The Notebook
by Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook is the Love Story of the 2000s. Anyone from ages 12-35 probably saw the movie in the theaters, rented it when it came out on DVD, and then bought a copy when they were out buying more Kleenex. I’m one of the only people I’ve ever met who couldn’t stand the movie. A very dear friend of mine summed up my thoughts on the subject: “If you say your favorite movie is The Notebook, I have no further use for you.”
Why did I read the book, you might ask? Because I’ve read countless books whose messages were lost or changed on the big screen. Maybe Nicholas Sparks wrote a beautiful story that got ruined by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, I thought. The only redeeming part of the film was the love and devotion present in James Garner’s character, so I thought perhaps the entire book of The Notebook would be the actual notebook he reads aloud in the movie. Sorry to tell you, folks, that’s not the case.
I found Nicholas Sparks’s writing style off-putting and unrealistic. Even though the book and movie were clearly intended for female audiences, he so obviously writes with a male perspective. The heroine has sex on the mind constantly, and it’s her main motivation for her behavior. For what is supposed to be a tearjerker and a haunting love story, it’s little more than a thinly written romance novel, but with less motivation and realistic reasoning.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2004 film adaptation here!
Why did I read the book, you might ask? Because I’ve read countless books whose messages were lost or changed on the big screen. Maybe Nicholas Sparks wrote a beautiful story that got ruined by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, I thought. The only redeeming part of the film was the love and devotion present in James Garner’s character, so I thought perhaps the entire book of The Notebook would be the actual notebook he reads aloud in the movie. Sorry to tell you, folks, that’s not the case.
I found Nicholas Sparks’s writing style off-putting and unrealistic. Even though the book and movie were clearly intended for female audiences, he so obviously writes with a male perspective. The heroine has sex on the mind constantly, and it’s her main motivation for her behavior. For what is supposed to be a tearjerker and a haunting love story, it’s little more than a thinly written romance novel, but with less motivation and realistic reasoning.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2004 film adaptation here!