Dan Brown - The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code is a novel written by American author Dan Brown and first published in 2003 that has become a worldwide bestseller with over nine million copies being sold.
The plot of this book concerns the attempts of Dr. Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology at Harvard University, to solve the murder of Jacques Saunière, the curator of the Louvre Museum in Paris, after Saunière's body had been found inside the Louvre naked with a cryptic message written on his torso in his own blood and posed like Leonardo da Vinci's famous drawing, Vitruvian Man:-
The plot continues in ways that combine the detective thriller and conspiracy theory genres with Saunière's murder being attibuted to powerful forces that wish to preserve ancient secrets relating to Jesus having been married to Mary Magdalene and having been the father of their child.
The interpretation of hidden messages inside Da Vinci's famous works, including the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, figure prominently in the solution to the mystery. The solution itself is found to be intimately connected with the possible location of the Holy Grail and to a mysterious society called the Priory of Sion, as well as to the Knights Templar. The Catholic organization Opus Dei also figures prominently in the plot.
It transpires that Saunière was in fact the secret head of the Priory of Sion - an organisation that was devoted to preserving certain secrets about the location of the Holy Grail. The cryptic messages on his body being his own dying attempts to leave an important message to his grand-daughter, Sophie Neveu, who was employed by the French state as a cryptologist.
According to the novel, the secrets of the Holy Grail, as kept by the Priory of Sion, are as follows:
- The Holy Grail is not a physical chalice, but a woman, namely Mary Magdalene, who helped to carry the bloodline of Christ into the following ages.
- Mary Magdalene was of royal descent (through the Jewish House of Benjamin) and was the wife of Jesus, of the House of David. That she was a prostitute was a slander invented by the Catholic Church to obscure their true relationship. At the time of the Crucifixion, she was pregnant. After the Crucifixion, she fled to Gaul, where she was sheltered by the Jews of Marseilles. She gave birth to a daughter, named Sarah. The bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene became the Merovingian dynasty of France.
- The French expression for the Holy Grail, San gréal, actually is a play on Sang réal, which literally means "royal blood".
- The Grail relics consist of the documents that testify to the bloodline, as well as the actual bones of Mary Magdalene.
- Sophie Neveu and her brother are descendants of the original bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene (their last name was changed to hide their ancestry).
- The existence of the bloodline was the secret that was contained in the documents discovered by the Crusaders after they conquered Jerusalem in 1099. The Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar were organized to keep the secret.
The Da Vinci Code has been criticised by many scholars but it has undoubtedly helped to spur widespread popular interest in certain theories concerning the legend of the Holy Grail and the role of Mary Magdalene in the history of Christianity.
Dan Brown - Angels and Demons
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.
The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy... the Catholic Church.
Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair... a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war...
Dan Brown - The Lost Symbol
In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world's most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling--a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths... all under the watchful eye of Brown's most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.
As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object--artfully encoded with five symbols--is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation... one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.
When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon--a prominent Mason and philanthropist--is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations--all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.
As the world discovered in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Dan Brown's novels are brilliant tapestries of veiled histories, arcane symbols, and enigmatic codes. In this new novel, he again challenges readers with an intelligent, lightning-paced story that offers surprises at every turn. The Lost Symbol is exactly what Brown's fans have been waiting for... his most thrilling novel yet.
Dan Brown - Deception Point
When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory… a victory that has profound implications for U.S. space policy and the impending presidential election.
With the Oval Office in the balance, the President dispatches White House Intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice Shelf to verify the authenticity of the find. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic academic Michael Tolland, Rachel uncovers the unthinkable—evidence of scientific trickery—a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy.
But before Rachel can contact the President, she and Michael are attacked by a deadly task force…a private team of assassins controlled by a mysterious powerbroker who will stop at nothing to hide the truth. Fleeing for their lives in an environment as desolate as it is lethal, they possess only one hope for survival: to find out who is behind this masterful ploy. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all…
In his most thrilling novel to date, bestselling author Dan Brown transports readers from the ultra-secret National Reconnaissance Office to the towering ice shelves of the Arctic Circle, and back again to the hallways of power inside the West Wing. Heralded for masterfully intermingling science, history, and politics in his critically acclaimed thriller Angels & Demons, Brown has crafted another novel in which nothing is as it seems—and behind every corner is a stunning surprise. Deception Point is pulse-pounding fiction at its best.
Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen (1775-1817) was a popular 19th century author whose works became more popular after her death. Besides Pride & Prejudice her other major works include Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. Not only have her works been widely studied, they have been turned into movies, again and again. Despite varying opinions on the validity of her contribution to literature her work has had unwavering popularity through the decades and some say it has become the template for many of today's romance novels.
Pride and Prejudice is a story about society and the relationships of family. Its focus is on one family, the Bennet's, specifically the two eldest daughters; Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Jane. Societal law demands upon the death of the supporting male, all funds and fortune are entailed to the next living 'male' relative. This puts the Bennet family at a disadvantage because they have five daughters. Mr. Bennet's fortune will pass to his estranged cousin, Mr. Collins.
Because of these circumstances it
is Mrs. Bennet's direst wish to make sure her daughters are married off to
stately gentlemen as soon as possible. Pride & Prejudice opens with the
arrival of Mr. Bingley who brings high hopes of a possible suitor. They are all
amenably introduced and attend a few parties where they had the delight of
meeting the most wonderful [in his own mind] Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy leaves a cold
and rude impression on Elizabeth.
Bingley and Jane hit it off
immediately and everyone thinks it's a matter of time before they announce
their engagement but without notice to the Bennet's or anyone else Bingley and
his catty sisters, along with Darcy, pack up and head back to London leaving
Jane depressed and wallowing in her loss. This is just one of the on again off
again possible matrimonies in Pride & Prejudice. With so many daughters to
find husbands for it's no wonder the extremes Mrs. Bennet has to go to find
them mates. Including sending one off in the rain to become deathly ill and
sending another off to visit with soldiers in a neighboring county.
All the semantics is quite fun despite
being somewhat confusing at times. You almost need a map to keep the lineage,
women and suitors straight. It took a few pages to get into the dialogue.
Strangely, I find it easier to read it aloud, although, someone listening to me
probably wouldn't think so. There's a formality to reading Jane Austen not
present in today's writing. Even the way the characters address one another.
Mrs. Bennet refers to her husband as "Mr. Bennet". I wondered if this
formality carried on into private moments.
Despite having unique personalities
it's confusing to keep each "Miss Bennet" straight when more than one
was involved in a scene and didn't know who was who or that the perspective had
changed until the next paragraph. Austen switches back and forth between their
formal and given names. Also the point of view flips back and forth carelessly.
