Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks
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Book Reviews of Message in a Bottle
Book Review: This book is for you!
Summary: 5 Stars
Sparks, Nicholas. Message in a Bottle. Warner's books; New York, U.S.A. 1999.
Borders Books. $12.00
Fiction/ Lit.
A story of a divorced woman, Theresa who has a son, Kevin, who is the most important thing she has. Theresa, like many people in our society is living in the hustle and bustle of most everyone's daily lives of working as an editor for the Boston times constantly under pressure for publishing articles and stories by the specific deadline. Theresa needs a break to clear her mind, where she travels to Cape Cod, to visit her friend Deanna. While jogging on the beach one morning, she finds a message in a bottle and opens it; she instantly falls in love with the letter, and is determined to find the writer, Garret. Where will this all lead to? It will build up tension with an unexpected twist to an incredible story that you are bound to love.
Message in a Bottle, is an excellent story, yet a fairly easy read. It quickly captures your attention. Nicholas Sparks is an excellent writer, and knows how to keep your interest through the entire story. The book seems as if it would be attracted to all types of people, different age's ethnic background, and even if one has never experienced the power of love. The book begins in narration, setting the scene for the excitement to happen later on. Mostly through the beginning, it reflects on Theresa's feelings and opinions. Later on in the book, it reflects on Garret's feelings, and switched a few times, making it difficult to put down or lose interest. However, it seems Garret's feelings and reflections are only shown at the critical moments, you feel as if you are going through exactly what he is going through, by feeling as if your part of the book itself. Through the entire book there is some dialogue, as well as some reflection on different letters written by an unknown writer. The dialogue only makes emphasis to the feelings and emotions of the characters helping to make the book all more powerful to the reader. (10) Also, Message in a bottle reflects the story in everyone's lives. The story everyone knows will happen, the growing and becoming connected in two hearts. Towards the end of the book, there is an unexpected twist that will leave you stunned at the end. Chances are, you'll either go back for more and want to re-read this incredible story, or seek you more of Sparks's books. This is an amazingly written book you'll lose yourself in and a must-read.
Book Review: message in a bottle review!
Summary: 5 Stars
Message in a bottle is a love story with the consistent message of trust and strength.
The story starts out when Theresa Osborne, a divorced woman in her thirties, found a glass bottle on the beach with a message inside. When she opens the bottle and finds a letter, she is very interested in the writer. The letter that was in the bottle was a love letter from a man named Garrett to a woman named Catherine. Theresa and her Coworker Deanna began to research this man named Garrett with the clues they had taken from the letter. The two found out that there had been more letters written, as well as information about his life, his job, and where he lived. Theresa was too interested in this man, and had gone too long without some excitement, so she decided to take a vacation down to Wilmington Beach, North Carolina, where Garrett lived. When Theresa arrived in Wilmington Beach, she met Garrett at the docks of his boat, Happenstance. The two made a date to go sailing, which was the beginning of this love story. Right away, the two fell in love, and began to see each other every day. The two were inseparable and told eachother everything, however, there was one thing that the two were holding back. Theresa had not told Garrett of the letters she had found, in fear of him leaving her. Garrett had also not told her something, that he was still in love with his late wife, Catherine. When the two came clean about their secrets, there was fighting, and Garrett left. The day after the fight, Theresa went down to Wilmington Beach to try to patch things up between them. The two made up, but the next morning she told Garrett that she didn't think he was ready to have a long distance relationship and she said that she didn't think he was over his late wife, Catherine. He was very upset, but Theresa went back to Boston to move on with her life. Time passed, and Theresa hadn't talked to Garrett. A few weeks later, Theresa received a phone call from from Jeb Blake, Garrett's father. He asked her to come down to Wilmington Beach, because he needed to tell her some news. She went down to North Carolina and Jeb told her that Garrett had died in his boat, Happenstance. Theresa was torn apart and when she got back to Boston, there was a package waiting for her, from Garrett. The package had a letter from Garrett, confessing his undying love for Theresa. This novel is a story of timeless and everlasting love.
Book Review: Kind of slow at first, but a beautiful and touching read!
Summary: 5 Stars
I admit that I started this book with low expectations. The first chapter has the "telling rather than showing" part of books that I hate. I enjoy novels with big openings, not those that start out telling you about the main character. But as I continued to read, I knew Message in a Bottle would be one of those novels that would stay in my memory long after I'd read it. It tells the story of Theresa, a thirty-something divorced mom who, during a vacation trip to Cape Cod, finds a message in a bottle washed up at sea. It is a love letter from a Garrett to a Catherine, and the letter is so romantic -- yet so poignant -- that moves Theresa to tears. Her friend-slash-newspaper colleague advises her to publish the letter. Upon publication, she discovers more letters, also found at sea, sent by a reader and a fellow writer. Curious, she tracks Garrett down and meets him in North Carolina. Garrett is a thirty-something shop owner and scuba diving instructor who had lost his wife three years ago to a car accident. Grief-stricken, he has never been able to get over the loss of his wife, but Theresa soon changes things in his life, but will he let guilt get in the way of a second chance at happiness?
