Dear John

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Nicholas Sparks is my “go-to” author, when it comes to romance. Or when it comes to not-happy-ever-after and I want to cry. It’s a gamble when I pick one of his books, never knowing whether the couple will stay together. But one thing always happens – I do cry. Every single time. Dear John was nothing different. A love story between a US Army Soldier who comes home for a break and a girl he meets in his hometown, who’s there for a volunteering project over the summer.

Savannah is so different from the other girls, so caring and so generous in everything she does. And when they meet with John, it is love at first sight. They spend an amazing time together, but then 9/11 show more happens and John feels the responsibility to re-enlist. And this long separation makes Savannah fall in love with someone else.

Dear John is one of those books that always makes me cry, and always leaves me with a pain in my heart, as if I have suffered all the pain. It is very emotional and real to the core. After I finished it this time around, I just wanted to consume all the pain John felt and lessen his burden. There is something about his character that makes me care so much.

“What does it mean to truly love another?”

Dear John covers a lot of important topics that are still relevant, even today.
For example, how re-enlisting in the army is expected, and is considered a duty, rather than a choice. When it seems like it’s a choice, but if you choose “wrongly” it’s frowned upon – I don’t consider that free will. And from experience, leaving the army is probably the biggest labyrinth of administration ever made.

Another topic that I greatly appreciated in Dear John was the subject of autism. John has a very troublesome relationship with her father due to this, and not knowing of his dad’s situation, he reacts in a certain way. And I love how Savannah is there to support him, and bond with his dad as well. I loved his hobby – coin collecting. As a stamp collector, I know how much joy there is in finding something rare, and finally completing a set. I was very sad about the outcome on this particular topic, but it is what it is.

Savannah – I will never understand why she made the decisions that she did. I know that she made the mistake, and I think every reader knows it. Which is why this book hurts the way it does. It pains me to the core, because I know it is true love, but they are just never meant to be. And that last chapter says everything.

And John. Dear John.

My heart goes to him, for everything he goes through. His pain is too much to handle, and I will always remember him as the sad hero that was never able to be with his true love.

“And when her lips met mine, I knew that I could live to be a hundred and visit every country in the world, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when I first kissed the girl of my dreams and knew that my love would last forever.”

I want to say that I recommend it to you all, but I know it will make you cry. I’m not recommending this because it will make you sad. I am recommending this for the experience. And for all the never-after loves. show less

I read this book because the film is coming out soon and I have this weird compulsion to read the book that any film I want to watch may be based on before I see the film. It's something I've always tried to do, but I gotta say, this might make me change the trend.

I am in love with John. Seriously - he is such a wonderful character and I am so, so, so depressed that nothing went right for him. That he lost the woman he loved (we'll get to her later), that he lost his father and was left with nothing - no home, no collection of coins that his father wanted passed down to him and nothing he deserved in life.

I get that sometimes good people don't get what they deserve but FFS, he had to deserve good something, right?

I alternated between show more kinda liking Savannah (just didn't warm to her that much) and loathing her - her first letter made me like her, and although I knew she was going to break up with him in the giveaway 'Dear John' letter, I just...I was heartbroken when he was in Iraq and read that letter. I just wanted to strangle her for her cruelty. Then when he went back, the absolute selfishness of her - someone who wanted it all. Who unloaded on him even though his father who just died, who guilted him with the talk of money and everything, who wanted her husband and the fairytale. Who didn't give a fuck about what she was doing to John just as long as she felt better, because in Savannah's world it's all about Savannah and what she thinks and what she wants and I just...gah! She didn't deserve John or Tim and although Tim was, I'm sure, a nice guy, I still couldn't forgive the fact that he and Savannah cheated on John, and I couldn't forgive the guilt-trip Tim laid on him in the hospital. How dare he ask John to look after Savannah and his brother after what they had done? I get it - they were such good people and all that crap and couldn't help falling in love and blah de blah blah but, God, at what point was anyone going to stop thinking about themselves?

Gah - it just pissed me off. I was so heartbroken for John and I just wanted so much more for him and I was glad that Savannah walked out the door at the end. It lets me think that she knows she screwed up, that she understands she'll never really be that happy with the decision she made. It lets me imagine the scenario of one day her coming across a happily married John and knowing she brought it on herself.

