Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook

Sarah Campbell

“What's wrong?" I ask, and her answer comes softly. 

“I’m so afraid. I'm afraid of forgetting you again. It isn't fair ...I just can't bear to give this up." 

Her voice breaks as she finishes, but I don't know what to say. I know the evening is coming to an end, and there is nothing I can do to stop the inevitable. In this I am a failure. I finally tell her: 

“I’ll never leave you. What we have is forever.” 

She knows this is all I can do, for neither of us wants empty promises. But I can tell by the way she is looking at me that once again she wishes there were more. 

Jaden

He'd seen beautiful women before, though, women who caught his eye, but to his mind they usually lacked the traits he found most desirable. Traits like intelligence, confidence, strength of spirit, passion, traits that inspired others to greatness, traits he aspired to himself.

Without another word they came together, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and he put his arms around her, drawing her close. They held each other tightly, making it real, both of them letting the fourteen years of seperation dissolve in the deepening twilight. 

There is beauty where we sit this afternoon, Allie and I. This is the pinnacle of my life. They are here at the creek: the birds, the geese, my friends. Their bodies float on the cool water, which reflects bits and pieces of their colors and makes them seem larger than they really are. Allie is too taken in by their wonder, and little by little we get to know each other again. 

How would it feel, I remember wondering, to be always together, yet forever apart? 

Poets often describe love as an emotion we can't control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. 

She is quiet for a moment. She looks away so I can't see her face. It has been her habit for years. 

The Notebook (The Notebook #1)

Saskia Klemm 

Ich weiß nicht, was ich Dir noch sagen soll, nur, lass ich die letzte Nacht nicht schlafen konnte, weil mir klarwurde, dass es endgültig aus ist zwischen uns.

Es ist ein seltsames Gefühl für mich, mit dem ich niemals gerechnet habe, aber rückblickend wird mir klar, dass es wohl so enden musste.

Du und ich, wir waren zu verschieden. Wir stammten aus zwei verschiedenen Welten, und doch bist Du es gewesen, die mich den Wert der Liebe gelehrt hat.

Du hast mir gezeigt, was es bedeutet, einen anderen zu schätzen und zu achten, und ich bin dadurch ein anderer, ein besserer Mensch geworden. Ich möchte, dass Du das niemals vergisst.

Ich bin nicht verbittert über das, was geschehen ist. Im Gegenteil. Es ist ein tröstliches Gefühl zu wissen, dass unsere gemeinsame Zeit kein Traum war, sondern Wirklichkeit. Ich bin glücklich, dass uns das Schicksal zusammengeführt hat, auch wenn es nur für so kurze Zeit war Und sollten wir uns je an einem fernen Ort wiedersehen, werde ich Dir freundlich zulächeln und mich an unseren Sommer erinnern, den Sommer, den wir unter Bäumen verbrachten, um voneinander zu lemen und an unserer Liebe 2u wachsen. Und vielleicht wirst Du für einen kurzen Augenblick auch so empfinden, wirst zurücklächeln und dich an die Zeit erinnern, die uns für immer verbindet.

Dass die Trennung so wehtut, liegt daran, dass unsere Seelen verbunden sind. Vielleicht waren sie es immer schon und werden es immer bleiben. Vielleicht haben wir tausend Leben vor diesem gelebt und haben uns in jedem Leben gefunden. Und vielleicht sind wir in jedem dieser Leben aus dem gleichen Grund getrennt worden. Das würde bedeuten, dass dieser Abschied zugleich ein Abschied der letzten Zehntausende von Jahren ist und ein Vorspiel zu dem, was vor uns liegt.

Wenn ich dich anschaue, sehe ich deine Schönheit und Anmut und weiß, dass du mit jedem gelebten Leben stärker geworden bist. Und ich weiß, dass ich dich in jedem Leben gesucht habe. Nicht jemanden wie dich, sondern dich, denn deine Seele und die meine sind dazu bestimmt, sich immer wiederzufinden. Doch aus einem Grund, den keiner von uns versteht, sind wir gezwungen, Abschied zu nehmen.

Ich würde dir gern sagen, dass sich alles für uns zum Guten wendet, und verspreche dir, mein Möglichstes dafür zu tun. Aber wenn wir uns trotzdem nicht wiedersehen und dies ein Abschied für immer ist, so weiß ich doch, dass wir uns in einem anderen Leben wieder begegnen werden. Wir werden uns wiederfinden, und vielleicht stehen die Sterne dann günstiger für uns, und wir werden uns dann nicht nur dieses eine Mal lieben, sondern immer und ewig

A quick, heartfelt read. I preferred the movie’s ending, but the book gives a deeper look into Noah and Ally’s love—sincere, poetic, and emotionally rich. The story leans into classic romance, so skip it if sentimentality isn’t your thing. But if you’re in the mood for love letters and quiet devotion, this one’s worth an afternoon.