The novel is difficult to get into at first. The pacing is very slow, and there are scenes that seem to go nowhere. It also seems as though it'll be very predictable. But the more I kept reading, the more developed the main characters became, and the more engaging the story got. It is worth reading all the way through. This novel has one of the most touching endings I have recently read. It brought me to tears. Lately, a novel has to be very well written to bring me to tears, and this is one of them. You wish for a different kind of ending for these two wonderful characters, but endings like this one are the most memorable to me. I have only read True Believer by Sparks and watched (and loved) The Notebook on DVD. I definitely plan to read his other novels. I also plan to watch the film based on this book. I'm not a big Kevin Costner fan, but it would be worth putting up with his wooden acting to watch an adaptation of this gem. I advise readers to be patient with this novel. Yes, it is painfully slow at times and yes the characters, namely Garrett, can get on your nerves at times, but the ending is worth reading from beginning to end. I cannot recommend this beautiful novel enough!
Book Review: AGONY
Summary: 5 Stars
(Contains spoilers)
I sobbed with this book, enough to actually throw it across the bed. I felt her pain in the end, and it was all so terrible wrong. I hate the ending with a passion. To hell with the dramatic effect his death brought on... I'd rather be stuck in my tiny bubble of unrealistic fantasies than read that ending thoroughly. It was just a punch in the chest when I read the last letter he wrote to Theresa... to know that he wanted her, loved her, wanted to have children with her and... Oh god! The pain! I feel it!
I am only 16, and have never felt what true love is like, and if when he goes it'll be this painful, I'm not entirely sure I'd be able to go on, as Garret went on when Catherine died. I would feel empty. That's if I ever find true love... *smiles*
Maybe... I'm getting melodramatic and absurd about all this, but this book really left me cowering in the bathroom crying in whispers as to not wake up my sleeping mother.
It is unbelievable, the emotions that this book has stirred in me. I feel weak, with hurt, and compassion, and simply curse to Mother Nature for brining up the storm that lead to his death.
I feel so pathetic. My waterworks have turned into pointless sobs. I can't bring myself to finish the damn book. It's too painful. You'd almost think that I myself have lost someone... I felt what Theresa felt. I understood how he felt when his wife Catherine died, and like both of them, I feel grief and utter agony. It'll pass these feelings of mine, but today I can't sleep.
I think this book deserves in my eyes a happier ending for them both. The book is supposed to teach you about true love once again and how it's timeless and everlasting. OH BALONEA! It's a tragedy. An excruciating, heart wrenching tragedy.
Ok so I brought myself to read the ending. Her letter left a huge impact on me. It had truth, yet... all of me is screaming! Screaming at the author, at Theresa, at Garret! I feel like they both deserved each other and that..... OH! The agony!
I recommend this book greatly, because as much as I try to deny it, it does teach you certain lessons. I just have to learn how to cope with what has will one day be taken from me. And...
Ok, just read it. It is truly beautiful.
Book Review: Message in a Bottle
Summary: 5 Stars
Nicholas Sparks' novel, Message in a Bottle, marks a triumphant accomplishment for romantic fantacism in the present, fast-paced world. Sparks' depiction of real-life romance with a twist of fantasy is wonderfully written through his character's feelings, as well as thoughts. This novel is written in third person omniscient; this allows the reader to feel like the character. The way in which Sparks uses his power of narration to pull the reader into the book, allowing the reader feel how the characters feels is magnificent. The details portrayed by Sparks, in the novel, are meticulously written, allowing a perfect, accurate, painted picture to wallow in the readers mind; thus resulting in a rush for more information. Once you find yourself wanting more details the book will never be put down. One of the most important detailed devices Sparks uses is flashbacks. Garrett, a main character, draws himself as a dream man through his undying, passionate love for his late wife Catherine; which Sparks tells through flashbacks. Garrett is written to be a dynamic character. We fall in love with him in the beginning of the novel because he cannot forget about Catherine. Toward the end Garrett is forced to change in order to keep his new love interest, Theresa, which makes you love him all over again. Moreover, these changes come as a result of a conflict Garrett held within himself. Garrett's profile hits home for many people. The struggle Garrett has to forget his past and look at the future allows many readers to relate to Garrett. The fact that Garrett conquers himself may give people hope to win their own battles. Theresa and Garrett's passionate love affair will have every woman wishing it were she. The good news is this passion does not seem impossible. The realistic writing used by Sparks leads you to believe he could be talking about your neighbor. The two main characters are seemingly not fictional. Theresa is a thirty-something year old woman, divorced, and working with a twelve-year-old son. Garrett is a laid-back widower with a dive shop and a love for sailing. In essence Message in a Bottle is a page turner story with a romance everyone wants and characters we can relate to and care for as if they were our friends due to Sparks' outstanding elements of detail in character profiles, flashbacks, and other literary technique.