Dear John [Hardcover]

 

 

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First off, I need to make some declarations before I get into the meat of my 'review'.

1) I don't write these reviews for Amazon, or its readers. I write them for *me*. I write them to better understand the novel I've just read, to better understand what the author accomplished (while guessing at what their intent had been...sometimes not the same thing at all), to better understand what works and what doesn't, towards the eventual goal of gaining a better grasp on what great writing is, what great storytelling is, what great entertainment novels featuring these elements can be. It is a self-serving process that I offer up for other Amazon readers to take as they will.

2) I envy and admire Mr. Sparks. He's managed to carve out a niche in the marketplace, writing (presumably) what he wants to write, and has a solid fan-base encouraging him to continue doing so. What more could a modern author hope for in this day and age? (Never mind that he's had the added compliment of having several of his novels adapted for the screen.)

3) I bawled through all the 'romance' portions of this novel. It is, at the very heart of it, a testimony to not getting what you crave, when your entire being (to the extent that you're capable at the time of giving your 'entire' anything) is lost in loving someone...or at the very least, desiring them. I know of what the lead character John speaks; I've carried the burden of a 'lost love' for more than seven years now. (Even though mine was a world-class case of unrequited love.) Leading me to Point #4...

4) I'm happy for the readers for whom this book resonated. Resonance is a personal thing. And perhaps the most contentious thing I can say is that resonance does not automatically infer -or confer- quality of writing. It only means that it resonated for you...and for other people who share this experience...and that the novel provided an especially positive experience for you. It doesn't mean it's a 'great novel', no matter how many copies it sells.


What It Isn't:

-It's not great writing.

-It's not great storytelling.

-It's not a great reading experience. (Unless you are a lover of this genre.)


What It Is:

-'Dear John' is 'genre-porn'. Pornography is generally acknowledged as material with no other inherent value -or purpose- than to stimulate a prurient reaction. 'Dear John' is a romance, further a heartbreaking romance, and so its purpose is to elicit the reactions that someone reading this genre wants to experience. That's all. It doesn't aim to elevate the reader's consciousness, it doesn't aim to illuminate Life (although there are a few nice examples in 'Dear John' when it does: adult Asberger's, the realities of armed forces personnel in Iraq not having been trained to be judge or police officers and the concomitant stress involved at still attempting to execute these duties, a general view of coin collecting), and it's not aiming to be 'great literature'. It unabashadly takes a certain tack...and Mr. Sparks does what he can to maintain it.

-It is facile but well-intentioned. On occasion it's ham-fisted...but nevertheless with an undeniable amount of acumen and ability, thanks to the author's experience and resultant skill. Unfortunately, in more than a handful of instances, it gets so mired in...well, in what can only be referred to as 'cringe-inducing' dialogue...that it threatens true mediocrity.

-It is a novel that at times has an inconsistent narrator's voice. 'Plaintive', for example, isn't a word that John -as he's revealed to us- would have used. If it had been, the entire tenor of the novel would have been shifted about seven degrees to the north/northeast. The same goes for the use of 'portending'. Ugh.

-On that note, when you have an emotionally-unevolved character acting as the narrator- Well, is that really what you want to have, given the limitations...unless you're intending on this narrator's limitations to become a huge part of the story? Because in 'Dear John', they're not. They inform the story, they affect the story, but they do not so much as to warrant taking this approach.

-It is a pleasing serving of what this genre aims to feed its patrons with, the sort of stuff that for those readers who want this kind of confection, hits the spot.

This is a light and enjoyable novel, one that will give you a few hours escaping reality and plunging into a sappy and romantic fantasy.

This is about army sergeant John Tyree narrating his love for Savannah Curtis, the girl of his dreams, and their relationship. It is the typical boy meet girl love story in the post 9/11 world. Boy goes to war and girl waits for him to finish his tour of duty. Here the specific war is not important, the author doesn't delve into the effects it had on his characters. When John re-enlists it weighs heavily on their relationship. Will their love survive.....

