Granted, I didnt read all of the reviews, but am I the only one who realized that this book is merely a reworking (and a poor one, at that) of The Beach? Its the SAME STORY--only with half the substance and the addition of a ridiculous plot element. Killer vines that can mimic sounds and smells?? Riiiight. I continued to read only because I wanted to see how Smith was going to explain the vines---what they were, how they'd come into existence, what motivated them to turn "evil" and how the Mayans played into it all. And not ONE of those questions was answered. If you're considering reading The Ruins because you find the premise to be compelling, check out The Beach. It was amazing--I could not put it down and continued to think about it days after I'd finished. Not the case with this one.