My First Ever Book Review- A Walk To Remember By Nicholas Sparks!

 Dear Readers,

Have you ever imagined loving unconditionally that too at the naive age of 17 when your other half has a few month's time?Ever read of a boy who makes a girl his wife who was almost non-existent before, although they were in the same class since kindergarten? If your heart wants to feel the true essence of selfless love then A Walk To Remember is a must read!

This exquisite brand-new novel 'A WALK TO REMEMBER'  BY NICHOLAS SPARKS, lying in my mini bibliotheca would have been wondering about the day it's cover would be unfastened. The day came and it was during 13th February 2021(my birthday) I started savouring it. It made me cry and smile at the same instant.I completed it within 8 hours depriving myself off sleep of almost 5 hours. This book made me ponder over a new dimension-unshacking faith and hope.Pooh!Before I continue to ramble about all my fancies regarding the book, let me tell you the  gist of it.

(Disclaimer:You can skip reading the second paragraph if you don't want the plot to be revealed to you before  burying yourself into the novel!)

Landon Carter is a grown up man somewhere in his forties or fifties and starts explaining his most beautiful summer in North Calorina, USA. He says that he will never forget his Jamie and she would be always his pale slender girl adoring her bun.He fondly remembers his high school prom night where he had to ask the hand of Jammy very reluctantly as there were no other girls and he never wished to be single that night. The idea in itself was eerie to him. Afterall they were two souls with so different a  personality. He then takes up dramatics in school and regrets to be one among the two boys in the class.Jamie Sullivan is the daughter of Reverand Hegbert Sullivan who is the kindest and religious person whom I have ever met!She carries her Bible everywhere, prays for all and helps all the townsfolk. The Beaufort High School organises a play called Christmas Angel in collaboration with the Southern Baptist Church. The play written by Hegbert Sullivan tells us about a grief stricken father who had lost his wife during childbirth.He is not much of a father to his child but one day an angel appears and admonishes the man to be a good father and performs a small miracle in the Christmas. This story holds relevance to the life of Hegbert who faced a similiar fate. The practice for the play continues and the friendship between Landon and Jammy deepens. Landon is teased by his pals who call Jammie his girlfriend and Jammie is often ostracized for her religious devotion, unflattering dress and hairstyle. Landon accomponies Jammy to her house after school and one day she tells her that she wants to be married in a church full of people. Landon is taken back as he thought that the dreams of a bright student like Jammie should have been loftier.  The play wins plethora of accolades and Landon is surprised to see his Jammie in a white dress with a tinge of pink and her flowing hair out of the bun truely makes her loook mesmerising. She is truely an angel! Now, Landon faces a  state of delirium. He frankly tells Jammie to stop talking with him as the teasing continues. But after a few moments he regrets the way he had spoken to Jammie as he had lost his heart to the introvert girl! There is a battle between his heart and brain and in the meantime he makes up with Jammie. They together visit an orphanage and Landon helps Jammie in collecting money for the children so that they could have the most memorable Christmas.He invites her to his house for dinner and they kiss each other for the first time in his backyard! Their dating continues and one day Landon proposes Jammie. She breaks down and reveals that she has a rare form of uncurable Leukaemia and has only a few months in her hand. Landon is in a state of depression but he decides to fulfill Jammie's wish of walking the aisle in white with her father. Meanwhile Jammie's health starts deteriorating and she stops going to school altogether!Landon proposes her and somehow manages to convince their reluctant and apprehensive parents. Jammie and Landon are married in the church which is full of people and everything happens the way Jammie had dreamt. Jammie makes the most difficult yet happiest walk in her life down the aisle as she is terminally ill and the story ends up with Landon calling this as miracle!

The book is in itself an eye opener for me.It teaches me that love is pure if we look for peace and simplicity. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."

It shows how different kind of families co-exist in a society. Landon thinks his father as a "stranger" but finally reconciles with him giving him a tight hug.Meanwhile, Jamie and Hegbert are the perfect picture of a humble family where the father-daughter duo love each other unconditionally and are ready to sacrifice on their principles and their own comforts for the happiness of other. 

"Without suffering there could be no compassion." Although Landon asks Jammie to avoid him but the pain of love in a artless young man guides him to be compassionate. Forgiveness is one of the vital indigents of a happy life! Had not Jammie forgiven Landon for speaking rudely to her. she would have missed the angel of her life. I feel that life is too short to waste it in arguments and quarrels!

It illuminates the famous saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover." Hegbert hates Landon due to his past follies and his unprincipled grandfather. But he takes efforts to know Landon and finally removes all his doubts when Landon repeatedly produces testimony of his true love to Jamie through his actions. Slowly, Hegbert accepts Landon as his son-in-law with his past flaws.

One can easily feel the essence hope and faith throughout this book. The strength that Jamie exhibited to accept the things as they were, is a manifestation of a true warrior. To accept everything in life as a "plan" of God not makes you passive but makes you the strongest among all.

“There are moments when I wish I could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but I have the feeling that if I did, the joy would be gone as well.” This quote renders me speechless. The beauty of the life lies in the eyes from which you see it. Cherishing the most tragic moments of life and accepting the loss of the most beloved in your life the way Landon does, gives me goosebumps.

"Kill with your kindness" is what Jamie Sullivan Carter is an attribute of. Caring for animals to orphans although you are going through the deadly pain of cancer is the ultimate goodness a person can possess!

The innocence of a child and still believing in miracles is the best way to duck  all  googlies life throws in our path!

With this I keep my pen down.(In reality, I stop clicking my kepboard! XD)I hope you did enjoy this post and as this was my first book review suggestions are always welcomed, If you want to hear from me for any other books of Jane Austen or famous classics do let me know through comments...

Yours own,

Diksha....

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