I have only read a few Nicholas Sparks books that I haven't loved. But, I have read a few that stand out above and beyond his others, either for personal reasons or because they were just amazing stories told by an amazing writer. A Walk to Remember brings me to my knees every time I either read the book or watch the movie. The Notebook is the same way. Why I don't flip the channel each time the movie is on TV is beyond me. I guess it's like a train wreck--I just can't seem to look away. The Best of Me had the ability to be one of these standouts. Sadly, I'm afraid that it isn't quite to the same caliber as the others. In my opinion anyway.
Now, don't get me wrong, it was good. It had to have been good considering that I did nothing but read yesterday and I finished the entire book before 10:30 last night. But, it was not like Spark's other stories. At one point I closed the book, angry, looked at Rob and said, "There's no way Nicholas Sparks wrote this book." That's how different it is from other stories. The characters were dark, so you knew something bad was going to happen from the start. (Of course, as Rob reminded me, someone always dies in his books, it's just a matter of who, when, and how.) Even the good characters weren't so good. When I compare Dawson and Amanda to Noah and Allie (The Notebook), there's no comparison. And yet, still I read on.
Even the love story between Dawson and Amanda was weak. The stronger story here was about Dawson himself and his tragedy. I loved his character. His story brought me to tears, not his and Amanda's story. I thought Sparks wrote really moving love stories? Not this one. But, maybe all of this is on purpose. Perhaps this book functions as a warning to all those who are thinking back in time. To those who, like Dawson and Amanda, are searching so desperately to find their first love again, or at least the feeling of their first love again. While I so wish that I could explain more, I can't. It will give the story away. I have to admit, though, that I was able to figure out the ending of this book. About 40 pages out, I could see the ending. It was like I was in Geometry class in 10th grade all over again with a 25 step proof in front of me. I could see the beginning. I could see the end, and I could see every step from point A to point B. That's when I closed the book and cried. I knew what was going to happen and I couldn't believe that Sparks was going to take us there. And he did. And when he did I was so mad and so frustrated that I found it hard to keep reading. But I did, as I always do.
I am sure that someone already has the movie rights to this book but I am not sure that I will be able to watch it, should it ever make it to the big screen, as I do with A Walk to Remember or The Notebook. This one just didn't leave me feeling the same way.
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