“In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you,

and take your grief and make it my own;

When you cry, I cry,

and when you hurt, I hurt;

And together we will

try to hold back the floods of tears and despair

and make it through the potholed streets of life.”

- From ‘The Notebook’ by Nicholas Sparks

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I just finished reading Nicholas Sparks’ ‘The Notebook’, whose sequel ‘The Wedding’ I read recently. I took up ‘The Notebook’ as a timepass, but very soon I was hooked to it. The emotions invoked by the writer are so strong that I could not put it down. After ages, I read a book at one go.

I don’t have the right words to describe this book. I would say it is simply beautiful and heart-touching. It is one of the best books I have read in quite some time. I am glad I came across it and went through it. It might be fiction, but it touched me in a beautiful way I cannot even begin to describe. I could relate well to what the characters were going through.

It is the story of Noah and Allie – two lovebirds. Both of them are artists, and hence, different from the rest of the world. Their story is an example of what true love should be. Sparks does it again! By the time I finished reading, I was left with a mixture of emotions – sadness at what they had to go through, joy at what they shared, a sense of bitterness for the twists and turns that life sometimes takes, and a sense of sweetness because there are people like Noah and Allie.

I don’t know if many will approve of the incident that brought Noah and Allie together. Allie did what she knew she should do, what she wanted to do, not what she was expected to do. What they have between them is so divine, so pure, that the reader knows Allie is doing the right thing.

It is a poignant story that will definitely touch a sensitive heart. Some people might find it sappy and unrealistic, but I just fell in love with this book. It is a different kind of story, which not all would appreciate.

As the narrator says in the beginning of the novel, some people would see the story as a tragedy, while some would see it as a wonderful romance. It is a divine love story for sure. The romance between the characters never actually ended, but I couldn’t help being sad for them.

It is a must-read for those who like Sparks’ writing style. It is one of his best works. For those who are planning to read this, might I add a warning? – Do keep some tissues handy. You are most definitely going to need them when you read this.