Something not widely used today.
Pride and Prejudice has a comedic feel
to it but I didn't find my self chuckling or laughing aloud from their antics
and dialogue. It is really quite dramatic. I found the story to be more ironic
than comedic.
What I really enjoy about the novel is
the look into society, culture, relationship dynamics and women in an era I
have no way to comprehend. It's a historical lesson hidden within a love story
and once the journey was over, most enjoyable.
Daphne Du Maurier - Rebecca
The book's heroine is first introduced as a travelling companion to the wealthy and obnoxious Mrs. Van Hopper. Tired of the petty tyranny she constantly experiences from her snobbish employer, yet trapped by her modest means, the book's heroine expects a sad and lonely stay in the glamorous Monte Carlo. Yet her pessimism is interrupted by the entrance of the handsome,mysterious Maximilian de Winter, heir to the famous country estate, Manderly.
Mr de Winter seems insulted by the snobbish Mrs Van Hopper's weak attempts to befriend him, yet he shows a partiality to her travelling companion or, as he jokingly quotes, her 'friend of the bosom'. He treats her kindly, taking her driving through the town. Yet for all his generosity, Mr de Winter seems distracted. At one stage, the heroine even considers that he might be mad. Yet she soon learns the reason for his behaviour, one year ago, Mr de Winter was widowed after a tragic boating accident.
He does not speak of his wife, or even of his home, taking to silence whenever the conversation turns to them. Yet in his strange way, he begins to grow an affection for the heroine. And when she announces that she is to leave for New York, he quickly proposes marriage. Ecstatic, the heroine accepts, and presently, the new Mrs de Winter is swept away to the de Winter's country seat, the beautiful Manderly. Here, her new husband seems increasingly distant, and seems troubled to be back in his home.
And so without his support, Mrs de Winter is faced with the daunting task of being mistress of Manderly. She knows not the proper conduct befitting to her, nor does she know how she should run her house. And her prescence is resented by the cold and menacing housekeeper, Mrs Danvers.
Very much alone, Mrs de Winter begins to learn the ways of life at Manderly. Yet she is ever haunted by a shadow, a ghost, that she can not quite seem to identify. Yet it is always there, taunting, teasing.
Soon, she begins to place the shadow. Mrs de Winter is feeling the presence of the first Mrs de Winter, Rebecca, Maxim's first bride. She learns how much she was loved by all that knew her, adored for her beauty and her grace. And indeed her presence does linger,in the writing on her desk, in the flowers in the garden, in the coat that Maxim's new bride wears.
All were once her's, and Mrs de Winter feels like an unwelcome guest in her own home. She is constantly comparing herself to Rebecca, beautiful, perfect Rebecca, who lived in her home, who owned her things, who held her husband... With her new husband still not returning any of the love that she bears him, Mrs de Winter is brought to the point of a breakdown.
As much as she tries to fit in at Manderly, she finds only Rebecca wherever she turns.
In the West Wing of the house, Rebecca's suite is kept as though she is still expected to return. Then, just as Mrs de Winter stands literelly on the edge of taking her very life, Rebecca does indeed return. Her boat is found in the bay at Manderly, bringing with it a shocking secret, and a revelation that will change the new Mrs de Winter's life, and her marriage, forever. "
Mrs de Winter - Susan Hill (continues Rebecca)
Susan Hill's 'Mrs de Winter' is a sequel to the extremely popular
'Rebecca' by Daphne Du Maurier. The novel picks up ten years after the
original novel leaves us. After a fire completely destroys Manderley,
Maxim de Winter and his second wife put as much distance between
themselves and England as they can. After an absence of ten years they
are forced to return and attempt to live a life of some normality in a
new house in a new part of Britain. But the ghost of Rebecca still comes
between them and the survivors of Manderley are not about to let her
rest.
After reading a dissapointing Sally Beauman's 'Rebecca's Tale' I was a
bit apprehensive over reading another attempted sequel to 'Rebecca'. But
I am so glad that I did. Susan Hill manages to capture the dark and
gloomy mood of Du Maurier's style, a feat for any author I'm sure. Like
the original, the story plays out through the eyes of the nameless
second Mrs De Winter who is as much of an enigma as she was in 'Rebecca'
one minute being thoroughly likeable and the next deserving of a good
shake. The characters remain true to Du Maurier's models and continue to
act accordingly.
The story itself is very realistic for a sequel and thankfully doesn't
make the mistake of trying to draw in every single character from the
original back into the same state they occupied then. Frank Crawley, for
example, plays a brief role and does not drop everything in his new
life to return to Maxim's side as friend and manager. Hill introduces
some characters of her own which complement the original cast
wonderfully. The second Mrs de Winter finds a friend and confidante in
the very likeable and believable 'Bunty' Butterly and it is truly
impressive how characters of Hill's creation do not grate or clash with
those of Du Maurier's.
The de Winters story is doomed to failure, thanks to the dominating
force of Rebecca, something which is not lost in 'Mrs de Winter' if
anything the tragic outcome might not be for those who would like to see
Maxim and his wife have a happy ending at last.
Judith Michael - Deceptions
Sabrina and Stephanie Longworth are twins. Sabrina
married a wealthy English aristocrat and divorced him. She now runs a
successful antiques business in London. Stephanie married Garth
Anderson, a scientist and university professor. She stays at home in
the suburbs with their two children and envies her sister's jet set
lifestyle. Stephanie's desire for a more exciting life is putting a
strain on her marriage.
Stephanie gets Sabrina to switch places so she can have some fun but
does not want Garth to know. Garth did not like Sabrina when he met her
and thinks she is the cause of Stephanie's dissatisfaction with her
life. Sabrina quickly adjusts to Stephanie's home life, and gets to know
and like Garth. Stephanie finds she is good at the antiques business.
But just before they are to switch back, Sabrina breaks her leg and the
deception has to continue. Stephanie does not mind because she has
started an affair with one of Sabrina's friends. Nor is Stephanie upset
when Sabrina confesses she could not say no when Garth wanted to make
love. The longer Sabrina lives with Garth, the more she falls in love
with him. Garth feels like he is falling in love with his wife all over
again as she takes an interest in his work and encourages his dreams
instead of wanting him to make more money.
Then Stephanie is killed when her lover's yacht explodes. Sabrina
cannot bring herself to tell Garth it was really Stephanie and she tries
to carry on the deception because she loves Garth too much to have him
leave her once he learns the truth.
