Great holiday read - Rated 
This is another version of Lord of the Flies/Heart of Darkness without being as deep or literary as either of the aforementioned, but still a hugely entertaining and readable book. A young traveller meets a strange character Mr Daffy Duck, in a cheap hotel in Thailand. Mr Duck subsequently kills himself, but not before leaving a map to a hidden beach in a heavenly location. The narrator, Richard, and two new friends, Francoise and Etienne, travel to the beach and the book records their gradual descent from heaven to hell. On the way we realise why Mr Duck felt compelled to end his own life and reveal the location of the beach and his ghost (spirit, whatever) becomes Richard's conscience. It's all been done before, but the writing is accessible and compelling. Garland describes Thailand very well, I loved some of the little details and the dark humour. The climax is quite gruesome and if there is a fault it's in the lack of characterisation. In particular Sal, the leader of the group of people who live on the beach, I have no clear picture of her in my head. Although she's meant to be sinister, this doesn't really come across. I haven't seen the film, but DiCaprio does not match my picture of Richard at all.
In short, a good, easy read, enjoyable and dark.
A suitable solution for schools... Quality Modern Literature! - Rated 
ts not often I come along a book that suits me perfectly. Like any other young man, I still have the kid inside me that wishes you could be out there, exploring and starting adventures. I'm not sure how I even came across The Beach, but all I know is that its the best book I've ever read in the adventure genre.
I'd never even heard of Alex Garland, but now when I hear his name, this debut book of his springs to mind instantly. The Beach is very confidently written for such a young man, and theirs no doubt some of his other novels look intersting. The book itself however meets all the challeneges you'd expect from a traveller. Richard, the main character who narrates the book, starts off in a small hotel in Thailand, as part of his travelling. One night, a man staying in the room next to him peeps though the small mosquito net - it is from here Richard hears all about 'the beach'... And for an adventure book, the suprises get well under way from the start, as Richard goes on to find the beach with little more than a map he found pinned to his door, and 2 companions he meets in the hotel.
The use of imagery is fantastic - we get to know more about Richard as the book goes one, and cleverly, his own self description is written into the story as he describes himself in the mirror, instead of amatuerly saying "I have black hair...". The language is easy to read, and this helps to get a better vision of what the surroundings are like. The plot is fantastic too, as it keeps you wanting to read on all the time. Its not just about what Richard manages to see on his travels, its the development of the characters, and a series of events on the island that build up to a dramatic and violent end that even I wasn't expecting.
But inside the story, Garland tries to bring about many messages - the main one being about greed and our want for more in our human nature. This idea leads up to the events that turn the island from a heaven into a place were characters are on the edge.
To knit with Richards expieriences on the island, he has visions of a character who calls him self 'Daffy Duck' (hence he's a little loopy), who we discover has a big, big role to play not only on the island, but in Richards personality. The great thing about this sub-plot is that it leaves the reader making their own conclusion - 'Was Daffy manifested from Richards own thoughts and dreams?' That was one of my ideas anyway. Richards character plays a big role in th story, though thr reader maybe be unaware till they get truly stuck in. Watching Vietnam films in the past has only made Richard more young and vulnevrable- he's see's war as an adventure, but as he soon finds out thanks to Daffy, war isn't at all as good as it seems...
I would advise however that if your going to read the book, avoid the film! Its Hollywood elements do no justice to this novel, and you'll be very dissapointed. Either watch the film, or read book.
The fact that The Beach is such an absorbing book is what makes it so enjoyable. Theirs no real answer to any myths surrounding the characters pasts, and you can make your own judgements - Garland doesn't tell you what he wants you to think. With its lovely imagery and nice set up of chapters and 'sub'chapters', The Beach is a perfect book for escaping from the winter chill!
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