This novel is a quick read; the characters are realistic enough and likable, the plot is very predictable and not complex. The story hovers around the ideals of love and how fragile it can be. Added are some unrealistic twists leading to appropriate sadness and some heart wrenching moments, bringing tears to your eyes. If you are a fan of soap opera, this book is for you.

You can always tell you're reading a great book when you find yourself skipping ahead into the final chapters to see how things will be resolved, even though you've vowed you wouldn't. Love doesn't always have a happy ending (especially when it comes to a Nicholas Sparks novel) and this is a wonderful, albeit quick, tear-jerking romance.

Our hero John grew up with a silent, meticulously organized father that he didn't understand. In his teens he began to rebel, hanging out, playing pool and drinking. This continues for a number of years with John working menial jobs, getting several tattoos and going nowhere fast. Eventually John decides its time to grow up and he joins the army. In fact it's during 2 weeks leave that he first meets Savannah, diving into the ocean to rescue her sinking purse. Savannah is your stereotypical good-girl; raised in a stable family she's kind, pretty and hopes to save the world. It's also love at first sight for our couple despite the warnings from her tattoo phobic college friends. Together the pair plans a future together, counting down the days until John's discharge as Savannah helps him understand his father and he in turn feels contentment for the first time in his life.

On Sept 11 everything changes as John in a moment of patriotic loyalty chooses to re-up in the army, putting a hold on their marriage plans while he enters the war in Iraq. The two try to maintain a long distance relationship but the war changes John and the years apart put a strain on their deep love. When John's father grows ill he returns home but will he be too late to save both his relationship with his father and the love of his life?

I fell in love with John's character and surprisingly his father too. Each is well written and they felt like real people. I also enjoyed reading about John's military career and the reasons that take men into a war. Savannah as the heroine was a little too perfect for me but their heartbreaking love story and the regret that they both share will keep you up into the wee hours, and leave you wondering about John long after you've finished reading its bittersweet ending.

Another great read from Nicholas Sparks that I would definitely recommend. Oh, and John if you're out there, I'm single...

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book, highly recommend
I read this book, then watched the movie. The book is so much better, a must read for any NS fan.

Published 10 months ago by Daniel F. Silva

3.0 out of 5 stars "Typical" Dear John
A bittersweet romance story, which was an easy read, but did not keep my interest. Not sure what I was expecting - just MORE. It was disappointing for me, but was an OK read.

Published 13 months ago by Gerrie

3.0 out of 5 stars Dear john
Shipping took a very long time I didn't think I was going to receive the book.

Published 17 months ago by chaynes

4.0 out of 5 stars such a great book
This was my first nicholas sparks book. I didnt know if id would like it, but once i started reading it i couldnt put the book down! its romantic, fun, sad. Read more

Published 21 months ago by Christina Nonis

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story
This book was a fabulous, easy read. The way Sparks develops his characters is outstanding. The relationships are honest, easy to relate to and intriguing. Read more

Published 23 months ago by L. Perry

2.0 out of 5 stars Dear John, I'm sorry to say you were slightly disappointing
I'll admit I'm not a big reader of romance novels, but after seeing the preview for this movie I thought I'd give the book a shot. Read more

Published 24 months ago by jane smith

5.0 out of 5 stars well written
I thoroughly enjoyed the book--could hardly put it down. As with most of his books I couldn't predict the ending.I have read many of Spark's books after this one--I'm a new fan!

Published 24 months ago by Mary Beth

5.0 out of 5 stars Dear John - Fantastic Romantic Read
I loved this book - I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a story they can 'get lost in'. Read more

Published on Feb 4 2010 by Belle

3.0 out of 5 stars Comfort reading
It's been a while since I've read a book by Nicholas Sparks. My last one was Message in a Bottle. Sparks has found a winning formula as he has eight New York Times bestsellers to... Read more

Published on Jan 21 2010 by Luanne Ollivier

5.0 out of 5 stars Nicholas Sparks at his finest...absolutely beautiful!
No one writes a love story like Nicholas Sparks and this book is definitely one of his best. The book is divided into three parts. Read more

Published on Aug 18 2008 by The Mad Hatter

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