Judith Michael - A Tangled Web (continues Deceptions)
Glamorous, divorced
Sabrina and her quiet homemaker sister Stephanie never dreamed that
their light-hearted game of switching places for a week would end in
passion and tragedy. But Sabrina fell in love with her sister's husband,
cherishing their children as her own -- and Stephanie, in the midst of
an affair with a powerful London socialite, was killed in an explosion
on his yacht. Torn by loss and remorse, but deeply a part of her new
family, Sabrina made the decision to assume her twin's role forever. When A Tangled Web
opens a year later, only one person knows Sabrina's true identity --
her husband, Garth. Deeply in love, he has forgiven her for her
deception. Then a friend swears to have seen Stephanie in Europe.
Sabrina feels the past and present collide, threatening to shatter her
new happiness. Is her sister really dead? Or is the deception even
deeper, darker, and more complicated than she ever imagined?
Nicholas Sparks all books
Nicholas Sparks - The Notebook (1996)
A man with a faded, well-worn notebook open in his lap. A woman
experiencing a morning ritual she doesn't understand. Until he begins to
read to her. The Notebook is an achingly tender story about the
enduring power of love, a story of miracles that will stay with you
forever.
Set amid the austere beauty of coastal North Carolina in 1946,
The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner
returned home from World War II. Noah, thirty-one, is restoring a
plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the
beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no
other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent
together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she
unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.
Allie Nelson, twenty-nine, is now engaged to another man, but
realizes that the original passion she felt for Noah has not dimmed with
the passage of time. Still, the obstacles that once ended their
previous relationship remain, and the gulf between their worlds is too
vast to ignore. With her impending marriage only weeks away, Allie is
forced to confront her hopes and dreams for the future, a future that
only she can shape.
Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is
just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes
something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply
moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental
changes that affect us all. Shining with a beauty that is rarely found
in current literature, The Notebook establishes Nicholas Sparks as a
classic storyteller with a unique insight into the only emotion that
really matters.
"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with
common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments
dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved
another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been
enough."
Nicholas Sparks - Message in a Bottle (1998)
Thrown to the waves, and to fate, the bottle could have ended up
anywhere. Instead, it is found just three weeks after it begins its
journey. Theresa Osborne, divorced and the mother of a twelve-year-old
son, picks it up during a seaside vacation from her job as a Boston
newspaper columnist. Inside is a letter that opens with:
My Dearest Catherine, I miss you my darling, as I always do, but
today is particularly hard because the ocean has been singing to me,
and the song is that of our life together...
For "Garrett," the man who signs the letter, the message is the
only way he knows to express his undying love for a woman he has lost.
For Theresa, wary of romance since her husband shattered her trust, the
message raises questions that intrigue her. Who are Garrett and
Catherine? Where is he now? What is his story?
Challenged by the mystery, and pulled to find Garrett by
emotions she does not fully understand, Theresa begins a search that
takes her to a sunlit coastal town and an unexpected confrontation.
Brought together by chance-or something more powerful-Theresa and
Garrett are people whose lives are about to touch for a purpose, in a
tale that resonates with our deepest hopes for finding that special
someone and everlasting love.
Shimmering with suspense and emotional intensity, Message in a
Bottle takes readers on a hunt for the truth about a man and his
memories, and about both the heartbreaking fragility and enormous
strength of love. For those who cherished The Notebook and readers
waiting to discover the magic of Nicholas Sparks's storytelling, here is
his new, achingly lovely novel of happenstance, desire, and the choices
that matter most...
Nicholas Sparks - A Walk to Remember (1999)
"A Walk to Remember" is another extra-ordinary love story. Another attempt of one of the greatest novelists of modern times, Nicholas Sparks, to somehow unlock these mysteries for us. His another attempt to make it known to men the extra-ordinary power of love to change a person's life.
It's a story of young love but its impact could be felt by all ages. It's about Landon Carter, a senior high school student who had always believed that conformity is a must. He is not entirely the most popular guy in school, but he knows he is part of the "crowd". But he found himself risking being "in" by acquainting himself with a young lady named Jamie Sullivan. Jamie who is the complete opposite of what most young girls at that time looked and acted like. Jamie, who is the daughter of their town's pastor, a girl who doesn't pay attention to fashion, a selfless person, a part of those bible-hugging, crucifix wearing people.
It's actually amazing to know that these two people who are entirely opposite of each other had actually got along. It could possibly be because of the universal cliche that "opposites attract". But if there's one thing that is really worth noting in this story, it's how Landon and Jamie's relationship developed. Although Landon was actually a non-believer before, they had built a relationship with God at the center. Landon had started to live life, and Jamie had realized love is not measured by the time you are and will be together.
I'd watched the movie before I had finally found a copy of the book. It was a quick read, but its message is long-lived. Somehow, each of us is Landon Carter. We know that we finally find the right person if we are willing to give that person unconditional love. Maybe you'll find this book sappy if you'd read it. But I guess Mr. Sparks had really intended it that way.
This is a story about love, life and hope. A reminder to all of us that miracles can actually happen. And that true love is like the wind. We can't see it, but we can feel it.
Nicholas Sparks - The Rescue (2000)
When confronted by raging fires or deadly accidents, volunteer fireman
Taylor McAden feels compelled to take terrifying risks - risks no one
else in the department would ever take - to save lives. But there is one
leap of faith Taylor can't bring himself to make: He can't fall in
love. For all his adult years, Taylor has sought out women who need to
be rescued, women he leaves as soon as their crisis is over, as soon as
the relationship starts to become truly intimate.
Then, one day, a raging, record-breaking storm hits his small
Southern town. Denise Holton, a young single mother, is driving through
it when her car skids off the road. With her is her four-year-old son,
Kyle, a boy with severe learning disabilities and for whom she has
sacrificed everything. Unconscious and bleeding, she-but not Kyle-will
be found by Taylor McAden. And when she wakes, the chilling truth
becomes clear to both of them: Kyle is gone.
During the search for Kyle, the connection, the lifeline,
between Taylor and Denise takes root. Taylor doesn't know that this
rescue will be different from all the others, demanding far more than
raw physical courage. That it will lead him to the possibility of his
own rescue from a life lived without love. That it will require him to
open doors to his past that were slammed shut by pain. That it will dare
him to live life to the fullest by daring to love.
In The Rescue Nicholas Sparks weaves his inimitable
spell, immersing us in the passions and the surprising complexities of
modern relationships-and in doing so, teaching us something about our
own.
