A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, begins in a small town in North Carolina with two characters that seem to have the uncanny ability to never speak to one another. The boy, a typical teenager, hangs out at the local diner, chases after girls and spends his nights in a graveyard with his friends. In dire contrast, the girl is something many teenagers would see as unusual. She is never seen without her Bible in her hand and her father, the town priest, has never been the most popular man. However, despite their differences, they find themselves falling in love and finding comfort in each other’s presence. Intertwined within the pages of this feel-good love story, there are themes of loss, faith and love. As the two characters blindly follow their hearts, the story shows the path to finding true faith throughout the struggles of reality and how love can be endless. The book is hard to put down as the story unravels due to its enticing way of revealing information. First by hinting at a problem to come but not revealing the problem until much later.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book. I found that it was hard to put down but it was also heartbreaking in its own special way. Additionally, I found that looking back each character seems to develop throughout the book which I really enjoyed because each character plays a role in the entirety of the story and is not just included for the plot. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a simple love story with more depth within the pages. I really liked how it was not too focused on the relationship, rather it showed the progression of characters because of outside factors. The progression each character makes is really the reason you feel good after reading because it is satisfying to see each character come out better on the other side. Lastly, the words seem to flow by as the story progresses due to its easy-to-read nature and compelling message: do not take anything for granted because the future has other plans.
Opening Line: “When I was seventeen, my life changed forever.”
Favorite Line: “I knew the memory would last forever.”
Why I Like It: It teaches the lesson of appreciating what you have in the moments you possess them.
Read If You Like: A cute love story with a saddening twist of reality.