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debonthebackstreet's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book and I'm not even a big fan of romance novels, but this book goes beyond that. It's gripping and heart-warming and tragic all at the same time. Yes, it's soppy but it's a really sweet love story that gives people like me, single and had enough of being treated badly by men, hope that enduring love can happen. It's a lovely story, a real tearjerker, and a quick read too. It's simple and you don't get bogged down in unnecessary detail. I really want to read this again!
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
2.0
Well, that's one author I can cross off my "to-read" list.
Noah and Allie fell in love one summer when he was 17 and she 15. She leaves, and fourteen years pass before Allie, now engaged, returns to Noah. Are they still in love? Will she marry her over-working fiance, with whom she shares a passionless relationship and who keeps her from pursuing her passion of art? Or will she choose Noah, the boy she spent a grand total of one summer with and lost her virginity to (and hasn't had sex with another man in the entire 14 years they've been apart)?
I see people enjoying this for primarily two reason:
1. You adore sappy romances where you can predict the plot from the beginning and have to keep a box of tissues nearby for the monsoon of tears that will be spilled. BONUS: You love the "Greatest Love of All Ages" ending with the couple in "present day" as 80 year-olds gasping on their death beds, clinging to each other's hands.
2. You love to participate in Bad Book Buddy Reads with an amazing compatriot. You love to groan as the plot points are written in big crayon pages before they appear, roll your eyes at the overwrought descriptions of love, and wince at Trio of Terrible Writing, Cardboard Characters, and Zero Subtlety.
Guess which one I was?
This book was bad; bad as in "so good it's bad" category. Meaning, perfect for Bad Book Buddy Reads. And I was not disappointed - this book was a gold mine of snarkable material.
The characters are so flat, they are almost invisible. Noah is the Rugged Poet (who writes no poetry), giving him the duo combination of being Deep/Intellectual but also a man who works with his hands (he WORKS for a living gorrammit!). Allie is a Passionate Free-Spirit, who loves to paint and is therefore Deep and Artsy. The rest of the characters (what few of them even exist) are even worse (if that is possible); Lon is the Foil, Anne, Allie's mom, is the Voice of Inspiration, Gus is the Person of Color (no seriously, there is no reason he appears in this book). I get that this book is a mere 213 pages long in my edition, but come on! Fill the world with some color, why don't ya?
I was surprised at the progression of what passes for "story". I saw the movie, so I remember there was quite a bit of build-up between teenaged Allie and Noah along with the older people. The book totally skips over ANY sort of relationship building between the teenaged protagonists and instead starts the story with a HUGE backstory dump with Noah at 31 and Allie at 29! The problem is, we have spent NO TIME developing their romantic feelings for each other; instead, Allie is back to see Noah after 14 years!
By the way, if Noah and Allie were REALLY so deeply in love, why did it take them FOURTEEN YEARS to reunite? Why were they THAT surprised when Anne withheld Noah's letters (come on, Allie's parents weren't shy in letting Noah know they didn't like him!)? Noah tries ONCE in the 14 years to see Allie; that's it! If I'm going to buy this is the Greatest Love Story of All Time (which I don't), I need to see them pursuing it.
As for the "Greatest Love Story of All Time" - laughable. As I said, there is no chemistry between the two. Sparks relies on TELLING us (frequently!) how his characters burn for each other. That is NOT chemistry; that is a summary.
Last thing: I could not believe how awful the writing was. It was so boring! So simple! So fraught with telling and not showing. And I even spotted some grammar errors (tenses changing in mid-sentence and some unclear pronoun usage).
There isn't very many times I say this, but the movie was lightyears better than the book (and I wasn't even that big of a fan of the movie!). Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling did a great job at personifying the characters and, most importantly, conveying the Greatest Love of All Time. I guess you can give Sparks credit for being able to write a concept that would make a good movie, but when I read a book, I have certain criteria: namely characters, plot, writing. I also hate to say this, but some of the books I've really ranted against (*cough*Danse Macabre by LKH*cough*) look much better against the poor quality of this book.
