Cold Mountain is a lyrical masterpiece, detailing two odysseys with gorgeous metaphors and simple, unembellished language. The story is of Inman and Ada in the Civil War South. Ada is in the Scarlett-esque situation of having fallen from great wealth into poverty with lots of resources. She is owner of a large farm but has no idea how to run it until vagrant Ruby appears, demanding respect in exchange for working on the farm. Inman, her pre-war sweetheart, has deserted the army after a seemingly mortal wound to the neck and a dream convinces him to visit Cold Mountain and return home.
Though Inman's story retains dream-like, almost hallucinogenic qualities narrated by a down-to-earth, disillusioned tone, it is Ada's struggle with the earth which drew me in more. Ada is actually the less likable of the two, but she grows a lot throughout the book and her expectations of life become a lot more realistic.
Perhaps because I knew the ending it didn't pack so much of a punch. The book's main letdown is that it focuses too much on the characters individually, and not on Inman and Ada's pre-war relationship. Maybe the point Frazier is making is that Inman left in the middle of a budding relationship-at the dropping off point between cursory moments and true intimacy. Their parting's awkwardness lends their relationship an insubstantiality, especially when they reunite.
The book's main strength is in Frazier's heart-felt, simple delivery, poignant metaphors, and gorgeous description. I'd read it just for the beauty of the style.
-elln
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