Reviews

The Ruins by Scott Smith

yodamom's review against another edition

1.0

I found it irritatingly dumb, lacking any real depth at all. The worst book I have read in years.

montes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Why not make Molotov cocktails and destroy the huts of the Mayans?

hoodiesandbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

tawnieblue's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

minimoose21's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

myneighborbrotoro's review against another edition

3.0

3.5, maybe 50 pages too long.

cecewychwood's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.25

imperfectcj's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This novel reminded me of Stephen King's short story, "The Raft." Smith does a great job conveying tension and peril, along with what being in these conditions brings out in people (spoiler: it's mostly negative). Not all of the characters are distinct personalities. The two main guys and the two main women seem interchangeable, and I kept mixing them up. Matthias is an individual, and perhaps the only likeable character in the novel.

siiidd's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

aucoinkirsten's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot