The ending can strike one as very strange and muddled. Before reading this review please allow suspension of disbelief to envelop you. Do not picture Leonardo at any point in the reading of this review. The film does not exist. There is only the written word.
Garland paints the picture of a perfect society and the inherent problems that lie therein.
Richard is our main character. First among them is that this novel is a quick read, making your time spent with the book blissfully short. In other words, it fits the mold of an airplane book . The other positive aspects of The Beach deal with its social commentary about the tourist industry. May be a bit too true and dark for some readers.