Nicholas Sparks hasn't ventured outside his comfort zone in Dear John. Those who've read A Walk to November and The Notebook will find themselves in familiar territory with this tale of a reformed young rebel who falls in love with a fresh, kindhearted girl entirely outside his previous realm of experience. Formulaic? Yes, but I forgive him, mostly. John is a likable, straightforward narrator and, better yet, at the book's opening, he has already moved past the I'm-so-cool-cuz-I-don't-give-a-darn teenage immaturity that make A Walk to Remember slightly tedious in its early pages. Savannah is the kind of girl every mother hopes her son will bring home - genuine, selfless, mature yet innocent. Their falling in love is predictable, but nonetheless touching, and the best part of the book.
What follows is more uneven. John's relationship with his father is well depicted, but I found Spark's description of military life flat and bland, evoking none of the camaraderie John purportedly felt with his squad - a camaraderie supposedly strong enough to lead to the decision that puts his relationship with Savannah on the line. Perhaps it was an artistic decision to convey the usual monotony of military life first and foremost (in which case, mission accomplished) - especially in light of John's eagerness to return to Savannah - or perhaps it was simply weak writing. Sparks does put in a twist or two, but nothing is truly unexpected in his treatment of the love story; the reader can see the final resolution long before John figures it out.
Overall, a decent read, worth the few hours it'll take to finish, but it's nothing you can't live without.
What follows is more uneven. John's relationship with his father is well depicted, but I found Spark's description of military life flat and bland, evoking none of the camaraderie John purportedly felt with his squad - a camaraderie supposedly strong enough to lead to the decision that puts his relationship with Savannah on the line. Perhaps it was an artistic decision to convey the usual monotony of military life first and foremost (in which case, mission accomplished) - especially in light of John's eagerness to return to Savannah - or perhaps it was simply weak writing. Sparks does put in a twist or two, but nothing is truly unexpected in his treatment of the love story; the reader can see the final resolution long before John figures it out.
Overall, a decent read, worth the few hours it'll take to finish, but it's nothing you can't live without.
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