So yeah, I think I'm going to be watching the film needing a whole box of hankies and possibly a gag in order to avoid wanting to yell to abuse Savannah when she sends the letter. ;)

Good book, just...I don't know, I just wanted more for John. But I guess the moral of the tale is that sometimes you don't get what you deserve. Sometimes there's not much you can do accept roll with whatever punches get thrown your way. Sometimes people are fickle and self-serving, and sometimes you get left behind no matter how hard you try and hold onto it. show less

First off I read this book in like 4 hours, so you could say I was into it. The story is told completely from John's point of view. Normally I don't like books where I only get to read one side of the story; I like to get into characters heads and know/experience their emotions. As you can see by the A grade I gave this book it didn't bother me. The writing style of Nicholas Sparks is so good it wasn't a problem and the character John talks about other characters in a way that as the reader you can visualize what they are thinking or feeling.
Oh how I loved the character of John. He was so real to me. He wasn't an over the top hero that appears in usual romance books but realistically flawed. John is almost too hard for me to describe. show more He is so normal but so extraordinary at the same time.
The lead character of Savannah I wanted to slap. She doesn't cuss or drink and seems so goody/innocent. She would be very judgmental at times and then be like "Oh I shouldn't say that, but I just can't help it". She was incredibly naive so much so that it really annoyed me. When her upbringing is discussed I softened more towards her because honestly this chick was sheltered to the point of being detrimental. I had to remind myself she was very young 22 or so I think the 9 months she has to wait for John to come back the U.S. seems like eternity for her while I'm like it's only 9 months why can't you wait for him!?
John's relationship with his father was as big a part of the story as the romance with Savannah. Savannah helps John discover his dad has Aspergers. When John learns this he is able to create more of a relationship with his father. This storyline of John trying to connect with his dad who is somewhat emotionally stunted is heartwrenching. I cried so hard for them.
I don't want to give to much away with regards to the ending but I will say my anger towards Savannah lessened. Her age and naivety worked against her and by the time she got a taste of the real world and grew up a bit her life was on a path she couldn't get off of. I'm just upset John had to pay for her immaturity.
This book made it so clear that strength and maturity are needed for love and relationships to work. Definitely a "real" life story here and I hope any soldier who receives a "Dear John" letter finds someone who is strong enough for them.
Whenever I see the preview for the movie now I instantly feel weepy. I think I am going to want to see the movie and I hope they keep in all the story of John and his father. I don't think I want them to change the ending, ruining the essence of the book and all that jazz, but after The Lovely Bones I could stand for some happiness.

Why can't they make movies from non-depressing books? My vote is for the "Crazy Hot" movie. oh please, please! :)

A (but not a keeper because I will never read this story again, I am not a masochist) show less

I am torn on whether or not to give this book 2 or three stars. On the one hand, Nicholas Sparks is my guilty pleasure author and this book definitely stirred up some feelings in my cold heart, but on the other hand, this book didn't really have a whole lot going on aside from John pining away for a girl he only knew for a short period of time.

I personally could tell that they would not end up together right from the get go. They were just so incredibly different. Savanah had her studies and John had the military that kept him away all the time, which is something that puts such an incredibly strain on a relationship. John had this idealistic picture in his head of Savanah and how they would lead their lives, but Savanah was left at show more home and was moving forward with her life while John was stuck in stasis with the military with only letters and a dreams.

The ending was predictable, but sweet. I had a hunch that Savanah had married Tim and that something had happened to him when we saw all the tubberware containers in her fridge. That being said, I am glad that John did not give in to his feelings and urges to sleep with Savanah, or to even contact her again after their final goodbye. It was painful, but the right thing to do. show less

Anyone who knows or loves someone with autism or aspbergers will love this book for its tender portrayal of a fully functional but emotionally removed adult father with aspergers. It will make anyone who knows someone that is a bit "odd" look at him a little less judgementally, wondering if they are maneuvering the world the best they can. The other story in the book - the love story - is less compelling and more typical sparks - starcrossed lovers - but it is Sparks at his best. It is a quick easy read, great for the beach or summer vacation.

A fantastic story - essentially exactly what a reader expects from a Nicholas Sparks novel. Like most of his books, Dear John is one that you won't be able to put down until you've finished it. Friends of mine who don't care for reading books of any kind have told me they loved this one in particular.

I'd also like to add: even if you've seen the movie, you ought to read the book. It's much better - but anticipate a different ending.

Nicholas Sparks has a way of making me feel so invested in the characters' lives that when one of them does something stupid, I just have to close the book, as if I am mad at my own partner, but then I cannot stay too much away from it, so I pick the book back up and just forget the whole world around me. This book was so difference! I loved how it was written, I love how it was not a sugarcoated love story. Astonishing, truly.