The Beach
The Beach
Garland's novel centers on a young nicotine-addicted traveler named Richard, an avid pop-culture buff with a particular love for video games and Vietnam War movies. While at a hotel in Bangkok, he finds a map left by his strange, whacked-out neighbor, who just committed suicide. The map supposedly leads to a legendary island paradise where some other wayward souls have settled.
John Foster reviewedFebruary 19, 2025
It's OK, but unnecessary suspense on the home stretch feels like it's trying too hard.