I thought this would be a fun read since I generally love Simmons’s column, but the perpetual misogyny made me so sick to my stomach I could barely get through ten pages without having to put it down. It’s a shame, because now I kind of hate the guy and it taints his column for me.

I wasn’t really all that excited about the book to be honest – I’m not the biggest fan of the series, though I definitely enjoyed it. I really didn’t think the author could manage to come up with an ending that lived up to all of the expectations people had developed.

Long story short, she did. I was impressed with how well the ending fit, and how complex, startling, and appropriate it was. I had some minor gripes (epilogue!) but really, it was amazing and a really fun read.

It was worth reading in that it gave me a lot of food for thought in terms of religion, death, and what really matters in life, but I thought it was somewhat poorly tied together, and I actually didn’t like the main character from about page 4 on.

I would recommend it for people who are interested in survival stories and can deal with a little boredom.

Several times throughout the book, I thought I knew where it was going – a critique of the American lifestyle, a commentary on the American value system, or an endorsement of the US over other places, but it was none of those things, and a little bit of all of them, and a lot more, too.

By the time I got through the first few paragraphs, I knew that this was going to be one of my all-time favorite books, and it didn’t disappoint. It was one of those books that you’re not the same after reading.

Eh, mixed feelings. Some of the story was interesting and very innovative, but the romance itself annoyed me. I didn’t think it was explained well enough how a real relationship could exist between the two when there was such an imbalance between them. All of the witholding information on his part left a bad taste in my mouth, and I didn’t get enough closure. Still, it was worth reading.

It was completely absorbing – I couldn’t put it down. Insightful and beautiful… the kind of book that sends chills down your spine and raises goosebumps on your arms. Loved it!