Customer Reviews

Message in a Bottle (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

5 star:		(450)
4 star:		(163)
3 star:		(83)
2 star:		(72)
1 star:		(164)

 

 

Message in a Bottle is one incredible book. The plot of the story is whimsical and will have you dreaming that maybe someday you'll find a love as strong as these two characters in this novel.

Basically this is one sad book, and the people who rate it low, are only doing so because this book doesn't have a cheerful "happily ever after" ending. While I read the book, especially the end, tears slowly streamed down my face as I tried to understand why the story went the way it did. The fact that Garrett was able to love his wife with so much emotion, just shakes you to the core because it comes to the point of obession.

Message in a Bottle is a story about a woman named Theresa Osborne, a newspaper columnist, who finds a bottle washed up shore one day. She proceeds to read the letter inside and there a history of unforgotten love unfolds. Garrett Blake, trying to cope with the lose of his deceased wife, Catherine, writes letters to her and send them out to sea, hoping that one day they'll reach Europe.

As the story progresses, Theresa finds Garrett and they give into the emotions that are growing between them and fall in love with each other. But Garrett isn't ready to let go of his deceased wife yet, so the problem is introduced... read the story and you'll be crying but still happy at the same time.

This book teaches us about the aspect of love and how it's possible to love once more even though you think that you'll never be able to love again. And the fact that love is solid, and so much stronger than simple lust. Recommended.

Message in a Bottle is a unique romantic story and a fine novel. It all starts when Theresa Osborne is vacationing in Cape Code and comes across - you guessed it - a message in a bottle. The message is from a man "Garrett" to his wife about his intensely felt love. Osborne, a middle aged divorcee with little romance in her own life is intrigued enough to start searching out others who may have found similar messages. As she collects them, she herself falls in love with Garrett (although she has yet to admit it to herself) and decides to search for him. She finds him in a small, North Carolina town and the romance emerges. But of course - they are such different people that problems crop up. He is a widower feeling guilty and not over his wife and a small town kind of guy. She's a big city gal with a career. But the relationship develops with ups and downs nonetheless.

Sparks is excellent in fully developing the personalities of his characters and building empathy in the reader. He has done a fine job here. If you didn't like the movie - read the book anyway. It's much better.

Not one for romance novels or any of this lovey dovey stuff, reminds me of those Mills and Boons Books :) I rented the video as a change from action/thriller and I have to say I never cried so much in my life! It was a beautiful film and I had to set about looking for the book as I know how Hollywood likes to 'butcher' some well written novels ie Grisham and the book was even better than I expected! Read the novel and you will not be disappointed. Even though are some story discrepancies between the movie and novel. Whilst I knew the ending was coming I still cried. It makes you believe that true love exists and you can love again. The cynical people will believe what they want. But why Mr Sparks did you let hollywood have its wicked ways with your book....

This review refers to the Time Warner Audio Book edition(unabridged) of "Message In A Bottle" by Nicholas Sparks....

This was a wonderful romantic tale, and fabulous reading that I just got lost in for the entire 8 hours of this audio book. If you are looking for something to keep you company on a long drive,working around the house,or just enjoy having a good story on tape, I would recommend Kimberly Schraf's reading of "Message In A Bottle".

The story is touching, romantic and spellbinding.Teresa is a single mother, doing her best to raise her son, still stinging form the infidelities of her ex-husband. She has a promising career as a journalist and her days are filled with work, her friends and her son's activites. She isnt trying to find the love her her life,but perhaps it has found her. While jogging on a beach in Cape Cod, Teresa discovers..yes..a message in a bottle. She is so touched by the beautiful words of the sender, that she can't help but to try and locate him.(It helps being a journalist, and having lots of resources at your fingertips).Little did she know that finding the author of this beautiful letter would change her life forever.

"Message In A Bottle" is not only a beautiful story of real love, but one that is also a journey of self awareness, of opening up to the possiblities that life has to offer.It is one that you will probably need a hankie or two as well.

Kimberly Schraf's reading is wonderful. I felt like I was being told a story by the library lady. She does an excellent job with putting just the right inflection into each character to portray their personalities without getting overly masuline with the men in the story. There are 6 tapes, about 45 minutes per side for a total of about 8 hours. I liked that on each new side, the last paragraph of the previous side was repeated. The quality and sound of the tapes were nice and clear for the most part, although at times there seemed to be some sort of echo in the background which I found slightly distracting(my only reason for 4 stars instead of 5). The editorial review here from the AudioFile says that it is read by Bruce Boxleitner and Kathleen Quinlan. The one I recieved has the reading by Schraf, and is the same image(The Time Warner Box) as the one here on the product page.

This is one that I'll probably listen to often. I loved the story, the reading, and it kept me company nicely through the day. Highly recommened for anyone who loves to hear a good story.

Also recomended:A Bend in the Road - Large Print Edition

enjoy...Laurie

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.

I thought Message in a Bottle was one the best books I have read in a long time. Sparks does a wonderful job at catching the romantic in all of us. I can't wait to read the next one. If you saw the movie and don't chose this one because of it you are missing out. I lent the book to a friend who lovedit and shelent it to a friend who loved it who lent it to a friend who lovedit and so on and so on. Read it you will be glad you did

I loved this book. I am not an avid book reader so it takes a really good book to keep me interested and this one did the trick. From cover to cover it was a real page turner. I identified with the characters and felt like I was there. Sparks is a great author. If you liked this novel I would love to recommend Summer Sisters by Judy Blume.

The depth of true love is never captured so beautifully. The love so deeply expressed in the letters that capture your heart. I saw the movie after I read the book, and though I enjoyed the movie; I was rather disappointed that the director did not capture the passion and depth of the love that the two characters shared in the book. I had mentioned to a male friend(one who is not much into romantic movies) about the movie, and he watched the movie. Afterwards, I gave him the book to read. He prefered the book from the movie. For anyone who believes in second chances at love, and true love for that matter, will enjoy this book. For those who are passionate and still search for that special someone who is their heart's twin, this book is for you.

After reading The Notebook, I was excited to pick up another hyped Nicolas Sparks book. But boy oh boy was it such a let-down. A third of the way through I started rolling my eyes. When I was half way though, I found that I didn't really care about the two characters and how their "relationship" would become. Three quarter through, I was hoping for one of them to die (how horrible was that!?). I just wish it was Theresa who died. She was a creepy stalker who jumped into bed with a practical stranger. And she "forgave" him for what he had done!? She was the one who needed to ask for forgiveness for publishing other people's private thoughts and looking him up and stalking him.

We have all been on the search for love, and we all have lost at some point. This book touches on every emotion humans go through when love enters then exits your life.I could easily visualize the ocean - the discriptions were unbelievable. I fell in love with every character, and cried with each one as well. We all feel alone at points in our life, and this book romaticizes that. Everyone holds on to memories of the past while trying to walk towards the future.I read this book in one - nine hour period. I refused to see the movie because I want to hold on to my version. Truly romantic, I haven't felt this way about a book since "The Bridges of Madison County"