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funofme 's review for:
The Longest Ride
by Nicholas Sparks
This is the most insane story of my life. Okay maybe it's not that drastic but still.
I was in the mood for a country-themed romance and this was perfect for it. The story includes two perspectives, one of Ira who was just in a car crash recounting his life with his late wife Ruth, and Luke and Sophy's young romance springing. It is a very original story, tying two love stories that are both similar yet unlikely to tie.
Luke is a world-renown bull rider and works on his and his moms ranch, and after suffering a horrible injury involving a bull trampling him, his mom had to use the ranch as collateral in order to give him all the medical attention he needs. So unless they get a shit ton of money, they'll lose the ranch. However, Luke suffered such a horrible injury to his head that if he hits it badly again he could die. So what does he do? He continues to bull ride, of course, to get the money from winning to save the ranch.
I guess one of my gripes with this is that nothing really happened in the climax? There was all this lead-up and foreshadowing of Luke being seriously injured with all this talk that if he hit his head again he would immediately die. Then, he does hit his head again and it causes a concussion but then it just goes away? And the climax of the story is the wimpiest 2-second fight between Luke and Sophies ex-boyfriend who, at the beginning of the story said he would come back to get him, but then he throws one punch at him and that's really it. I guess I wanted some more juice and a little more closure or scare with Lukes impending death.
My other gripe is the ending and the meaning of it. The whole story we learn of Ruth and Ira's love. Ruth loved teaching and art and Ira loved Ruth. And whatever Ruth loved Ira loved. Ira's entire personality was loving his wife. And I mean that's romantic and all but you telling me his ONLY personality trait is that he loves his wife? no other hobbies? nothing????
But in there life together they managed to acquire the most incredible art collection of all time that is worth so much money it's disgusting, and he doesn't know what to do with it because it wasn't about the art it was about Ruth, and he wants people to understand that. So what does he do? He has whoever buys the piece of art that's worth nothing but means the most to him, can have the whole collection. Why? So they can understand.
UNDERSTAND WHAT? THAT YOU LOVE YOUR WIFE? First off, this idea of Ira wanting people to understand didn't come up until closer to the end of the story so it's a little lost in the rest of the story. And second, why does it matter that people need to understand that the whole reason he collected this art was that he loved his wife? This could have been so much more interesting if Ira and Ruth weren't nobodies, or if this just didn't seem like a last-minute sweet add on; and that it wasn't said to me in every word possible in the English language to the reader of how much he does love her. If they were popular collectors that wanted to get this across that be one thing but this guy is a no one from North Carolina wanting the world to know it and that the whole meaning of his life was his wife. I mean its a sweet sentiment but I just don't see why this matters. And maybe it doesn't matter and I've got my head to far up this books ass BUT ITS JUST INSANE.
I'm giving this story 4 stars because I enjoyed the pacing and the uniqueness of the story and how Sparks was able to tie these 2 couples together. And I loved both couples romance - mainly Luke and Sophies. Even if the ending did fall flat for me.
I was in the mood for a country-themed romance and this was perfect for it. The story includes two perspectives, one of Ira who was just in a car crash recounting his life with his late wife Ruth, and Luke and Sophy's young romance springing. It is a very original story, tying two love stories that are both similar yet unlikely to tie.
Luke is a world-renown bull rider and works on his and his moms ranch, and after suffering a horrible injury involving a bull trampling him, his mom had to use the ranch as collateral in order to give him all the medical attention he needs. So unless they get a shit ton of money, they'll lose the ranch. However, Luke suffered such a horrible injury to his head that if he hits it badly again he could die. So what does he do? He continues to bull ride, of course, to get the money from winning to save the ranch.
I guess one of my gripes with this is that nothing really happened in the climax? There was all this lead-up and foreshadowing of Luke being seriously injured with all this talk that if he hit his head again he would immediately die. Then, he does hit his head again and it causes a concussion but then it just goes away? And the climax of the story is the wimpiest 2-second fight between Luke and Sophies ex-boyfriend who, at the beginning of the story said he would come back to get him, but then he throws one punch at him and that's really it. I guess I wanted some more juice and a little more closure or scare with Lukes impending death.
My other gripe is the ending and the meaning of it. The whole story we learn of Ruth and Ira's love. Ruth loved teaching and art and Ira loved Ruth. And whatever Ruth loved Ira loved. Ira's entire personality was loving his wife. And I mean that's romantic and all but you telling me his ONLY personality trait is that he loves his wife? no other hobbies? nothing????
But in there life together they managed to acquire the most incredible art collection of all time that is worth so much money it's disgusting, and he doesn't know what to do with it because it wasn't about the art it was about Ruth, and he wants people to understand that. So what does he do? He has whoever buys the piece of art that's worth nothing but means the most to him, can have the whole collection. Why? So they can understand.
UNDERSTAND WHAT? THAT YOU LOVE YOUR WIFE? First off, this idea of Ira wanting people to understand didn't come up until closer to the end of the story so it's a little lost in the rest of the story. And second, why does it matter that people need to understand that the whole reason he collected this art was that he loved his wife? This could have been so much more interesting if Ira and Ruth weren't nobodies, or if this just didn't seem like a last-minute sweet add on; and that it wasn't said to me in every word possible in the English language to the reader of how much he does love her. If they were popular collectors that wanted to get this across that be one thing but this guy is a no one from North Carolina wanting the world to know it and that the whole meaning of his life was his wife. I mean its a sweet sentiment but I just don't see why this matters. And maybe it doesn't matter and I've got my head to far up this books ass BUT ITS JUST INSANE.
I'm giving this story 4 stars because I enjoyed the pacing and the uniqueness of the story and how Sparks was able to tie these 2 couples together. And I loved both couples romance - mainly Luke and Sophies. Even if the ending did fall flat for me.