also shares with the great 19th century novelists a keen observation of a society undergoing change. Cold Mountain recreates a world gone by that speaks to our time.

Review:

One of my absolute favorite books. I felt it was time to revisit it since I haven't picked up this book since 2016.

This story is about WP Inman and Ada Monroe. They find love but due to war he puts on the uniform to fight for North Carolina. He may not believe in the cause, but it would be cowardly to not join. After he is injured horribly, he decides to walk away and go back home. The war is nearly done anyway and he can't take one more moment on the frontline. At the same time as his perilous walk, we also follow Ada. She was born and raised to be a lady. She only knows how to do frivolous tasks, so with her father gone and the money drained because of the war....she is struggling to survive. In walks Ruby who trains Ada to be a farmer.

This book always gets me. It is so tragic. I know how it ends, but I always have hope. Maybe it'll end differently this time!

I always wish that these two have more time together, but that is the tragedy. They are apart for so long, but I wish we had more scenes with them. Sighs. 

The format is always wild to me, but I've grown to look past it. It works for this story for some reason. Maybe I am blinded by love of the story and characters? 

What else to say?

The way the author describes our scenes is beautiful. It is majestic in a way. 

Yes, this is a love story but it is also shows a different side of the war. It really dives into the true human element. War makes monsters of us all. It may start with a noble cause but it can destroy everything and everyone. Along with the war and love element, the book does poke at deep issues at the time like racism, sexism, human rights, society, male/female gender roles, and etc.

All-in-all, this book always leaves me breathless and in tears. Now I have to watch the movie. Sigh. ;) 

5 stars from me of course. 

Favorite Character(s): Inman and Ruby

Least Favorite Character(s): Teague and his crew. 

  

Challenge(s):

- Romance Reading #12 (MC's name starts with 'M')

Book Review: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

Author: Charles Frazier
Title: Cold Mountain
Genre: Historical Fiction & Romance
Pages: 449
First Published: 1997
Where I Got It: My shelf (A gift many years ago)



The tale of a wounded Confederate soldier, Inman, who walks away from the ravages of the war & back home to his prewar sweetheart, Ada. His odyssey thru the devastated landscape of the soon-to-be-defeated South interweaves with Ada’s struggle to revive her father’s farm, with the help of an intrepid young drifter named Ruby. As their long-separated lives begin to converge at the close of the war, Inman & Ada confront the vastly transformed world they’ve been delivered.

One of my favorite books. Its been many a long time since I've read it, so I thought it was a good choice for Book Club (it was my turn to pick something). I feel an even stronger bond with this book since I've been doing that Ancestry project of mine. On both of my parents sides I have members of my family who fought during that horrible war. I've had family on both sides of the Civil War. I even had a member who fought in the North Carolina regiment like Inman. So I feel a little closer to Inman now. 

Such a horrible time in American history....brother vs brother in one of the bloodiest wars to date. We had more causalities in this war then WWII. Extremely sad. 

Poor Inman....he didn't really want to join. He wanted to be home and marry Ada. Much like Odysseus he has a hell of a journey home to the love of his life and the town/state he loves. Honestly, I love how it wasn't all about Ada. He wanted to be home. He wanted to see Cold Mountain again. However, he has many, many trails to conquer before he can do this. 

I adore Ada and her transformation. She was a southern belle who is forced to survive alone without her Dad and Inman. Ruby is an assistant in this growth, but Ada becomes a strong woman. Yes, she yearns for Inman with every fiber of her being, but so many has died from the war and she cannot rely on him coming back. Ruby and Ada also have many trails to conquer. 

My only complaint with the book is the lack of quotation marks. I get what the author was trying to do....but it was annoying.

Other then that, I have no complaints.

This book poked many issues of the time like racism, sexism, human rights, war, and so forth. Everything was tied together with beautiful scenery and the power of music and love. Simply beautiful in my opinion.

If one is to read a book about the American Civil War, I recommend this one. The movie does justice to the book (even though I question Nicole Kidman as Ada) and I think both need to read/watched in order to truly grasp the story. The both really show humanity at its worst and its best. They show the true human element of the time period in all its beauty and uglyness. This one quote is in both (a wee different in the film), "They call this war a cloud over the land. But they made the weather and then they stand in the rain and say, 'Shit! It's raining!"

This book is and will remain on my top 5 books (which I should make a post about that...hmmmm) Of course, I shall stamp it with 5 stars.

Movie Review: Cold Mountain (2003)

Length: 2 hr and 34 mins
Released: 2003
Genre: Drama, Romance, & Action/Adventure
Rating: R 
Where I Got It: My shelf (Birthday gift a long time ago)

SUMMARY:
Inman, a Civil War Confederate soldier, is seriously wounded in battle before heading home to North Carolina to his pre-war beloved, Ada. In his absence, Ada--with the help of a young drifter named Ruby--is desperately trying to hold onto the farm of her deceased missionary father. Inman's long journey home takes him through the crumbling confederacy, as he meets people of all walks of life who want to both aid and hinder his mission.

TRAILER: 

REVIEW:

Ooooh, I am a sap and I know it. This is another favorite tragic love story of mine. No matter how many times I watch this (or even read the book) I tear-up. So tragic. Honestly, I would be completely devastated if I was Ada. A new love goes to war for four years with little letters from him (it is 1860, so it is hard to get letters at a timely manner). PLUS it is the American Civil War, so you read how bloody and how much death is occurring, its hard not to be worrisome and fearful for the one you love.

POOR INMAN! Oh my goodness. He had such a long and terrible road to come back to Ada. He ditched the army, because he had had enough, do you blame him? Pretty much all his friends are dead and he was horribly injured. Honestly, he should have died. I do love how this is like a "modern" version of "Odysseus". However, Inman is a good man and never once strayed from Ada and it didn't take 10 years. xI Probably about a year of walking? But still...a long time with lots of trials and temptation. 

I could honestly ramble about this movie for hours...in one of my classes we could pick any book to write an analysis about, I should have done this one. *facepalm*

ANYWAYS...the cast is good. I loved Jude Law as Inman, perfect in my opinion. I do like Nicole Kidman a lot, however, I was really upset that they made her a blonde for Ada. In the book Ada is a dark-haired, dark eyed beauty. Other then that I loved her for Ada; she plays awkward very well. The only thing I can complain about is the two main actors slipped in their accents a couple times; I just caught it recently. 

Oooooh! The ending. I cannot even talk about it. It is the same for the book and movie. Sooooooooooo sad! I do not like it, but again...I love tragic love stories, so the evil part of me LOVES it. I do wish that in the movie that would have extended it longer, because the book the scene spans a few days, while the movie makes it seem one night...maybe two. Oh well.

Movie or Book? Ummmm...tough one, I love them both. If I had to pick ONE, I would probably pick the movie. It really gets to the FEELS and emotions right off the bat. Plus...Jude Law is a stud.

In the end, I adore this movie. There are a couple things I would have done differently if I made the movie, but alas, they did a good job with taking the book and putting it on screen. I love the actors they picked. A good group. I highly recommend this to those that like a little bit of war mixed with tragic love. It is a perfect remedy when you need to feel feelings. In the end, I stamp this with 5 stars. Of course.

Favorite Character(s): Inman, Ada (so awkward...I connect with her so much), Georgia (just because they had Jack White play him), and Ruby (love her)

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Teague (grrr)

Re-watch?: yessss!