By JULIA SELDEN
Sometimes you just have to be in love. Things touch you in a way that eludes others.
“The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks is a perfect example. It has been on and off best seller lists since it came out in September 1996, said Duan Crockett, assistant manager in charge of merchandise at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Orem.
It also promises to be a tear-jerker. “Wrap this gift audio in Kleenex,” says the online Davis-Kidd Booksellers of the book-on-tape version.
But to those who don’t have a special someone, “The Notebook” seems to be merely 214 pages of two people’s sentimental gushings as told through the eyes of an overly romantic author.
Spanning half a century, the story is one of a love that defies time and overcomes the odds. But the two lovers, though meant to be together, are destined to be kept apart.
The plot is poignant, sweet and touching, but the manner in which it is delivered becomes a bit tedious to the average, uninspired, haven’t-been-on-a-date-in-four-months BYU student.
Sparks pays great attention to detail. Every thought, every action and every setting is described in full, making it very easy to envision what is going on. You begin to wonder how many synonyms there are for the concept of love, and how in the world Sparks managed to use them all.
Once you learn to skim over the mushy love letters and flowery expressions of devotion, the reading goes quickly, and is in no way boring. Sparks tells the story in such a way that the reader doesn’t quite know what is going on until the end, but agrees to read on anyway just to find out. It’s compelling.
If you’re going to read “The Notebook,” make sure you’re in love, or feeling deeply sentimental.