If you are curious about this book, watch the movie. If you are a big sucker for sappy romances or love to snark with buddies, pick this book up!
Noah and Allie fell in love one summer when he was 17 and she 15. She leaves, and fourteen years pass before Allie, now engaged, returns to Noah. Are they still in love? Will she marry her over-working fiance, with whom she shares a passionless relationship and who keeps her from pursuing her passion of art? Or will she choose Noah, the boy she spent a grand total of one summer with and lost her virginity to (and hasn't had sex with another man in the entire 14 years they've been apart)?
I see people enjoying this for primarily two reason:
1. You adore sappy romances where you can predict the plot from the beginning and have to keep a box of tissues nearby for the monsoon of tears that will be spilled. BONUS: You love the "Greatest Love of All Ages" ending with the couple in "present day" as 80 year-olds gasping on their death beds, clinging to each other's hands.
2. You love to participate in Bad Book Buddy Reads with an amazing compatriot. You love to groan as the plot points are written in big crayon pages before they appear, roll your eyes at the overwrought descriptions of love, and wince at Trio of Terrible Writing, Cardboard Characters, and Zero Subtlety.
Guess which one I was?
This book was bad; bad as in "so good it's bad" category. Meaning, perfect for Bad Book Buddy Reads. And I was not disappointed - this book was a gold mine of snarkable material.
The characters are so flat, they are almost invisible. Noah is the Rugged Poet (who writes no poetry), giving him the duo combination of being Deep/Intellectual but also a man who works with his hands (he WORKS for a living gorrammit!). Allie is a Passionate Free-Spirit, who loves to paint and is therefore Deep and Artsy. The rest of the characters (what few of them even exist) are even worse (if that is possible); Lon is the Foil, Anne, Allie's mom, is the Voice of Inspiration, Gus is the Person of Color (no seriously, there is no reason he appears in this book). I get that this book is a mere 213 pages long in my edition, but come on! Fill the world with some color, why don't ya?
I was surprised at the progression of what passes for "story". I saw the movie, so I remember there was quite a bit of build-up between teenaged Allie and Noah along with the older people. The book totally skips over ANY sort of relationship building between the teenaged protagonists and instead starts the story with a HUGE backstory dump with Noah at 31 and Allie at 29! The problem is, we have spent NO TIME developing their romantic feelings for each other; instead, Allie is back to see Noah after 14 years!
By the way, if Noah and Allie were REALLY so deeply in love, why did it take them FOURTEEN YEARS to reunite? Why were they THAT surprised when Anne withheld Noah's letters (come on, Allie's parents weren't shy in letting Noah know they didn't like him!)? Noah tries ONCE in the 14 years to see Allie; that's it! If I'm going to buy this is the Greatest Love Story of All Time (which I don't), I need to see them pursuing it.
As for the "Greatest Love Story of All Time" - laughable. As I said, there is no chemistry between the two. Sparks relies on TELLING us (frequently!) how his characters burn for each other. That is NOT chemistry; that is a summary.
Last thing: I could not believe how awful the writing was. It was so boring! So simple! So fraught with telling and not showing. And I even spotted some grammar errors (tenses changing in mid-sentence and some unclear pronoun usage).
There isn't very many times I say this, but the movie was lightyears better than the book (and I wasn't even that big of a fan of the movie!). Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling did a great job at personifying the characters and, most importantly, conveying the Greatest Love of All Time. I guess you can give Sparks credit for being able to write a concept that would make a good movie, but when I read a book, I have certain criteria: namely characters, plot, writing. I also hate to say this, but some of the books I've really ranted against (*cough*Danse Macabre by LKH*cough*) look much better against the poor quality of this book.
If you are curious about this book, watch the movie. If you are a big sucker for sappy romances or love to snark with buddies, pick this book up!
daniber's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
lmorgen's review against another edition
4.0
The Notebook is a sappy, heartwarming romance. Allie is a passionate, strong, artistic woman, who doesn't know what she wants with her life. Noah is a gentle, hardworking guy, and all he wants is to be with Allie. The two meet as teenagers for a star-crossed summer, and then are separated for the next decade, caught up in their own lives. But they never forget each other, and Noah stays in the town where they met, building the house he told Allie he would build, years ago. Allie is engaged to another man, but she feels the need to visit Noah's town. In that town, she makes a decision that changes her life forever.