Liana

A quick, heartfelt read. I preferred the movie’s ending, but the book gives a deeper look into Noah and Ally’s love—sincere, poetic, and emotionally rich. The story leans into classic romance, so skip it if sentimentality isn’t your thing. But if you’re in the mood for love letters and quiet devotion, this one’s worth an afternoon.



A sad take on romance. Easy to get into. This was a my first real romance book and it held up to it's name. I could tell the feelings were real between the two main characters. The whole forbidden romance was sweet. Overall, I think anyone who is into romance should read it.

trix

this is probably going down as one of my favorite love stories ever. i already love the movie so i knew i had to read the book and i was not disappointed. sparks truly embodies what pure and unfailing love is. he also emphasizes values in relationships that i don’t see mentioned alot in our generation. this is the kind of love we all dream to have and deserve. there are so many things i love about this book: their undying passion, unwavering support for each other, and appreciation for the little things in life. from beginning to end the story is touching and makes me believe that a love like this exists. (also the fact that noah was a writer/poet and allie was a successful painter just makes it even more romantic they were both creative souls ;-;;)

elizabeth ❀

Deepika Ramesh

I haven't watched the movie yet. As always, I chose to read it first. But, the book didn't work for me. :( And, I don't think I would watch the movie too unless it is WAY different from the book.

Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again... At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

Ryan 

review to come...


quotes:
"'My daddy used to tell me that the first time you fall in love, it changes your life forever, and no matter how hard you try, the feelin' never goes away. This girl you been tellin' me about was your first love. And no matter what you do, she'll stay with you forever.'" - page 15

"Poets knew that isolated in nature, far from people and things man-made, was good for the soul, and he'd always identified with poets." - page 23

"'Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can't control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That's what it was like for me. I didn't plan on falling in love with you, and I doubt if you planned on falling in love with me. But once we met, it was clear that neither of us could control what was happening to us. We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created...'" - page 101

"The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected. Maybe they always have been and will be. Maybe we've lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them we've found each other. And maybe each time, we've been forced apart for some reasons. This means that this good-bye is both a good-bye for the past ten thousand years and a prelude to what will come." - page 121

"'You can't live your life for other people. You've got to do what's right for you, even if it hurts some people you love.'" - page 138

Ipshita Kanungo

I liked how this was much calmer and sweeter than the movie's relationship. But it was pretty slow-paced and boring. I enjoyed the present-day Noah and Allie much more, and I would've liked to see their relationship as teenagers (as this is never shown, only looked back on). The last ten pages actually were really sad, and I teared up at the end. Have mercy. 

this book was good but i was comparing it to the movie the whole time which i think did it a disservice. i loved the backstory included in the movie and that wasn’t a part of the book which i was a bit disappointed about. it was definitely a good book but this is definitely one of those rare circumstances where the movie adaptation is better. 

Emilia Vulliamy

Love this story! A very quick read but I constantly compared it to the movie because I’ve seen it a couple times. 

lucy lou

Sarah Pino

This book was a complete bundle of joy, while reading. I felt as if I was in his shoes & I was just overwhelmed by all the emotions I could feel at one time. 

Good job, Nicholas Sparks. Well done! :')

A beautiful new edition of Nicholas Sparks's classic novel to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again... At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

Rebecca Medley

I have a couple of different feelings about this book. The book in theory is good, it’s a beautiful love story. The movie is one of my all time favourites that I have watched multiple times. So I was really excited to read the book however I was disappointed. The movie by far is 10 times better than the book in my opinion, as there is a lot more to the story in the movie than in the book. However, I feel if you have never watched the movie then you may enjoy this book a lot more.

very sweet and sad story, however it may set exceptions for a loved one a bit high for some, but i believe someone who truly loves you will be like noah

Leah Vidal

Ainhoa Marcos Camps

I was a bit ashamed of myself, as a lover of romance novels and movies, for not having read The Notebook yet. I love the movie, its sappiness and clichés, the drama, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams hating each other and then falling in love, everything. So I thought that it was about time, and I read the book.

The Notebook is one of the few exceptions to the established rule of every reader: the book is always better than the movie. It is really not. 
Noah and Allie barely have any personality throughout the book. Nicholas Sparks doesn't spend any time in the summer when they were young and fell in love, so you as a reader try to fill the gaps with the movie, which doesn't work. First, beause it's the writer's job to give you enough information so you don't have to (or to make you not care about what you are missing). But here we are talking about the foundations of a love that lasts almost 10 fucking years without communication, so, yeah, it's kind of important. Second, it doesn't work because the characters in the movie feel human, imperfect, with personality, alive, so when you try to connect those versions with the ones on the book, something's missing.