Nicholas Sparks - A Bend in the Road (2001)
Nicholas Sparks said in one of his first interviews, after his debut novel THE NOTEBOOK far exceeded the minimal sales it was originally expected to make, that he wrote "easy-to-read" romances destined for as large a reading contingent as possible. Surely A BEND IN THE ROAD, his latest, will not disappoint his legions of fans. But if Sparks was hoping to gain some ground in the world of literary fiction, he needs to try harder.Miles's wife is dead --- his blessed, perfect, All-American PTA mom of a wife --- hit-and-run down while jogging at dusk one fateful night. The circumstances surrounding her death are still suspect, and Miles is trying to figure this out while also attempting to maintain as normal an existence as possible for his young son, the lovable Jonah. Jonah, however, has not taken his mother's demise lightly and is doing very poorly in school. Enter Sarah Andrews, the lovely single teacher, who offers to help Jonah academically and, eventually, help Miles sexually and emotionally. Miles and Sarah are deeply in love (isn't everybody in a Nicholas Sparks book?) yet their future together may be torn asunder by an evil secret. Will love conquer all? You won't find out until the last line of the book...
Or, if you're me, you will have figured out this plot as soon as these two lovebirds meet. Clearly, there is supposed to be a murder mystery underlying this tale of love after (someone else's) death, but it was so obvious, so much something I have seen on "Days of Our Lives" a million times, that what little interesting story there was here was ruined for me by Sparks's hackneyed plotting. The clues are so obvious that this could have been a Where's Waldo? picture with more text than usual. Although I am not a fan of the genre, I am fascinated by people who can write such lowest-common-denominator stories and end up rich and famous for them, hobnobbing with Kevin Costner and filling their book thank-you page with numerous references to agents of Hollywood and Madison Avenue. I'm not jealous, exactly --- I could never do what Sparks has done here. A twice-told tale of love the second time around is no stranger to the bestseller list, nor are characters as homogenous as Missy, the dead mom, or Jonah, the good-but-troubled kid. This kind of All-American romance now lives on bookshelves the way it used to live only on "Father Knows Best."
Sparks has a talent for doing what he does --- but it is too bad that he doesn't try broadening his rather perfunctory storytelling tone, digging deeper instead of just on the surface. He has also stated that he wanted to reinvent the genre of the romance, but he has done little but embrace its traditional formats and make Hollywood agents' bank accounts a lot more rich.
Nicholas Sparks - Nights in Rodanthe (2002)
To get in
the mood for vacation, I read this book on the drive to the Outer Banks.
While we were not heading as far south as Rodanthe, North Carolina, it
seemed fitting that this was the book to unwind with. To me, Nicholas
Sparks is one great beach read. All his books are filled with a healthy
dose of romance and emotion. They are a great way to exit everyday life
and take a holiday.
Before we talk about the book, let's talk about the title. For all
those who are wondering --- and you know you are --- the correct
pronunciation is Ro-dan-thee. I don't want any of you trying to figure
out how to pronounce this when you head towards the bookstore!
The story is about middle-aged love, reminding readers that this
wonderful emotion is not just owned by the young. Adrienne Willis, a
reluctant divorcee in her mid-forties, meets Paul Flanner, a middle-aged
doctor who also has left a marriage, as well as a prominent career in
the small coastal town of Rodanthe, and sparks do fly. Adrienne is
housesitting for a friend who owns an inn; Paul is a guest. During the
visit, an angry storm forces them to batten down the house and hunker
together till it passes. For two people who are both lonely and longing,
these moments kindle a romance.
For anyone who sees striking similarities between this plot and that of
THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, you win a bonus point. There are so many
thematic overlaps that we are calling this "Bridges for the new
century."
In NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, Adrienne confesses the story of her days with
Paul to her daughter, who is grieving the loss of her young husband.
Trying to shake her out of her own world, Adrienne offers much more
detail than I think most mothers and daughters share. Her tale does
roust her daughter from her depression and gives her the energy she
needed to turn her attention back to her children who need her
desperately.
There are moments when Sparks can paint a picture with a line. When
Adrienne returns from the surprise 40th birthday party her husband threw
her and undresses in the bedroom, her husband ignores her. This is a
signal that his interest in elsewhere, despite the overt show he put on
earlier in the evening.
Paul gives Adrienne two major gifts --- one is a chance to feel alive
again and the other is an opportunity to care for her father the way she
wants. While their physical relationship only lasts a few days, the
ramifications of what they both share will fuel a lifetime.
While this was not my favorite Sparks book --- no title has been as
strong as THE NOTEBOOK --- I still enjoyed the time I spent with it and
feel that any Sparks fan, or fan of a nice easy story will feel the
same.
Nicholas Sparks - The Guardian (2003)
Nicholas
Sparks's new novel, THE GUARDIAN, clearly challenges the time honored
maxim "man's best friend". While Sparks is known for writing sappy love
stories that pull on the reader's heartstrings, THE GUARDIAN is
undoubtedly his finest work.
The novel's main character, a widow named Julie Barenson, receives a
puppy that her husband arranged before his untimely death. Although
Singer, a Great Dane, challenges Julie's patience on more than one
occasion, her beloved four-legged friend is at the right place when she
needs him the most.
Although THE GUARDIAN at first appears to be another tearjerker from
Sparks, whose seventh novel will surely be atop the bestseller lists
within no time, it is completely different from his debut novel, THE
NOTEBOOK, or NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, which comes out in paperback in June.
Don't worry Sparks fans. THE GUARDIAN takes place in another small
southern town, Swansboro, N.C. And, of course, it contains a
deep-rooted love story, the kind that has catapulted Sparks into
literary stardom. But what's different about THE GUARDIAN from his other
six novels is that this novel is extremely chilling at times. It is
pulse pounding, breathtaking, suspenseful and intriguing.
Without giving too much of the plot away, the book starts out when Julie
receives a surprise gift on Christmas Eve in 1998 -- an adorable puppy.
The animal is exactly what she needs to help her deal with the recent
loss of her husband, Jim. Fast forward to 2002. Singer and Julie have
become best friends, but Julie yearns to start a new relationship ---
but with whom? Well, there's Mike Harris, who works as a mechanic and
was her husband's best friend and best man in her wedding. Then there's
Richard Franklin, a strikingly handsome transplant to the area. Julie
dates Richard for a while but decides there's just nothing there and
starts to see Mike.
Unfortunately, the rejection is too much for Richard to handle and he
just can't cut his losses and be friends with her. This is where the
pace of the book really gains momentum. Instead of being a gentleman
about the whole thing, Richard turns into a menacing creep and calling
Julie over and over and hanging up the phone when she answers. He then
pops up when she's out walking Singer and when she's shopping for
groceries.
