Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
- Shalini Prasad
- Jun 26, 2018
- 3 min read
Nicholas Sparks is known for his heartbreaking love stories. He makes you feel the depth of the love and the depth of the grief that comes from losing that love. I had seen “Dear John” as a movie prior to reading the book and I was sure the book wouldn’t touch me the same way because I already knew the story. But you know what they say, “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” This book was a hell of a journey.
Synopsis:
“Dear John,” the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever.
When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. But neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life.
Review:
The synopsis at the back of the book gives away most of the plot, but like I said, this book is all about the journey. The story is narrated by the main character, John. He appears to be waiting somewhere and the entire story is him reminiscing about the past, the good and the bad. The first chapter shows us the type of man John was and how he has changed after joining the army. He talks about his relationship with his father, who is the only person he can call home. Then he meets Savannah on his summer holiday and they spend a glorious summer together, falling more in love each day. Unfortunately, life is not that good for anyone. The way the story unfolds after that is where the magic lies.
Nicholas has not only focused on the relationship between John and Savannah, but he has also explored the relationship that each of them has with the people around them. John’s relationship with his father seems complicated, which turns out it can be simple had he known one fact about his father earlier in life. John’s understanding of why his father is the way he is grows as the story progresses and we see how their relationship gets better because of it. This was by far the most heartwarming development in this book for me.
The character of Savannah is pretty locked down. We see how generous she is, how kind and how selfless and caring she can be. Her great personality and her simplicity make her the best girl in John’s eyes and he always sees her this way. We see that Savannah is an independent woman, with hopes and dreams of her own and who is not afraid of chasing those dreams. Albeit passionate about her own life, she is also an amazing giver. She can sympathize with others and make anyone feel better. She surrounds herself with people who are just like her, a walking ray of sunshine.
As the story develops, you can’t help root for these forlorn lovers. Even as you predict how the story will unfold, you will still feel every pang of hurt as the situations change for the lovers.
The story flows effortlessly, dragging you along for a ride where you laugh, cry and fall in love all over again. Once you start this book, it will be hard to put it down. If you are into great love stories that make your heart ache, then “Dear John” will trample all over it.
Rating: 4.5/5
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