Saturday, January 23, 2010

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks
2006, 335 pages

Dear John is about the relationship between John Tyree and Savannah Lynn Curtis, who fall in love in just a few weeks while John is home on a furlough from the army. The book follows their relationship as it develops and then, as it later struggles to survive while John is overseas.

Confession:  the reason I wanted to read this book is because I saw the trailer for the movie and thought it looked really good. I guess that's as good a reason as any to pick up a book. I've read a couple of Nicholas Sparks books before (The Notebook for one, before it was a movie), and the first time I read one of his books I remember absolutely loving it, but I think my tolerance for this kind of sentimental romance has declined since then.

I really don't have much to say about this book -- it was pretty much exactly what the movie trailer/back cover suggest, and it neither surprised nor disappointed me. I found the character of Savannah to be a little annoying, but enjoyed reading about John's relationship with his father and the way that changed over the course of the book. It was a quick read, and if you enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks-type books then this one probably won't disappoint.

I'll leave you with a quote, which *WARNING* might be slightly spoilery:
Our relationship, I felt with a heaviness in my chest, was beginning to feel like the spinning movement of a child's top. When we were together, we had the power to keep it spinning, and the result was beauty and magic and an almost childlike sense of wonder; when we separated the spinning began inevitably to slow. We became wobbly and unstable, and I knew I had to find a way to keep us from toppling over. (p213)

9 comments:

  1. Thank you for participating in The Saturday Network!
    And great review. I love the trailer, and I'm glad to hear this was an enjoyable, light read. :)

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  2. I can't wait for this movie to come out, I bought the book but haven't read it yet!

    ** Part of The Saturday Network! **

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  3. I can admdit that because of the movie I've been thinking about reading the book too. It seems like a really sweet story.

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  4. I've left you a little something on my blog :)

    Excellent book review, by the way!

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  5. I saw the preview for this movie just yesterday! From what I've seen, it doesn't seem like my type of movie but maybe I'll give the book a shot. Nice review, btw!

    Emidy
    www.uneparole.blogspot.com

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  6. I do enjoy books like this from time to time. I'm glad it lived up to your expectation.

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  7. I enjoyed reading Dear John last year and I can't wait to see how the movie will turn out.

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  8. I need to read this one, the movie does look good. Glad you enjoyed it.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  9. Okay... we obviously read a lot of the same books! This is my third comment this morning (I found your site from my good friend Lisa, Lit and Life).

    I also read this solely based on the movie trailer. I loved The Last Song, didn't like Dear John much at all.

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