Kate Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Synopsis from Amazon: Set amid the austere beauty of the North Carolina coast, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner recently returned form the Second World War. Noah is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again. Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. It is a story of miracles and emotions that will stay with you forever. This is a story of love, illness and heartbreak. I would categorize it as chick-literature I think. We follow the story of Noah, who fell in love with Allie and never got over her. She returns and we see how love develops and how their life unfolds. This book is so touching, the love is so strong and moving. It is beautiful. I think my favourite character was in fact Allie's Mum, as she comes through for her daughter, there is a different sort of love there, and that too is wonderful. The bond between a mother and daughter is often strong, and that definitely came through in this book. Complaints? Not many :-) The story of their relationship as young lovers ended quite abruptly and then we went from a detailed story to glimpses of the past through letters, I would have liked the story to have continued in the detail it had been in. Although a lovely story, I did feel Noah was maybe a little bit too obsessed with Allie, by the end it was a little too much. And the ending, well that too was abrupt, and I was surprised the story finished, I was expecting more. However, all that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 8/10 And as a note on the side, this has been made into a film, and I would recommend that too. Slightly different from the book but heartbreaking and lovely anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I would definitely call this chick-lit too Katie. Always thought it has been over-rated, a bit too sugary sentimental for me. Good review though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I've just finished this. I wouldn't class it as chick-lit (in fact, I moved this thread into Contemporary fiction before I read your posts!) because it has a bit more depth to it than, say, the Shopaholic books. It was a quick, unchallenging, read (I've been in bed most of today as I feel rough so read the majority of it in one hit) but I loved the Alzheimer's aspect of it which I think was very sensitively written and was really touched at the part where the nurse in the home told Noah he couldn't visit his wife and then pointedly went for a cup of coffee even though she already had a cup 'steaming' on her desk, enabling him to do just that. I think I'd give it 7/10 - I won't necessarily go out of my way to buy any more of his books but if I come across them secondhand then I'd probably try another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I loved that part too Janet, it was lovely. I really did enjoy this book, though like you say it is really easy to read, but you've got to love a good old fashioned romance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I must read this! Have any of you who have read it, read it after seeing the movie? The movie is one of a very small handfull of films which have made me cry & I cried buckets at the end of this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rach.at.the.disco Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 For some reason I could not get into this book at the start, I had to keep putting it down - but I did manage to finish it. It had me in tears at the end, it was so sad. I love the film too and I think that this is one of the only films that I slightly prefer to the book . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I read it after I saw the film The book is pretty similar to the film, you should enjoy if if you like the film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I've seen the film but haven't read the book. I do have it in my TBR pile though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binary_Digit Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 It was quite some time ago that I last read The Notebook, and it was one of the most moving novels I have ever picked up. Like many of you, I was in tears as the book drew to a close. Somehow, Sparks has managed to both break and warm my heart in the same moment. This book was an amazing read, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in need of a good cry. Chick-lit? Maybe, but men fall in love too, and this book captures Love more effectively than anything else I have read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuddly Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I watched the film first with which I instantly fell in love with. It just provides so much love, it's unbelievable. After that I read the book and ohh I knew it would be even better than the film. I really like the books from Nicholas Sparks. Heartbreakingly romantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I want to read this as well.. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I've only seen the second half of the film, and resolved to try and avoid the book - the ending of the film made me cry so hard that I think reading the book (books always make me cry even more than films, which is saying something) might actually rupture my tear ducts or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I've seen the film and cried for ages after it had finished. The book is on my list to be bought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have watched the film and really liked it so I think I would like to give the book a shot!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth12617 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I've seen the movie and read the book and loved them both. I saw the movie first, even though the book had been in my house and then that summer I read the book. I've also read several other books by Nicholas Sparks and I really like his style of writing. His stories are always moving but the books are easy to get through. If you liked The Notebook I definitely would recommend The Wedding and Dear John. They were both love stories, and easy reads but very different from the Notebook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissWhitlock Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 I read the book after I watched the movie, and I have to admit, I didn't really like it. The ending made me cry though but I thought it was really short and...kind of rushed. I don't know. I liked the movie better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLG Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 I've read the book and seen the film - both had me in floods of tears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I've only seen the second half of the film, and resolved to try and avoid the book - the ending of the film made me cry so hard that I think reading the book (books always make me cry even more than films, which is saying something) might actually rupture my tear ducts or something. I've seen the film and cried for ages after it had finished. . and seen the film - had me in floods of tears Me too. James Garner was brilliant in it. My sis and I watched it last year when we were on holiday, with a bottle of wine and a box of tissues:blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissWhitlock Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I cried for ages too. I was shaking and stuff and had to contain myself and tried to think of happy thoughts. I thought the book was quite bad though. for once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowhere_girl Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 this is possibly one of my favourite books ever. i'm not a hoarder of books & tend to sell them on amazon once i'm done, but this one i've held onto. the pages are falling out & everything, but to me it's a sign of a well-loved book. i could never part with it. what gave me hope about this book is that a man wrote it, which is why i wouldn't class it as 'chick-lit'. i'm not a 'chick-lit' kind of girl. the book was written with so much gentle sensitivity, yet at the same time it had that feeling of burning urgent passion. every girl wants a noah, admit it. their love is so strong. the part where noah takes allie to the lake to feed the swans & it starts pouring with rain is sooooo intense. the book does end slightly differently from the film, but the book ending isn't as definitive - it is very open to interpretation. 'the wedding' is the follow-up to 'the notebook' which is nowhere near as good, & i wouldn't be eager to recommend it, but it has nice sensitive touches that fans of nicholas sparks would find quite moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Unfortunetly, I saw the film first. Don't get me wrong the film is brilliant but I like to read the book first. I read the book in one sitting and I absolutely LOVED it. Very touching and very sad indeed I wouldn't class it as chick lit either because it has a depth to it that some other books don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelreader Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I adore Nicholas Sparks's stories, and The Notebook was the first of his books that I read. I love how involved I always end up becoming with the story and characters, and seem to cry at every book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 This book is on my TBR pile I've seen the movie and absolutely love the story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amethyst Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 I really want to read this too as the film is one of my favourites, has me in floods everytime I watch it, has to go into my TBR along with many many others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishbookworm Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I've never read the book or seen the movie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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