Confession: I've never read Nicholas Sparks. Yes, I saw The Notebook and yes, I totally cried...but something about his novels just never appealed to me. After going into my second semester learning that nearly every female student I have taught or currently teach has either read him or is reading him, I thought I better at least give him a try.
I chose The Last Song because it's his most recent novel and the library had a nice, newish paperback copy. I threw myself into it over Labor Day weekend and while it's taken me a while to finish because I only read a few minutes before bed every night, it's been worth sticking with. In fact, I find it a benefit that I don't feel guilty not reading more of it during the day, or fighting myself to chose work over play. It's my bedtime book and when I pick it up, I go right back to where I was the night before without absolutely zero confusion. Score one for Sparks.
Along those lines, while I'm tallying points, I might also add that I'm a big fan of his storytelling based on this novel. As with most popular fiction, I find his plots kind of expected (first love, dying dad, teenage angst) but his plot twists are totally rewarding (turtles? fireballs? church burning?) - the last thing I expected to find in a novel like this was anything that surprised me...so that, surprised me!
At times it got a little too preachy for me. I'm not sure if religion is always included in his novels, but there were definite moments when this one was pushing the Chicken Soup for the....envelope. I was entertained, and Sparks has earned his "Bestselling" title because he is a fantastic storyteller. However, it's still very mass-market and as such, meets various conventions of airport fiction. Read: this book will not change your life. But, it was a worthy read to me in the sense that I've come to be able to appreciate an author I never had intention of liking who my students (and most of America it seem) really connect with. And, because one book isn't enough to really grasp an author, I'm going to try to read Dear John next. See you in one month when my two-pages a night schedule will get me through my next put-downable and pick-upable Sparks' novel.
P.S. I will NOT see the movie version of TLS because Miley Cyrus makes me want to kill bunnies.
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