Although parts of The Notebook are a little too syrupy, it is really a book that makes you believe in true love.
Although parts of The Notebook are a little too syrupy, it is really a book that makes you believe in true love.
laurathompson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
andreia15filipa's review against another edition
4.0
Review do livro “O diário da nossa paixão”, Nicholas Sparks
Páginas: 208
Género: Romance
Definição em uma palavra: Apaixonante
Sinopse: "És, e sempre foste, o meu sonho."
Um homem lê em voz alta de um caderno desbotado que segura com carinho. A sua ouvinte escuta atentamente, ansiosa por saber o desfecho da história que ele lhe conta…
Trata-se das memórias de Noah Calhoun, acabado de regressar da Segunda Guerra. Enquanto trabalha na reconstrução de uma velha casa, a sua mente divaga, atormentada pelas recordações de Allie, o grande amor da sua vida, que há catorze anos lhe escapou por entre os dedos.
Mas, tão subitamente como desapareceu, Allie volta a entrar na sua vida, e Noah percebe que a história está apenas no começo.
O homem torna a fechar o caderno. Sempre a mesma história. Sempre a mesma ouvinte. Amanhã, o homem voltará a ler, bem como no dia a seguir a esse, e todos os outros em que for capaz de o fazer. Porque acredita em milagres, e no poder do amor…
Foi este o livro que comoveu milhões de leitores.
Foi esta a história que fez com que o mundo se rendesse à escrita de Nicholas Sparks.
Review: Adoro um bom clichê e este livro conquisto-me. Bastante rápido de se ler, os capítulos são curtos o que me facilitou bastante a leitura.
Como disse ao início, adoro um bom clichê, e este foi o primeiro que li do Autor e devo dizer que fiquei rendida á sua escrita simples, direta e cheia de emoção e principalmente paixão.
Recomendo muito a quem gosta de clichês cheios de amor e um puco de sofrimento.
Av. ****
Páginas: 208
Género: Romance
Definição em uma palavra: Apaixonante
Sinopse: "És, e sempre foste, o meu sonho."
Um homem lê em voz alta de um caderno desbotado que segura com carinho. A sua ouvinte escuta atentamente, ansiosa por saber o desfecho da história que ele lhe conta…
Trata-se das memórias de Noah Calhoun, acabado de regressar da Segunda Guerra. Enquanto trabalha na reconstrução de uma velha casa, a sua mente divaga, atormentada pelas recordações de Allie, o grande amor da sua vida, que há catorze anos lhe escapou por entre os dedos.
Mas, tão subitamente como desapareceu, Allie volta a entrar na sua vida, e Noah percebe que a história está apenas no começo.
O homem torna a fechar o caderno. Sempre a mesma história. Sempre a mesma ouvinte. Amanhã, o homem voltará a ler, bem como no dia a seguir a esse, e todos os outros em que for capaz de o fazer. Porque acredita em milagres, e no poder do amor…
Foi este o livro que comoveu milhões de leitores.
Foi esta a história que fez com que o mundo se rendesse à escrita de Nicholas Sparks.
Review: Adoro um bom clichê e este livro conquisto-me. Bastante rápido de se ler, os capítulos são curtos o que me facilitou bastante a leitura.
Como disse ao início, adoro um bom clichê, e este foi o primeiro que li do Autor e devo dizer que fiquei rendida á sua escrita simples, direta e cheia de emoção e principalmente paixão.
Recomendo muito a quem gosta de clichês cheios de amor e um puco de sofrimento.
Av. ****
brigii's review against another edition
I'm surprised I read it ten years ago because I still hate the movie.
ty_williams's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
anneke25's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.75
I am a sobbing mess after reading this. This story was so beautiful and heartbreaking.