Richard shows up at a nightclub where Julie and Mike happen to be and
Mike loses his cool and brawls with Richard. Wow! Violence in a Nicholas
Sparks book? This has got to be a first. Besides being a well-crafted
love story, THE GUARDIAN is also a compelling police drama complete with
guns, of course.
Although Sparks's work isn't as gritty or dogged as the work of a James
Patterson or Michael Connelly, he does fine in developing tightly
written fiction relating to police work. He furthers his story line with
Pete Gandy and Jennifer Romanello, two of the town's cops on complete
opposite ends of criminal justice. Gandy is a townie who thinks he is a
super cop and has Richard all figured out; he tells Jennifer the case is
closed. Meanwhile, Jennifer, a Bronx native whose father was a member
of the NYPD, doesn't think too highly of Gandy and clearly believes
Richard is up to no good.
Despite being a surprising thriller from Sparks, the copyediting could
have been a little tighter. Near the end of the novel, Sparks mentions a
1994 Pontiac Trans Am, but then refers to the car as being a 1984 Trans
Am. Which is it? Even though it can be considered a minor error,
inaccurate details like this can sometimes ruin a perfectly written
novel. In the Author's Note, Sparks says the manuscript was a challenge
for him and went through eight revisions. After eight revisions, there
is no excuse for the aforementioned miscue.
Nicholas Sparks - The Wedding (2004)
The essence
of THE WEDDING, Nicholas Sparks's latest novel of self-discovery and
self-redemption, is that a man can consciously effect change in himself.
THE WEDDING is the story of attorney Wilson Lewis, the son-in-law of
Noah and Allie Calhoun, the well-remembered couple made famous in
Sparks's debut novel THE NOTEBOOK. Throughout THE WEDDING, Sparks refers
to the relationship that endears his readers to the Calhouns. Wilson
questions his own ability to romance his wife Jane when he completely
forgets their twenty-ninth anniversary. For the next year, he plans an
occasion she will never forget.
When Wilson and Jane's daughter Anna comes home with the news that she
is to marry, Wilson finds the vehicle to effect his own plans for a
renewal of the lost emotion in his own marriage. Anna requests a simple,
quick wedding, but Jane rejects this. A compromise is reached to have
the ceremony the following weekend, but it will not be the
"go-to-the-courthouse, justice-of-the-peace" type ceremony that Anna had
first outlined. With her husband's assistance, Jane helps Anna carry
out plans for a small family-and-friends celebration.
Sparks effectively uses flashback techniques to keep the story line
moving toward Anna's wedding day, the climax of the weeklong activities.
Throughout, Wilson remembers his first date, first kiss, courtship,
wedding and marriage with Jane. The realization that their relationship
has changed, and not for the better, gives him the impetus to make
changes in himself. Anna's wedding is the catalyst for effecting that
transformation.
Wilson's close friendship with Noah, now widowed, is the undercurrent
for the emotion he needs to move forward in his plans for a better
marriage. Noah is a gentleman, now living in a retirement center. His
and Allie's home remains in the family but is uninhabited. Noah spends
his time at Creekside with food outstretched to a white swan that glides
across the pool for his daily attention. The act gives him purpose,
after Alzheimer's disease has taken Allie from him. Wilson is the
recipient of his wisdom in the unfolding story.
Wilson becomes involved in Anna's wedding plans when he suggests that
Noah's house be the chosen site. He arranges for the renovation and
restoration of the interior as well as the rose garden, accomplished in a
short week. He romances Jane as well during this time, becoming the
family "chef" when her days are filled with shopping.
One wonders how Wilson can attend to his own business during the
frenetic days following Anna's wedding announcement. But THE WEDDING is a
story of renewed efforts to make a man's personal life better. Sparks
has the ability to tell a simple story with rich emotion and give his
readers a sense of fulfillment.
Nicholas Sparks - Three Weeks With my Brother (2004)
Nicholas
Sparks hit a snag while writing his most recent novel. He diverted his
attention to the mail and saw a brochure from the alumni office of his
alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. The offering is a three-week
trip around the world titled "Heaven and Earth." The idea kindles a fire
within him, and the spark ignites his passion. His wife, Cathy,
responsible for the daily needs of five children, declines to go with
him. But she encourages him to take the trip as a break from his hectic
work schedule. Micah, Sparks's brother, packs his bag and the two set
off for "Lands of the Sky Worshippers."
Sparks writes with special fervor about their experiences during the
globe-circling event. Micah's fun-loving personality contrasts with the
introspectiveness of his brother. Together, they absorb the vast
panorama of knowledge open to them. But each reacts to places they visit
in a different manner. While Micah sees the humor in a centuries-old
statuary, Nicholas cites the historic value to civilization that each
place has given. From ruins of the Incan and Mayan tribes to the
mysteries of Easter Island, the brothers visit cultural wonders and
relate to them with reflections upon their childhood.
Not only is THREE WEEKS WITH MY BROTHER a journal of their travels to
exotic places, it also contains personal memories jarred into their
present by the sights they witness. The Sparks brothers grew up in a
family that, today, would be hard put to term functional. Poverty was
the veil that clouded them from birth into adolescence. Both parents
struggled to earn a subsistence living for their two sons and daughter
Dana.
The brothers recall a family vacation to the Grand Canyon while they
bask on the beach in Roratonga, in the South Pacific. The story of a
family crammed into a Volkswagen for the trip, traversing steamy desert
by day and freezing in the rolling motel at night, conjures frightful
pictures. Their father, a scholarly man, can show a volatile side when
his children misbehave. A park ranger demands their exit when the three
perch on rocks outside safe limits and terrify other tourists. Dad's
rage erupts to a DEFCON 5.
THREE WEEKS WITH MY BROTHER is laced with photos that provide the
background for a fabulous travelogue. More important are those that
trace the family's history. These pictures give color to a childhood
filled with struggles. Micah's attitude is one of carefree acceptance,
while Nicholas reveres him but is unable to live with the same
nonchalance as his brother. When tragedy strikes them, not once but
three times, they cope in quite different ways. However, they come
together as a unit and move forward as a family.
Nicholas has retained religious upbringing and remains strengthened by
his faith. Micah has rejected religious discipline and seldom attends a
church. They discuss the source of past pain and their respective
abilities to accept or reject the outcomes. Both discover truths they
hold dear from the years shared together that marked them as brothers.
The book is a story of two journeys, one that travels to exotic places
and another that leads to the bonding of best friends.
Sparks's previous books, THE WEDDING, THE NOTEBOOK and MESSAGE IN A
BOTTLE, are works that evoke pathos and sympathy. THREE WEEKS WITH MY
BROTHER is a humorous, yet tragic, memoir that is a discovery of hope,
love and faith. Its shared authorship is testament to the lasting bond
between Nicholas and his brother, Micah Sparks.
