Dear John -- by Nicholas Sparks (A)
I've just finished the single greatest Nicholas Sparks book yet written. Dear John, the story of John Tyree, Iraqi war veteran and lonely heart, tops even The Notebook, Spark's million-dollar debut novel.
Yes, Dear John is another of Sparks' patented love-so-enchanted stories featuring the rough-around-the-edges protagonist and the confident, southern natural beauty, but this time the romance encounters more satisfying obstacles. What works best in Dear John is the growth of Spark's main character, and the progression he makes from an immature, self-seeking guy to one who understands love in its deepest forms. In other Sparks novels, the main character learns to share himself, to pursue his dreams, or to take a chance, but here, there is more depth.
The book also features a rich subplot involving Tyree and his father plus a respectful representation of people of faith.
There is a hint of strong character growth in Sparks' book, At First Sight (sequel to True Believer), as we read about a man who also endures loss, though the effect is marred by so many having-a-baby stereotypes in the first half of the book. In the case of The Notebook, we see a young, unbridled man and the wonderfully completed man he becomes, but his transformation is not shown within the book's pages. But Dear John treats us to the whole story--as John Tyree becomes what we all should hope to be.
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