When I started reading I got hooked because Scott Smith is a good writer. I thought his book A Simple Plan was just fantastic! However, The Ruins was incredibly dark, without hope, horribly gory, and I had a hard time reading it. If I hadn't spent so much money on the hardcover, I would have thrown it away. I stayed with it, too, because I continued to hope that these young kids would finally be rescued. This book is incredibly depressing. Toward the end it became obvious that no one believed in God and they were, indeed, truly alone, forever. Very, very dark and depressing. I will do my best to warn others not to read this book.