The Ruins by Scott SmithMy rating: 7 of 10 stars
First of all I would say I am rating this book 7.5 stars out of ten. The reason? Well because I understand the criticisms and it's too big.
Let's start this review with something new... Have you watch the movie? Yes? Don't bother reading the novel - although the ending is different. Bear that in mind.
First of all, the book does something that I truly hate. It's 520 pages plus without any chapters. Fucking atrocious. I truly hate books without chapters. But to be fair, it's a thriller so past pace is something expected and it shows here.
So why should I recommend or not the book/movie? Well, because the movie and book follows the same stuff in the beginning. It's a bunch of friends who met some people on Mexico and then try to help one of them discover his brother. This is the first 80/90 pages. Then we've got 300/350 pages of boring little characterization and over and over the same thing. It's like a new day arises, more drama, ends , a new day arises over and over. So it's boring. In the movie there is the same thing. Here , it's more detailed, there are some stuff only on the book that doesn't exist in the movies. To be honest is not that important.
I hoped when reading the book that we get more information on the things that made me read the novel but I got nothing.
What are these vines?
Why they exist in the mayans ruins?
Why the mayans didn't destroy the vines?
Why the vines didn't "leave"?
All of these are left unanswered.
Then we've got the ending.. (a bit of spoilers)... In the movie Jeff does stuff that helps Amy escape. In the book they all died and the books end with the two Greek plus two Brazilians arriving at the same place and being surrounded by the Mayans. Why did they need the movie to have a "happier" tone?
I enjoy the ending on the book better. Since the page 100 you know, everyone is going to die. You expect that. You feel that. It's hopelessness. And the only question is how. THat's why the author gives so much information on how to store water, the all cannibalism stuff etc. On the movie it's quite fast and you get far less scare for our characters.
In the end, if you watch the movie, be happy and move along. If you didn't watch anything and have 6/8 hours then the book is probably better.
Btw, just watch something the director said about the ending- what a bunch of crap
"Our final decision was informed by what audiences found the most satisfying after watching a really punishing film. I love the ending of the book, but if the movie had ended the same way, the audience would have wanted to kill themselves."
Ahah so movie people are too broken compare with book readers?
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