For those of you (like me) who have seen the movie of the same name starring Kevin Costner, the end of this novel will come as no surprise. I knew what I was getting in for when I started this book and kept the tissues well-stocked. In fact, I had to stop reading it on the bus for fear of crying in public.Instead of going into a detailed review, I'd like to share with you an excerpt of an interview Nicholas Sparks did with the NY Times after writing this novel. He shares his inspiration but I have to warn you, it is gut wrenching..."Message in a Bottle was inspired by my father after the death of my mother. In 1989, six weeks after I was married, my mother and father went horseback riding. They were avid riders and very comfortable on horses, and were simply walking the horses along a scenic trail. For a reason that no one can explain -- we assume it was the horse, a rather skittish Arabian -- my mom fell out of the saddle, off the horse, hit her head on a rock, had a cerebral hemorrhage and died. My mother and father had married at the age of twenty-one and my father was absolutely crushed by her death. They'd been married twenty-seven years and my father didn't have the slightest idea of what it meant to be a grown-up without my mom. A lot of people wear black to a funeral. My father wore black every day for four years. He pretty much became a recluse. He pulled away from his family and friends, he stopped going out, he stopped doing pretty much everything. All he did was go to work and back home again. It was heart-breaking to watch. After four long years of worrying about him, my father finally started taking baby steps out in the world again. He started reconnecting with family and friends, eventually he started to date again -- think more years passing -- eventually he met someone in particular, eventually he fell in love again. And then one day, about seven years after my mom had died, I got a call from my father. "I'm engaged," he said. Now, I was happy about that, not because I didn't care about my mom -- I adored her -- but because I'd been so worried about my father. Kids worry about their parents the same way parents worry about their kids, and I was glad that he'd finally found someone. Two days after that phone call, my father was driving home late one night, fell asleep at the wheel of his car, crashed, and died . . ."Is it better to have loved and lost then never loved at all? Nicholas Sparks says yes and after reading Message in a Bottle, I'm inclined to agree. PS It's 100% just as good as the movie. Promise.
Message in a BottletWhile reading the book in my most-behave-and-holding-back-tears manner, I found its great preponderance on the last parts of the story. The first message was deeply doleful. It contained a full hint of longing and desiring to be with one's love again. Such a powerful epistle, in depth with emotions that will really trigger your lachrymal glands to weep. I was very eager to finish the book, cause aside from the fact that the reviews are boosting with accolade, I've been hearing words on the street that it's the saddest in most of Sparks' novel. Inevitably, I was enticed and moved to purchase the book without any hesitations. Eyeing the cover, I got my adrenaline working to finish James Frey's A Million Little Pieces on one extreme sitting 'cause of my exhilarated-ness of starting Message in a Bottle in a hurry. It truly left its effect on me. I read the last three chapters in my room which I kept locked in case of an awkward moment of someone opening the door and seeing me in tears, never knowing why. I bet hard on myself that it will not make me cry, no never, unless I can relate to the situation, which I surprisingly did. I was on the halfway point of Theresa letting go Garett because of their heartbreaking situation when my eyes began to soaked with tears. Honestly, I was expecting to be teary-eyed only, but it's far from the cry I revealed after reading the part. It was more of a sob. And yet, the last two letters turned the sob into snivel, a poignant mixture of weep and sniff. So, after finishing the book, I had a lot of realizations. And those I will only keep for myself. I'll be forever thankful to Nicholas Sparks for writing this book. It's my third, read-it-and-weep bestseller. Read it for yourself. Postscript: I closed the book with a sad sigh.
What do You think about Message In A Bottle (1999)?
Since I don't really have time and don't want to write a detailed review, I'll just say a few things... 1. I didn't really like this book as much as some of Sparks' other novels. I'm not sure why...2. I would give this book three and a half stars, still, because it was still good. 3. One thing that really bugs me is that i almost feel like Sparks thinks he needs to write an explicit sex scene to sell something. Out of all his books that I know of, A Walk To Remember is his only one thr doesn't. You don't need sex to be in love. And especially not in such detail. But I guess some people like it. 4. Another thing I'm rather tired of is that his characters seem to fall in love after only a few days! That'd not enough to build a relationship on! Don't get me wrong, I still love his novels. That's just not realistic. Well, that's just in my humble opinion, which everyone is entitled to. I'm sure that some of you have different opinions, and I'd love to hear how you feel!Oh, a P.S. to those of you who dislike Sparks' books because they don't have "happy endings": get over it. It's life. Not everything is always roses and weddings, okay?
—Megan [I'm okay, I'm alright]
Most of my friends around these parts are probably wondering what the hell is wrong with me. I don't normally read such... Squishy books. I read a couple Sparks back when I was a heart sick teenager, cried my eyes out, and then moved on. Well, at some point, long long ago (inagalaxyfarfaraway), I apparently bought this book. I then proceeded to place it on my book shelf, where it remained until earlier this week. I had just finished another book, and I knew the perfect book to start next. I grabbed my next book, sat down with it… And stalled. I just wasn’t feeling it. In fact, I wasn’t feeling anything that I had previously planned to read for the next few months (I’m a planner). I needed something completely different, completely random.. And that’s when I noticed this book, alone and neglected, tucked into a corner of my “not as cool as the other books” book shelf. The pages were yellow from neglect… It needed some love. So I gave it the reading it always desired, the reading it yearned for. I read it good...Ok, that got a little weird. For real though. This was just what I needed… It’s not a five star or even a four star, but it’s a solid three. It’s not my favorite Sparks, actually it’s my least favorite of the now four I’ve now read. I have gripes, but it fulfilled my need to change it up a little, and that’s all I asked from it.This isn’t really a spoiler, but I’m going to mark it just in case, just to protect those who are more picky about spoilers. (view spoiler)[So Garrett? My main gripe with this book is that he was totally.. I don’t know. I realize he had lost his wife and was learning to love again and all of that.. But he was soooo clingy, it made me feel anxious just to read it. This will get a little more specific, but still not really a spoiler.. (view spoiler)[Even his memories of conversations with Catherine were creepy. Not that he was remembering her, it would be weird if he wasn’t, just the clinginess he displayed even in his own reminiscence. Don’t leave me, I’ll miss you, waaaaah… (hide spoiler)]
—Dawn
I have to say I have never had any interest in reading this book. But a fun fact my mom did all the sewing for this movie. So anytime you see some nice curtains or lovely upholstered cushions my mom made them!
—Katherine
