Book Review on Nicholas Spark’s A Walk to Remember
By Vitorio Lorenzo De Jesus Villacrusis

Nicholas Charles Sparks (born December 31, 1965) is an internationally bestselling American author, writing novels with themes that include Christianity, love, tragedy and fate. He has 14 published novels and lives in New Bern, North Carolina, USA, with his wife Cathy and their five children. He has one living sibling, brother Michael Earl "Micah" Sparks (1964-) and a deceased sister, Danielle "Dana" Sparks (1966-2000), who Sparks has said is the inspiration for the main character in his third novel, A Walk to Remember. The novel was inspired by Sparks' sister who later died of cancer in June 2000. Although the story is largely fictional, certain parts were based on real experiences. For example, his sister's then-husband proposed of marriage to her despite her sickness. After her death, Sparks said in the eulogy: "... I suppose I wrote this novel not only so that you could get to know my sister, but so that you would know what a wonderful thing it was that her husband once did for her.”

This novel starts of with a 57 year old man, Landon Carter, turning back the pages of his life to the time when he was 17 years old, in the late 1950s. He speaks of an encounter with this too-good-to-be-true girl, Jamie Sullivan. She is described as a girl who carries the Bible in her bag wherever she goes. Further, she works as a volunteer to help the orphaned kids and rescues forlorn estranged animals from time to time. On the other hand, Landon is a happy-go-lucky son of a Congressman, whose sole activity is hanging out with his gang of cool friends.

The story starts moving ahead when Landon has no suitable option left for the school dance and asks Jamie out. As he comes to know more about Jamie, he begins to develop tender feelings for her. The pace and mood of the novel is suddenly changed when a dark mystery about Jamie is revealed.

The novel explores into the themes of love, faith, and spirituality. Raised a Catholic, Sparks incorporated spirituality in the novel because, according to him, it is "a story of the beauty, power and innocence of first love”. This theme is depicted, at most, in Jamie's character who always bring a Bible wherever she goes.

The plot is somewhat predictable. By reading just the first few chapters, one would be able to guess how the story progresses and ends. The first few pages are, in a way, not so interesting. But as the pages are turned we find a wonderful crafted tale of the purity of first love.

But the way it was written and narrated, in the eyes of the protagonist, gives us a realistic view of the scene. Setting the events of the story in the 1950’s makes the plot more realistic in terms of the attitude and customs of the characters. The style of narration gives us a feel for the character’s emotions and experiences, and helps to express the situation and for us to be able to relate more to the story. Having it written in the first person point of view immerses us in his own world, taking us back with him through the years, and letting us experience joy and sorrow firsthand.

The author injects different emotions into the novel. Readers would experience joy and sorrow, and would find a healthy bit of humor while reading this book. The story is interesting and at the same time very moving. To sum it all up, it is one of the best romantic novels written as it offers lessons both in love and faith.