Nicholas Sparks - True Believer (2005)
In TRUE
BELIEVER, journalist Jeremy Marsh spends his time debunking the
supernatural. He has just finished exposing a fake television psychic,
proving that the man was not able to read people's minds or see into
their pasts. When he hears about a phenomenon happening in the small
town of Boone Creek in North Carolina, where ghosts are seen inhabiting a
local cemetery, Jeremy knows he will be able to find the truth behind
the lights that are seen glimmering on certain nights above the cemetery
grounds. He knows that ghosts do not truly exist.
When Jeremy arrives in Boone Creek, he experiences what small town life
is all about. He's from the big city and feels like he's walked into a
time warp. Everyone knows everyone, and gossip spreads like wildfire.
His "hotel" is a hole-in-the-wall motel, filled with dead animals
ranging from a bear to snakes and all sorts of wonderful critters that
can be found in the wild. He's as far from New York as he can get, and
he's not sure he likes it.
The very day he arrives in town, Jeremy makes a quick visit to Cedar
Creek Cemetery, where the ghosts are reported to have been seen, when he
notices a young woman there who catches his eye. He later finds out
that her name is Lexie Darnell. Neither of them knows it but soon their
lives will be changed forever. Lexie is the granddaughter of the woman
who had invited him to visit the town. Doris Marsh is the town psychic.
As Jeremy slowly does his research in the library where Lexie happens to
work, he gets to know her. Despite what he feels about the town, he
finds himself interested in this woman who doesn't seem to want anything
to do with him.
Having read nearly every Nicholas Sparks book that has been written, it
is safe to say that TRUE BELIEVER is quite the departure from his
previous works. While Sparks tends to write tragedies as opposed to true
romances, this novel is far from the tragedy that some of his other
fiction books have been.
This is not to say that TRUE BELIEVER wasn't enjoyable. But fans who are
looking for the typical Nicholas Sparks book will not find it here.
Instead of concentrating on the romance, this reviewer found the focus
of the novel to be on the mystery behind the cemetery, and the high
point of the plot was Jeremy's answer to the story behind the ghosts.
The fact that Jeremy is dating a woman who believes her parents' ghosts
have come to her in the cemetery makes the reader anxious to know what
he finds, realizing that the answer will greatly impact the relationship
that is central to the love story.
One aspect of storytelling in which Sparks excels is his ability to
create the characters who populate his books. His capacity to bring into
being likeable, everyday people helps make this novel readable. The
strength of the story isn't necessarily the plot, and the romance that
is found here is not one that a typical romance reader might expect. For
this reader, the characters were the highlight of the novel, and the
process of getting to know some of the more prominent ones was a
delight. One will find oneself chuckling over some of the antics of the
townspeople. The brouhaha that the people make over Jeremy's celebrity
is very cute, if not humorous.
Overall, the plotlines are balanced between the mystery of the cemetery,
Jeremy and Lexie's relationship, the aspect of small-town living, and
the individual life stories of the two protagonists. Focusing on the
individual characters is just one way of truly enjoying this book. It's a
soothing type of read, and readers will feel comfortable with these
characters.
On that note, TRUE BELIEVER comes recommended. However, newcomers to
Sparks should not think that this novel is characteristic of the type of
writing that has popularized him over the years. His forte lies in the
tragedy, and to read THE NOTEBOOK or MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE --- two of this
reader's favorites --- is a must.
Nicholas Sparks - At First Sight (2005)
True to his
previous novels, Nicholas Sparks has produced AT FIRST SIGHT in a
similar style and pattern. The book is character-driven, with the
emotional impact that protagonists in THE NOTEBOOK, MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE,
THE GUARDIAN and THE WEDDING have left on readers. Jeremy Marsh, who we
met earlier this year in TRUE BELIEVER, has a problem that he cannot
solve. He is a writer by profession and has a syndrome called writer's
block.
While successfully writing for a scientific magazine and living in New
York City, Jeremy took an assignment in Boone Creek, a tiny community in
North Carolina. There he met Lexie Darnell, the local librarian, and
put to test the ancient theory that "love at first sight" is possible.
As the action picks up in AT FIRST SIGHT, Jeremy is abandoning his
friends, apartment and cushy job in New York to make the move to the
tiny rural town. After a whirlwind courtship, one night of sexual bliss
and Lexie's revelation a bit later that she is pregnant, Jeremy proposes
marriage. His life changes from that day forward.
Facing deadlines from his editor on a column and new feature stories,
Jeremy sits at the computer day after day, producing nothing. His
professional skills have disappeared and no words come forth. In the
meantime, Lexie's focus is on the wedding and baby. Her aunt Doris, who
has raised her from childhood, is somewhat of a psychic and can predict
the sex of the unborn. Lexie is convinced that her baby will be a girl.
Emotionally burned in a previous marriage, Jeremy is not certain that
fatherhood is a right path. He has escaped the situation and doubts his
ability to perform the fatherly rites associated with the status. In
fact, he has loathed the idea to this point. Sparks writes with clarity
the emotion that Jeremy experiences; one concludes that the author may
have lived through such uneasiness, or may have had close-knit ties to
someone in a similar situation.
Sparks's young newlyweds face the tests of instant marriage and
subsequent parenthood with the joys and pitfalls that all lovers must
endure. Jeremy's life change is more dramatic than his wife's; she lives
in a comfort zone in familiar territory with family and friends, while
Jeremy finds that adapting to a total change of circumstances is the
challenge of his life. His career threatens a freefall, and emotional
stability becomes nonexistent. Lexie's emotions run the roller-coaster
of pregnancy, but she remains a constant source of stability to him.
In this novel, Sparks attempts to answer the question, "How well do we
really know the ones we love?" He writes of love, betrayal, endings that
bring new beginnings, tragedies that lead to joy, and the insights of
everlasting love. The story could have been a betrayal of the
"manliness" so rampant in today's society, but the author redeems
Jeremy's character with soulful insight and strengthens him by book's
end. AT FIRST SIGHT is an easy read that should join Sparks's earlier
novels in stature.
Nicholas Sparks - Dear John (2006)
Nicholas
Sparks’s latest novel, DEAR JOHN, currently is atop the New York Times
bestseller list, and for good reason. Sparks writes human emotion with
empathy and deals with life-changing subjects that corral the reader's
interest. Love between unlikely couples is the magnet that ignites one
to read on.
