Nicholas Sparks has done it again. What more can I say. But – WOW!! The tissue box was retrieved from the shelf as tears rolled down my cheeks. I can only dream of creating a story as noteworthy as one of his, to gain the mass following that he has and continually produce something of such incredibly high standards. If you haven’t picked up one of his novels yet, I strongly suggest that you do, otherwise you are missing out on emotional journeys that leave you feeling completely engrossed right up until the last page is finished, and even then, it is difficult to let go of the lessons learnt throughout the journey.
Many moons ago, before the days of social media, streaming services, or e-books, I watched the Friday night movie, you know, the kind of movies with ad breaks. On this occasion I fell in love with Shane West and Mandy Moore. By rare co-incidence, mum remembered having something akin to it on her bookshelf, A Walk to Remember, and ever since that time, I have been hooked on his novels, which led me to read The Wish.
This journey took me through the trials and tribulations of a teen pregnancy, unplanned love, and difficult decisions. Along the way I met Maggie, Bryce, Aunt Linda and then Mark. The lives of these four individuals taught me that true love, no matter the form, can reveal itself in the most unique of ways showing strength from the beginning until the very end.
I was drawn toward the main character, Maggie, and the many transformations that she endured throughout her life. By the clever use of revisiting memories through an autobiographical telling of her life, Maggie draws the reader into her world where you feel her happiness, her sadness, her joy, and her pain right alongside of her. After meeting Mark, it took a long time for me to ask the question, ‘What if…’.
The connection between the characters left me with many lasting impressions, especially Maggie’s Aunt Linda. For a woman who didn’t say much, what she did say held a lot of meaning and was considerably thought provoking. I feel as though Aunt Linda’s character, alongside Bryce and the Trickett’s, helped shape the life that Maggie would eventually lead.
I had many favourite moments during Maggie’s time at Ocracoke, but the one that stands out the most is how the Trickett family embrace Maggie into their world and share their passions with her, teaching and guiding her with photography. Maggie then builds on what she has learnt and makes a career out of it, essentially ensuring that wherever she went, she took a piece of them with her.
If I had to choose a least favourite moment, it would have to be Bryce’s journey beyond Ocracoke, but without this, the story wouldn’t have been as emotionally charged and would have left me with a completely different view overall. Essentially, there is not one element of this entire story that I would consider changing.
Nicholas Sparks, the literary world, and my ideals of relationships, wouldn’t be the same without having discovered you, so with this review, I thank you for having picked up the pen and put it to paper, all those years ago. I cannot wait be taken on the next journey with Dreamland.
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