Dear John is a book about a young soldier who is visiting his father in North Carolina when he is in his furlough. While he is there he meets a young girl Savannah and soon they are falling extremely in love. They are very different from eachother, but as they say: ‘Opposites attract.’ John feels like he had met the woman of his dreams but then he is called to come back to the military. Savannah can’t stop crying but they deside to write eachother as much as they can. When he’s gone it’s getting harder and harder for them to stay in this relationship. Savannah feels alone and wants to be with him, she feels like they are growing apart and like he is living his own life without her. John also misses her enormously but he doesn’t want to leave his duty. Ultimately the love survives their struggles.
The novel had many sad parts, but that makes it so interesting and beautiful. The whole story is about a never ending love. Mostly books with that subject are a bit boring and predictable. But Dear John wasn’t boring and predictable at all. The fact that they defeat all their troubles means that true love does exist. That’s what the story wants to clarify.
Nicholas Sparks also wrote another novel, the Notebook which is very popular. The Notebook and Dear John are both filmed and especially the movies are high popular. The Notebook is actually one of my favorite movies. It’s also a lovestory about an impossible love, it’s about a poor farmer called Noa who falls in love whit a very rich and accomplished girl named Allie. As in Dear John, this love also survives every trouble and they live happily ever after.
There are a lot of love stories made. But these ones are different because of the real passion and realistic characters. Girls will be drawned into these two books. To be honest, Dear John and the Notebook are very girly books, aside from the real sensitive and passionate boys out there. I actually don’t know if these boys still exist. Girls will put more feelings in reading this kind of books. And this sensitive side is necessary for enjoying it as much as I did.
Lara van Hellenberg Hubar, V5F
V5 blog 
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