Book Review: A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks

“I held her close to me with my eyes closed, wondering if anything in my life had ever been this perfect and knowing at the same time that it hadn't. I was in love, and the feeling was even more wonderful than I ever imagined it could be.”

― Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember

Nicholas Sparks' novel A Walk to Remember was published in October 1999. The narrative of two youths who fell in love despite having quite different personalities takes place in the novel, which is set in Beaufort, North Carolina, between 1958–1959.  A Walk to Remember was made into a movie that has the same name.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

There was a time when the world was sweeter...when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats...when something happened to a seventeen-year-old boy that would change his life forever. Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood. No other author today touches our emotions more deeply than Nicholas Sparks.

Illuminating both the strength and the gossamer fragility of our deepest emotions, his two New York Times bestsellers, The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, have established him as the leading author of today's most cherished love stories. Now, in A Walk to Remember, he tells a truly unforgettable story, one that glimmers with all of his magic, holding us spellbound-and reminding us that in life each of us may find one great love, the kind that changes everything...

My reaction to the novel...

I read this book after seeing the movie a long time ago. This is the movie I usually watch when I need a good cry since I truly adored it. Although there were many conflicting opinions about how the book and movie differed, I ultimately found the plot and style of writing to be enjoyable. Given that it only has 200 pages, reading it in one sitting wasn't difficult. The narrative captured my attention in a big way. It's so engrossing and skillfully written that you can almost hear Landon giving you his story with all of his passion and vitality. This book is filled with every feeling you can think of, and as you read it, you experience them all.

Though the parallels between the novel and the movie may be recognized, the contrasts can be enjoyed all the more so. I believe that the tale would have been different if the movie had included a number of facts. Certainly, I have a totally different perspective on the narrative. One advantage of watching the film before reading the book is that you'll be eager to find out how the book developed the plot. I could tell right away that it would take me on a different fairground ride than in the movie because it began off differently. I was hoping to read about specific aspects with trepidation and, if it wasn't what I had imagined, to be pleasantly delighted. When I read the book, my heart was utterly pulled and as I'm writing this review, I'm remembering how much the tale affected me emotionally.

You'll simultaneously burst out laughing and cry in bed over it. There is no way to stop that. Indeed, it is a tale of love and faith. In this book, the power of love is explored along with some of its potential obstacles. When you read the words, it still strikes you more than ever, even if you anticipate the ending or know it before you read it. The book has a fantastic premise and is superbly written.

I can't think of any issues with this book. I was taken in from the first page because it was so masterfully crafted. The right amount of romance and melancholy was present in the book. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book if you haven't already done so and want to experience an emotional journey. I still advise reading it even if you have previously done so.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The problem isn't finding out where you are gonna go-its figuring out what you are gonna do once you get there that is! 

With a lot of effort and trust, it is genuinely quite simple to reach our goals or simply follow the course we want our lives to go. The challenging question is what we will do with it after we get there and achieve our goals. It may appear to be so simple, but once there, we will truly know whether the ones we asked for are truly what we desired.

Where to buy this book...