The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
Book Synopsis: Seventeen year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.
Just a quick word of advice: unless you're a huge Miley Cyrus/Liam Hemsworth/Greg Kinnear fan, don't watch the movie until you've read the book. I deeply regret that I didn't follow my advice, because all I could think about was the movie. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like this book at all (I've only read three other Nicholas Sparks' books before and I'm not a particularly big fan of his work.) Since I am a Christian and I believe in God, I thought that this book was great - you don't have to be religious to have a relationship with Him. This novel really put the spotlight on great godly themes, and I enjoyed reading it.
Forgiveness was a major subject in this book, and the relationship dynamic between Ronnie and her dad, Steve was rocky, and it reminded me of me and my father. The character development for each person was perfect, from misguided Blaze (Galadriel), to creepy Marcus, to sweet Will, and especially stubborn Ronnie. Every character was necessary and played a part in fine-tuning Ronnie's coarse shell.
Galatians 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control." When they mentioned this verse from the bible, I was shocked that Ronnie was able to immediately relate this scripture to her father. God's presence in your life is powerful, so remember to ask for forgiveness and learn to live with the Spirit of the Lord guiding your steps. Ronnie wasn't the perfect daughter to have, but in the end her character and attitude towards her family and others changed greatly, it was amazing to see how far she has come and how she continues to grow after re-shaping her life.
Watch the movie after you read the book, even if you're not a Miley fan (neither am I), but watch it anyway - you can compare the two and decide for yourself which one was a better version.
Rating: ★★★★★