Review: A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodness gracious, that is all I can say about this book! My fourth time reading it, I cried too many times to count and was awestruck on Landon and Jamie's story. Landon Carter is a senior in high school and is excited for his future. At the start of the year, instead of taking chemistry, he decides to take drama; no tests, studying or stress, perfect for Landon. Landon becomes the president at his school, and with it comes decorating for dances (which he has to attend as well). His mother offers that she would accompany him to the dance, but he decides to bring Jamie Sullivan instead. Jamie Sullivan is also a senior in high school and Landon has been in school with her since kindergarten, but they never have truly talked to one another. Also, Jamie's father is a minister at his church, and never really hit it off with Landon because he would constantly make jokes and rumors about Hegbert.

"But it wasn't just the way Jamie looked that made her different; it was also the way she acted... Jamie carried her Bible wherever she went... [and she] seemed to enjoy it in a way that was completely foreign to me"

Jamie is the girl in town that everyone (that is the adults) have a soft spot for. She rescues animals, people, and helps with anything she can do. Her most significant volunteer work though, is her work at the orphanage, which is her passion. She believes everything that happens in life is in the Lord's plan, and even the challenges come from God. She goes to the dance with Landon, and she makes him promise not to fall in love with her. Landon shrugs it off like it is no big deal and even thinks that she is kidding.

Landon and Jamie go to the dance and it does not really turn out to what he believed it would be. Landon's ex gets drunk and pukes all over the bathroom. Jamie calms her down and she and Landon take her home. Through all of the hectic night though, Jamie still thanks Landon for a fun time. :)

After the dance, Jamie asks Landon if he would play leading role in the Christmas play. He reluctantly agrees, for he doesn't want to be seen with her more than he has to. PS, the play was written by Jamie's father, and is especially significant this year because of his daughter playing the angel. Landon begins to truly play his part in the play and goes out of his way to make it that much more special for Jamie.

Anyways, so the play comes up really fast, and Landon cannot get the part right when he sees the angel (Jamie for the first time. On the opening night of the play, he sees Jamie for the first time with her hair down, a trace of glitter in her hair, and light makeup. "She looked exactly like an angel... I'd nailed that line for the very first time". After the play is said and done, Landon finally sees the beauty inside and out in Jamie. I feel like I'm spoiling the entire book because I kinda am, but there is a really emotional part that I left out because it is one of my favorite parts in the book.

"Being in love with a girl like Jamie Sullivan was without a doubt the strangest thing I'd even been through. Not only was she a girl that I'd never though about his year, but there was something different in the whole way my feelings for her had unfolded... I hadn't done any of the things that I normally did with girls, yet somehow I'd fallen in love"

I am gonna fast forward a lot, but Landon comes to the realization that he loves Jamie. After Christmas and New Years, she shares with him that she is sick, and is dying. She has leukemia, and she had known since last summer. The weeks pass and it gets colder and Jamie gets weaker and weaker. Landon reads the Bible with her everyday, and she comes to the point when she cannot go outside anymore. This is the part in which I cant stop crying, but Landon's love for Jamie is so strong at 17, and he decides to marry her. The wedding is just like Jamie imagines, and it is purely just a beautiful day. She finally succumbs to the disease, and Landon still loves Jamie with all of his heart forty some years later. This is a heck of a long review for my all time favorite book!! :)

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