If you want a book that tells 'Happy Ending' in bold, capital letters then read this. Well, there were some conflicts, yes but as I read the story, I felt like Allie and Noah is the luckiest (fictional) couple I know.
The story started with them sharing a childhood, puppy love that didn't last long(well only a summer) and the inevitable happened as they separate apart. Then they met again. After 14 years. I couldn't help relating to the story on that part and twas actually hard for me to read it as I relived my own memories. Twas like swallowing a bitter medicine to me. I knew from that point that I need it. I need to read this and decide for myself.
And then during the mid part, when the story was running smoothly and quite predictable, the author suddenly shifted the steering wheel to an abrupt, hard turn, making me felt flummoxed for a moment. One chapter they were young and Allie was about to choose between Noah, her childhood love, and Lon, her lawyer fiance, and then the next they were old. A bad fast forward. twas like two standalone stories entwined into one. Sparks should have explained further the part after Ellie chose so that it didn't looked like Noah and Allie got their happy ending in a snap.
Then the last part, there were already old and sick with two different disease. Noah had arthritis and Allie had an Alzheimer's disease and she kept on forgetting Noah la la la. That made me think that there were two different stories in one. Sparks could have produce two stories out of this one if he had extended the novel. Twas both a good and a bad thing. Good because it spare the reader from boredom and let them have the happy ending they want sooner. Bad because it felt more of a summary rather than storytelling. The reason why I only give 4 instead of 5 stars.
Nevertheless, the story is beautiful as expected from Sparks. If I couldn't had relate to it, I would be so neutral. But it struck me. And I couldn't help crying and mustering a bittersweet smile as I finished it.
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