The highlight of the book is the final part, the last 30 pages or so that depict Allie's alzheimer and Noah's feelings about their situation. It's written thinking about making the reader cry, and you do. Oh, you really really do. If that's good writing or manipulative writing, up to you. 

It's not a bad book. It's short, straight to the point. Two old flames from their teen years reconcile in their late-twenties, and then we jump to their old age, where they die together (I won't consider this a spoiler becuase if you don't know what The Notebook is about or how it ends, you must have been living under a rock for the past 15 years). There's fewer references to God and religion than I expected, knowing Sparks' writing, and it's not too preachy. At the same time, and as I said before, Noah and Allie have no personality or whatsoever. We get told over and over that Allie is hot-headed and impatient but we don't ever see it in the way she acts. The same goes for Noah who doesn't show any anger (or any other emotion) over the lost years or towards Allie going back to her fiancé. 

It was going to be a 2 star for me, but the last 30 pages, even if manipulative, made me change it to 3. What can I say, I'm a sucker for old people still loving each other trough anything, even Alzheimer's.

Marisel 

I needed the relief of a beach read, so I picked this up. My daughter laughed at this as my version of light reading, because she had seen the movie and knew that the setting was somewhat tragic As it turns out, I wasn’t at all wrong, not really. It is a sweet novel about love and loyalty. It’ll definitely let you shed a tear or two. Sweet. The beginning is very powerful, and much stronger than the end, so I wasn’t at all surprised to find out that the author the it as the ending, then switched them. It was a good decision, since upon reading it one is immediately drawn in and caught. If he had chosen to start the book with what is now the end chapter (and was or originally meant to be the first) I don’t think I would have gone on reading. The middle is basically a bunch of predictable romantic fluff with some sizzling sexy moments thrown a la soft harlequin romance. Good for a beach day.

Eva Idsøe

The book is intresing
It is a classic romance with a not so classic twist.
Noah and Allie have met a summer when they were young. 14 years later they meet once again.

Julie Nilsen

Annie

Pop Sugar Challenge:
- a classic romance

Booktubeathon Challenge:
- a book by an author who shares the same last initial as you

"Everyday we are together, is the greatest day of my life." - Nicolas Sparks, The Notebook

4/5 Read #93 this year. 

Amazing book. I have seen the movie many times before, but never picked up the novel. Even though they follow the same story line of Noah and Allie, they both have their unique tellings of it. Different from the movie, this book still shares the magic of the story of love. It had me tearing up several times. Reading a book like this makes you fall in love all over again and believe in the magic of true love. Growing up on Disney movies and knowing that true love's kiss is the most powerful tool in the world, this book is just a more mature take on the lesson I have been taught my whole life.

NOVEL LEARNING SERIES(TM) THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks STUDENT EDITION Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again . . . At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle . . . With a NOVEL LEARNING SERIES(TM) Student Guide -Questions about the text after every few chapters check your comprehension -Quizzes throughout help you prepare for standardized tests with SAT- and ACT-style questions using vocabulary and grammar from the book -Sample writing prompts and essays at the end guide you through the elements of an above-average, average, and below-average essay-and explain why!

Student edition

taylor

grace

this is so beautiful and heart wrenching. i was surrounded by the world that was described in this book. so so so good

Missy Zuber 

Dull and did not hold my interests, but then again neither does the overrated movie version.

First Nicholas Sparks book I've read.

Bea R.

“..but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough”

Cassidy

This novel was really good, but it didn't have that extra icing on the top that I was craving It's unusual that I like a movie better than the book, but in this
 case I did.

How far can love endure? Noah Calhoun has just returned from World War Two. Attempting to escape the ghosts of battle, he tries to concentrate on restoring an old plantation home to its former glory. And yet he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met there fourteen years before, a girl who captured his heart like no other. But when these distant memories begin to slide into reality, the passion that had lain still is ignited once more. Though so much is in their way, the miraculous force of their love refuses to fade.

Sara Hakkoum

Meh... the movie's better.
I really liked the way Nicholas wrote The Last Song, and this is kinda different. I didn't enjoy it much.

Daisy (Bella Rose) (2SistersAndTheirBooks)

The Notebook was definitely a beautiful book. The only thing is that I wish we could’ve gotten to see more of Allie and Noah’s life after she comes back to him. I would have loved to read about their wedding. I also would have loved to see their relationships with their children, especially because Allie mentions what an amazing father Noah was.

It really broke me that Allie and Noah ended up the way they did. 

Despite all of this, The Notebook is truly a classic, and I will be adding it to my re-read pile. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because it was so sad and beautiful. I’m a sucker for happy endings.

The Notebook

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