John Tyree is a product of the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Iced with pretentious summer vacation homes, the beaches invite visitors
and homegrown youth to the finest in water sport. John had enlisted in
the army after high school, not knowing exactly what he wanted to do
with his life. Now on leave from his Army tour in Germany, he enjoys the
return to surfing along the beach. It is here that he retrieves a young
lady's bag that has dropped into the deep waters, an incident that
changes his life forever.
Savannah Lynn Curtis, a college student on a summer mission for Habitat
for Humanity, is staying in one of the rental vacation mansions with her
work group. She and John both grew up in country locations, though
their family backgrounds are radically different. Savannah's world is
energetic and socially broad, but she approaches John's quiet and remote
relationship with his father with genuine intent and insists that they
meet.
Wary of the outcome, John succumbs. He engages in little real
conversation with his father, who is obsessed with coin collecting and
seems unable to talk about much else. Savannah reacts to the situation
by offering John a book on autism that she thinks will help him better
understand his father’s behavior. John is hurt by the interference, and
feels that Savannah is intruding. He brushes her thoughts aside and
instead enjoys their time together realizing how much she is filling in
his life.
Unfortunately, John's leave ends and his return to Germany puts their friendship on hold.
"Dear John, Should I start by telling you that I love you...If you come back, I'll marry you …Love, Savannah."
John reads these words on his plane ride to Germany and can think of
nothing but going back to North Carolina. He is given that chance when
he returns home on leave in 2001. Their days together are glorious, as
John meets Savannah's family, spends time at her college with friends
and engages in a whirlwind of social activity. Savannah vows to wait for
John as he finishes his tour of duty, and John realizes that he is
ready to settle down with his one true love.
But then the tragic events of September 11, 2001 unfold. Like a vise,
that fateful day squeezes John's dreams for love and the future he was
anticipating. Faced with an incredibly difficult choice, the stoic
soldier returns to duty as he fights for his country. At the same time,
he leaves Savannah with a tough decision as well: Should she wait for
him, or move on?
Sparks leads John's squadron into Kosovo, Kuwait and eventually 100
miles into Iraq. But this is not a military saga; rather, it is a
soldier's story set in wartime. A second Dear John letter from Savannah
severs his hope for a future together. However, he seeks her out when he
is home on leave following his father's death where many surprises
await him.
John's return from overseas --- drained by battles he's endured on
professional and personal levels --- climaxes the narrative. Savannah’s
insight has opened John to possibilities outside himself; through her,
he realizes the opportunity he’s been given by his father. Sparks ends
the book on an emotional positive. His message is that, though harsh and
complex, love transforms us forever.
Nicholas Sparks - The Choice (2007)
Nicholas Sparks has become a favorite storyteller because of his ability
to take ordinary people, put them in extraordinary situations and
create unexpected outcomes --- though, I confess, I sometimes rewrite
the endings in my mind. For example, in MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, the ship
definitely was not wrecked! Regardless of our wishes, however, his
stories never fail to tug on the heart and bring tears of sorrow and
joy to the reader.
THE CHOICE has all of the elements that we have come to expect from
Sparks, not the least of which is characters a little larger than life
who have made some choices that were bolder than the ones we ourselves
made. For example, Travis Parker chose to backpack around Europe
instead of settling into a job right after college. Gabby Holland
chose to move away from where her boyfriend lived in order to
establish her individuality. Neighbors and family members go beyond
the call of duty to help one another and expect nothing in return.
Yet, despite the seemingly idyllic life that people lead in Beaufort,
North Carolina, and regardless of the fact that Travis Parker epitomizes
the man from "Venus" who so many women are searching for, Sparks
manages to reveal conflicts that keep us turning the pages to see how
the characters will work them out. And we care because these are
individuals we can empathize with and feel sympathy for. Even so, we
pause to ponder what we would do in the same situation if we were
faced with the consequences of a seemingly unimportant decision that
we made a long time ago and then quickly forgot about.
It would be difficult to say more about the plot without spoiling the
ending. Suffice it to say that THE CHOICE is a great choice if you're
looking for a change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers that you
usually enjoy reading. Like a scoop of sorbet during an Italian
feast, it cleanses the palate with an enjoyable romance (sans the
seamy sex) and provides subtle lessons in love and hope. While you may
not need as many tissues as you did while reading THE NOTEBOOK, it
wouldn't hurt to have them handy.
Nicholas Sparks - The Lucky One (2008)
Nicholas Sparks, famous for his warmly imagined love stories, gives his many fans another reason to adore him with this tale of a once-in-a-lifetime quest for true romance.
THE LUCKY ONE opens when two very different men meet. Deputy Keith Clayton is a sleaze who is sneaking through the North Carolina underbrush in order to take pictures of a group of skinny-dipping coeds. When one of the coeds comes face to face with him, Clayton chucks the camera under a bush. He's also startled to meet a stranger toting a backpack and accompanied by a German shepherd dog. Clayton suspects that the man may have seen him taking his snapshots. The young camper is named Logan Thibault, and although a check reveals no wrongdoing on the stranger's part, Clayton does not like him. His hatred is intensified when, after letting Logan continue on, Clayton can't find his camera --- and he discovers slashed tires on his vehicle.
What sequence of events brought Logan to North Carolina? He fought in Iraq as a marine. On his third tour of duty, he discovered a photograph of a beautiful young woman at a county fair. When no one claimed the picture, he kept it. Soon, he began winning at poker. He also managed to survive the deadliest war battles. Could his friend Victor have been correct when he said that the woman in the photo was Logan's lucky charm?
After he leaves the Marines, Logan experiences a profound tragedy that spurs him to find the mysterious woman in the picture. He can deduce a few clues from the photograph, so he takes his German shepherd, Zeus, and begins walking with only a pack on his back. When he finally reaches Hampton, North Carolina, immediately after his encounter with Deputy Clayton, he has a feeling that he is nearing the end of his quest. Sure enough, when he shows the photograph to locals, they inform him who the woman is: Beth Green, a schoolteacher and mother who lives with her grandmother at the family dog kennels. They also warn him that Beth is off-limits; she has an ex-husband who no one wants to mess with.
When Logan finds Beth (or "Elizabeth," as he thinks of her because her photo was signed with the letter E), she is taking care of her grandmother and her son, Ben. Grandmother Nana is a colorful character, a woman who remains strong despite her age and a recent stroke. Ben is a sweet, smart child who is belittled by his father for not being athletic. And --- oh, yes --- Ben's father just happens to be Deputy Keith Clayton.
Nana hires Logan to work at the kennels. Even as he draws closer to the family, he is unsure why he is there. He finds himself unable to tell Beth about the lucky charm photo, especially when he learns that Beth's beloved brother Drake was also a Marine in Iraq --- and died there. How can he talk about being lucky when Drake was so unlucky? Meanwhile, Beth and Logan can't resist their attraction to each other. But Clayton is determined that his ex-wife will not have a romance with Logan Thibault.
