The Clackamas print., February 27, 2013, Page 5, Image 5

P R IN T : Arts& Culture
Wednesday, Feb.27,2013
g
Another romance Sparks interest
BreannaCraine
Co-Arts & Culture Editor
When you think of romance,
who do you think of? In my
opinion, the king of romance is
Nicholas Sparks. He has writ­
ten many love stories^over the
years and several have been
turned into movies. This is
your guide to which books are
the best to read and which
movies are the best to watch.'
“Safe Haven” is one of
Sparks newest noyels that
was turned into a film a short
few years later. The film was
released in theaters earlier this
month.
Sparks’ first published book
was “The Notebook,” which
he wrote when he was 28.
Since then, he has also writ­
ten “The Last Song,” “Nights
in Rodanthe,” “A Walk to
Remember” and many more.
T he N o tebo o k
N ic n o la s S p a r k s
The best part about his novels
is that there is always a tragedy
involved. It gives the read­
ing some suspense and makes
people wonder what is going to
happen next.
Most of Sparks’ novels are
based in North Carolina. The
towns that he chooses to be the
setting for his stories are usu­
ally small, beautiful towns full
of lifev and character. I think
that is why he chose North
Carolina as his basic setting for
all the novels. It feels good to
pick up a book and to be able
to visualize the beautiful trees
and flowers.
“I live in North Carolina
and am familiar with the area,”'
stated Sparks on the frequently
asked questions page of his
official website.
With watching the movies,
even though the towns may all
be in North Carolina, he makes
the scene so different from the
next film. Not one town has the
same character as the next. It is
refreshing.
“The Notebook” may be
one of the most popular of
Sparks’ novels that have been
turned into films. The cast of
the movie includes Rachel
McAdams and Ryan Gosling,
a couple that found love again
after years, of not being with
each other.
This movie has the most
forbidden passion and romance
of any of the other movies
I have seen. McAdams’ char­
acter has to choose between
a life with a rich man or the
love of her life. After years
without seeing Gosling’s char­
acter, she remembers the love
that they once had when they
were young and foolish. This
was probably the biggest chick
flick ever created, with almost
every girl in the world having
seen this film.
Personally, as one of my
favorite movies, I can watch
“The Notebook” twice in one
day and I will still cry at the
same spots even though I know
already know what is going to
happen. I am sure many teen
girls have at least cried more
than twice while watching this
movie.
Another film created from
a Sparks novel, “Nights in
Rodanthe,” is very differ­
ent than “The Notebook” or
his other romance novels.
“Nights in Rodanthe” is about
a divorced mother who needed
to get away. While living at
a beach house, she falls in
love with another divorced par­
This is a different kind of
ent but they realize that they love story and it is nice to see
have to leave eventually and Sparks change up his romance
m ove on w ith th eir lives. They a little b it w h ile w a tc h in g th e
are unsure if their relationship m ovie. This story is not talking
could work outside of their about the typical teenage love
secluded beach home.
story-when boy meets girl and
they fall in love at first sight.
It is about a passion between
two older people who have had
love in the past but it did not
work out.
This novel shows adults that
even if you fall out of love,
there is always someone else
that can love you even more.
“Safe Haven” is a very dif­
ferent kind of novel and film
compared to most of the love
stories he has previously writ­
ten. Willamette Week wrote a
review on the film and grad­
ed the film pretty low. The
review said that this movie is a
“happily-ever-after version of
domestic violence. In this film,
Sparks tries to add something
different than what people are
used to reading or watching
in his novels and films. It is
not all about falling in love. It
shows the struggles that many
women have in life includ­
ing
dom estic
vio len ce
start over. She ends up in a
small town, South Port, North
Carolina, and starts a new life
with another man who shows
her what real true love is like.
This is probably the most
suspenseful and life-changing
novel that Sparks has written.
“For ‘Safe Haven’ I really
wanted to add in the element
of danger,” said Sparks in the
trailer for the film.
I think that Sparks is one
of the best fiction writers of
all time. His books help show
women what kind of love we
should aim for and that we
should not settle for someone
who hurts us. Sparks has two
movies coming out in the near
future. One comes out next
month called “The Choice.”
His new novel that comes out
this September, “The Longest
Ride,” will also be turned into
a film and will hit theaters by
the beginning of next year.
Check out his website at
www.nicholassparks.com for more information
about upcoming book and movie releases.
N icholas
S parks
and
b e in g fo r c e d to run a w a y and