Dear John

Book Title: Dear John Author: Nicholas Sparks Pages: 276 Publisher: Warner Books
Why did you decide to read the book?
I saw the movie, and I wanted to see how it would compare to the book, because I heard it was very different.
Brief Summary of Book (6-8 sentences): John Tyree was on leave from the army to visit his father at home, when suddenly his life changed as he met Savannah Curtis. Over the next week they spend time together, and realize that they are totally different people. There might be some truth though in the saying “opposites attract,” because in just a matter of days they were truly in love. As John is sent back to the military he is forced to leave his blissful life with Savannah and come back to reality. Communication never stopped as each day they wrote and read letters addressed to each other. Their love grew everyday that they were apart. It seemed all perfect until September 11th came it ruined not just their lives, but their country's.
Audience: Dear John can be read by anyone who likes a good, teen romance novel that has a twist.
Writing Style: Description: Nicholas' writing style is mostly easy reading. In a way is writing makes it seem like this is all fake. That everything is to good to be true. Like in most of his stories, Sparks puts in a non-happy ending. Passage: “Wanting nothing more then to let her know I'm here. But instead I stay where I am and stare up at the moon as well. And for the briefest instant, it almost feels like we're together again.
Vocabulary:
Word: minted Definition: to make coins, money, etc., by stamping metal Sentence & page it came from:
“In time, I could tell you how many Saint-Gaudens double eagles were minted in 1927 as compared with 1924, (11).” Word: preamble Definition: an introductory sentence Sentence & page it came from:
“'I'm sorry,' I plunged in without preamble. 'I know you were just trying to help, and I took it the wrong way, (131).'” Passage #1:
“And when her lips met mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever, (107).”
Passage #2:
“Our story has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. And although this is the way all stories unfold, I still can't believe that ours didn't last forever, (4).”
Theme:
I thought the theme of Dear John was that when you loved someone with all your heart, you would do anything for them no matter how much it hurt yourself. You stick by their side in the good times and bad, and if they chose it, leave when they wanted. Love is about doing what is right for them, and not what is easy for you.
Letter Grade:
There is no doubt in my mind that I would give this book an A. I loved the set-up on how Savannah and John met. This book wrote about true problems that happen in life. I was able to see that love is strong, and true love can be unbreakable at times. Even though this book showed the happiness of the couple, it also showed their problems. It showed that love hurts. I like Nicholas Sparks as an author, because when your reading one of his books you can always feel the emotions of passion, hate, love etc.

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Book Title: Dear John Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 352 Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Why did you decide to read the book? My friend read this book and fell in love with it. I ended up seeing the movie and really liked it. Then I decided to read the book.
Brief Summary of Book (6-8 sentences): John Tyree, first met the love of his life, Savannah Curtis, on the beach in North Carolina. Savannah, a college student, was in town working on a Habitat for Humanity project. John was home visiting his father while on a short leave from the military. The two were an unlikely pair from the start. John was an angry rebel who dropped out of high school and enlisted in the Army, while Savannah was an innocent, hardworking, Southern girl. Unfortunately, the powerful bond between them was always separated by time and distance. John was devoted to his military duty and Savannah had her obligations to completing her education. However, the two were able to stay very committed to each other, despite their distance, until the unexpected events of September 11th changed everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else.
Audience: I believe the audience of this book is teenagers because it deals with a strong relationship that teens can relate to.
Writing Style:
Description - The writing style of this novel was casual and easy to read.
Passage -"I've been burdened by questions I've asked myself a thousand times since the last time we were together. Why did I do it? And would I do it again? It was I, you see, who ended it."(173)
Vocabulary:
Word: Inevitably
Definition: Unable to be avoided, evaded, or escaped; certain; necessary
Sentence & page it came from: “When we were together, we had the power to keep it spinning, and the result was beauty and magic and an almost childlike sense of wonder; when we separated, the spinning began inevitably to slow,” (71)
Word: unrecognizably
Definition: to not identify as something or someone previously seen, known, etc
Sentence & page it came from: But even so, there was something there, something unrecognizably real, and I couldn't look away."(83)
Passage #1: "Here I am, getting ready to go home and worry about tests, and you’re in someplace dangerous surrounded by people who want to hurt you. I just wish those people could know you like I know you, because then you'd be safe. Just like I feel safe when I'm in your arms," (203).
I thought that this quotes was adorable. It really stuck to me because it shows the strong bond between Savannah and John.
Passage #2: "It's possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems, and that in time, the grief . . . lessens. It may not go away completely, but after a while it's not so overwhelming,"(165).
I really enjoyed the meaning of this quote that’s why it stuck to me. This quote is saying that is important to never give up even when life seems like it won’t get any better.
Theme: Everyone has a true love.
"I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be," (95).
"And when her lips met mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever,”(166).
Letter Grade: B+
This was the first Nicholas Sparks book I have read. I really enjoyed most of the book, but I was disappointed in the end when john and Savannah didn’t end up together. Over all I liked the relaxed, down-to-earth style and flow of this book. Sparks has a way to make the reader feel part of the story, as if they personally know the characters in this novel.