Readers are sure to relish this grand, destined love story enhanced with endearing kids, dogs and grandmothers; a cozy country atmosphere; and glimpses of a wise ghost. The ominous foreshadowing of disaster adds suspense, as do the problems complicating the relationship. Romance fans will consider themselves more than fortunate to have discovered THE LUCKY ONE.
Nicholas Sparks - The Last Song (2009)
Veronica "Ronnie" Miller is just shy of her 18th birthday, and that gap allows her mother to insist that she and her little brother, Jonah, spend the summer with the father who left them years earlier. When Ronnie arrives at her father's tiny beach house in North Carolina, she's in a funk, sure that she's about to waste an entire summer by staying with the parent she hasn't spoken to since he left. Of course, Ronnie and her mother are also out of sync these days. There's the matter of Ronnie abandoning her promising career as a pianist years ago when her parents divorced. There's also general maternal disapproval over Ronnie's friends, semi-Goth clothing and makeup, and her arrest for shoplifting.
While the story revolves around Ronnie, several characters relate their own tales. Steve, Ronnie's father, is eagerly and nervously anticipating the arrival of his children. Meanwhile, he plays his piano with emotional intensity. Once a professor at Juilliard, he quit his job when his own father died, in order to tour as a concert pianist. The touring had played havoc with his marriage and ultimately proved unsuccessful. Back home, in the town he grew up in, he is now on an emotional journey to discover his spiritual beliefs. He knows there's more to life than what he has experienced, and he suspects that being with his children will hold the key to the meaning of his life. Meanwhile, he continues his deep friendship with the pastor who taught him to play the piano as a child. Pastor Harris, who assumed a paternal role during Steve's childhood and adolescence, was injured when the church burned to the ground (a disaster that is pivotal to the plot). Steve has been constructing a replacement for the stained glass window ruined in the fire.
When Ronnie arrives at her father's, she immediately takes off, heading for a beachside festival, where Will, a handsome volleyball player, runs into her, spilling soda all over her blouse. Ronnie is already in a snit, and she is terse and irritable when Will tries to apologize to her. The next person she meets is a homeless girl named Blaze. Ronnie hopes to become friendly with Blaze, but soon finds herself surrounded by Blaze's friends, including the truly creepy Marcus, who continually plays with balls of fire and makes it plain that he would like to get very close to Ronnie. This infuriates Blaze, with dire results for Ronnie.
Meanwhile, Will keeps thinking about the girl he accidentally spilled soda on, but he has a lot more on his mind than his attraction to Ronnie. A deadly secret, one he believes he owes his friend to keep, weighs heavily upon him. He has kept this secret for a long time, but it tortures him. Unfortunately, Marcus also knows the secret --- and that knowledge can only spell trouble for Will and his buddy.
Relations between Ronnie and her father continue to be uncomfortable. While Steve works hard to be accommodating and caring (even building a temporary wall to hide his piano when Ronnie tells him she hates looking at it), Ronnie cannot bring herself to forgive him for abandoning her and her brother. Jonas is much more easily won over, but Ronnie thaws a bit when she discovers something truly amazing on the beach. Her father shares her awe, and her discovery brings Will into her life again.
As the characters' lives braid together, secrets are uncovered. While a few of the subplots in Nicholas Sparks’s latest novel follow predictable paths, readers are likely to identify with the hopes and dreams of Ronnie and her father as they find their way to reconciliation and redemption. The North Carolina beach is a vibrant backdrop to this story of love between romantic partners and between family members --- a tale that very effectively stirs the emotions.
Nicholas Sparks - Safe Heaven
Fans know what to expect from Nicholas Sparks: a compelling love story centered on two appealing individuals. In SAFE HAVEN, readers find that --- and much more. This gripping tale of love and survival begins with Katie, a young woman working as a waitress in the North Carolina town of Southport. As she takes orders and delivers meals, she remembers how grateful she was when the owner hired her. At that time, she had been without food for two days. Today, as always, Katie scans the crowd, noticing people and watching them. Although the customers all seem innocent and no one has been asking about her, her hands still sometimes tremble while her heart pounds. Even with her blonde hair shorn short and dyed brown, men notice her --- unfortunately. Attention is the last thing she wants.
After hours of scrubbing and painting, Katie has made a cozy home in the shabby cottage she can afford to rent. She appreciates that it's a solitary spot at the end of an out-of-the-way gravel road. One morning, as she's enjoying a cup of coffee on her porch, she's startled to hear a voice from the previously deserted cottage next to hers. A thirty-something woman with long curly dark hair stands on the dilapidated porch, holding a rug as if deciding whether to shake it or not. The woman introduces herself as Jo; she confides that she is from Southport, has returned after going away, and would like to fix up her cottage the way Katie has. Soon, they’re sharing coffee. Although Katie doesn't yet trust anyone enough to confide in, little does she know that she and Jo are beginning an important and necessary friendship.
When Jo and Katie part, Katie mentions that she plans to walk to Fisher's, the local store. Jo asks if she has met the gray-haired owner. Katie says she's seen him a couple of times. The story shifts to the store owner, Alex, who loves his small shop. Alex has been the single parent of two young children since his wife, Carly, died. All of his energy is spent keeping an independent grocery store viable and being a father to Josh and Kristen. Although a year has passed since he lost Carly, and although he is lonely, he's had no interest in a new romantic relationship.
But he can't help being intrigued by Katie, the mysterious newcomer in town. Alex tries to engage her in conversation, but the young woman barely responds in a fearful whisper. The only time he glimpses an unguarded moment or two is when his daughter speaks with Katie. One day, as Katie pays for her meager groceries, an unexpected near-tragedy draws the two together temporarily. It is the tiniest opening of a door. Will it be enough for Alex to make a connection with this mystifying woman?
Meanwhile, Katie's secret is slowly and tantalizingly revealed to readers. We are privy to her terror, which is wholly understandable. As we learn that Katie is certainly not as safe as she hopes to be, Sparks expertly amps up the suspense --- turning what has been a pleasant romance into a riveting "read all night" page-turner. That almost unbearable tension of inevitable impending doom comes to a natural yet unexpected conclusion. While readers are likely to be more than satisfied by the resolution, they have one more unexpected treat on the way (I'm not telling…or even giving hints!).
Nicholas Sparks's bevy of fans will be wowed by SAFE HAVEN. But I also predict this book will attract many new admirers with its crossover into thriller territory.