“Jamie saved my life. She taught me everything. About life, hope and the long journey ahead. I’ll always miss her. But our love is like the wind. I can’t see it, but I can feel it.” – Landon Carter
A Walk to Remember is a novel written by the famous American author, Nicholas Sparks. A Walk to Remember is his third novel, the first two being The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, and he started writing the manuscript in the summer of 1998. Just like most authors, some parts of Sparks’ fictional love story were based on real experiences. The novel was inspired by his sister, Danielle Sparks Lewis, who died of cancer. Danielle’s then-husband proposed to her for marriage despite her sickness. For her sister’s eulogy, Sparks said, “… 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.”
The novel is about two teenagers who falls inlove for the first time. Young love, many would call it, but Jamie and Landon’s story is far from that. It is true love. It is a heart-wrenching account of true and first love combined. It tells us about the sacrifices and risks that a person can do for love. Sacrifices and risks that he himself never knew he was capable of.
He is popular, she is known as a dork. He is the son of a United States congressman; she is the daughter of the Beaufort church minister. He comes from a rich family, she detests the luxurious lifestyle. He is a jerk, she is full of meaning. He eventually falls for her, she is afraid to admit that she feels the same way too. He is Landon Carter, she is Jamie Sullivan.
Sparks describes Landon as your “typical teenage boy.” Totally carefree and seemingly futureless, Jamie changes him totally. Their story begins when Landon got dateless for the homecoming dance. Panicking, he just pulled out a yearbook to scan for a date. He finds Jamie Sullivan, the sensitive outcast. She’s not the typical girl that Landon, or any of his friends, would want to date or even want to be seen with.
The moment he lets Jamie into his life, his once pointless life suddenly had direction. The hottie suddenly fell inlove with the dork. Everything was perfect, until Landon learns that Jamie is suffering from leukemia. Despite her sickness, Landon still decides to propose of marriage to her and she agrees. Even after Jamie died, their love still stayed. Like the wind, Landon still felt it fully.
Devoted readers of Sparks’ novels must be very familiar with his style. Sparks has a gift. He has a way of accurately describing his characters and their feelings in a way that you would involuntarily get your own feelings involved. He always manages to find the perfect words to match the setting, mood, and the feelings in the story that you can’t help but match it with your own experiences.
This book was no exception to Sparks’ magic. Do not start reading this novel if you are not prepared to stay up all night. A Walk to Remember will keep you glued to your seat and it will surely get you emotionally attached.
“First you will smile, then you will cry – don’t say that you haven’t been warned.” Sparks was right to warn us. Although fictional, A Walk to Remember touched my heart so deeply. It will make you believe in the power of love and how it can conquer all. It reminds me of how I, myself, have done some sacrifices and took some risks, just for love. Their love story is very realistic and it definitely shows us how love can defeat even death.
While reading the novel, you will find yourself attached to it and hooked with the twists and turns of their love story and how one secret can change everything. One moment, your smiling and “giddy-ish” and then the next you would find yourself fighting back the tears. Their story is truly unforgettable. Once again, Sparks has touched millions of hearts with his words.
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