Customer Reviews

The Wedding

5 star:		(186)
4 star:		(68)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

THE WEDDING by Nicholas Sparks

I'm a big Nicholas Sparks fan, so I may be somewhat biased as I review this book. THE WEDDING is the sequel to THE NOTEBOOK, the love story of Noah and Allie: a love that almost didn't happen. Now, in THE WEDDING, we meet the next two generations of family members, and a somewhat complex story is told.

Noah is now living at Creekside, where he and Allie had moved toward the end of her life. He spends his time feeding a lone female swan, distinguished by a dark patch of color on her chest. Noah feels that this is Allie come back to him, and his children feel that he's lost touch with the world. Noah, however, never gives up on his theory and insists that it is his dear beloved wife.

Noah and Allie's oldest daughter, Jane, is married to Wilson Lewis. They've been married for nearly 30 years and have raised three children, all of whom are now adults. Jane and Wilson's story is told in flashbacks, as Wilson remembers what brought him and Jane together all those years ago. The reason for his reflections, though, is that he knows Jane is very unhappy with their marriage. So unhappy, that she leaves town for a few weeks to spend with their son Joseph. She doesn't say exactly why she left, but Wilson knows she needs to get away to think things over.

In the meantime, their oldest daughter Anna has announced that she and her boyfriend Keith plan to be married in a few weeks. She doesn't want anything fancy, and plans to marry at the justice of the peace. However, this is not what Jane wants for her daughter. Suddenly, Jane shows a new interest in life, and with the help of Wilson the two of them proceed to organize the best wedding any daughter ever had.

As the wedding plans take shape, Wilson keeps Noah up to date. During their visits, Wilson notes how Noah dotes on the swan, talking to her and sharing his thoughts with her. A few odd events almost convince Wilson that maybe this is indeed Allie reborn, but he always keeps these thoughts to himself. And all through these visits, Noah reminisces about his wife, while Wilson remembers his own first love Jane.

The title THE WEDDING is misleading, but this was Sparks' intention. Yes, the entire book is about the family getting ready for the big wedding, but the reader will realize by the end of the book that the story is much more than just THE WEDDING. The ending will surprise you, as it surprised some of the characters in the book. The story of the swan helps round out this tale of eternal love and may turn even the most cynical of persons into a romantic.

I started reading The Wedding the day that it arrived in the mail. I was finished by the next evening. I couldn't put it down for long. I'd cook...read...clean up...read...put my 3 year old to bed...read. My husband and I have fallen into the same type of rut that Wilson and Jane had fallen into in the beginning of the book. It has given me hope and encouragement. I have already started my new year's diet, and working on making myself closer to the person that he married. Not just weight wise, but being more attentive to him. The story was great. I saw the lady's review that said his books are all the same. That's what I like about Sparks. I know that when I pick up his books, I will laugh, cry, and finish the book with something to think about. Marriage is work. It is not easy and Sparks reminds us of that. Great book!!!

I still remember the exact spot where I was standing in my home when I read the final pages of The Notebook. I had to hide from my kids because I was crying so hard! And I can say the same thing about Nicholas' earlier books - Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember.

But then I noticed that Nicholas' books were gradually becoming tired and repetitive. I hated to admit it because I love his writing so much and I think he's a great guy. He was really the first author I found who could touch me emotionally in a very real way without his novels being filled with junk. And so I've stayed loyal to him, but I feel as his fans that we need to challenge him more.

All the stories are beginning to sound alike. And for the first time, with The Wedding, I didn't feel anything for the characters. I tried to because I want to have that excitement again of picking up a Sparks novel and getting sucked into it and feeling something deeply for 250 pages.

But it's not there anymore. And so rather than continue to simply applaud Nicholas for his efforts, I think we need to tell him that we expect more. He's making millions of dollars on every novel and if you were honest with yourself and picked up this book and didn't know it was by Nicholas, you'd struggle through it. And I'm afraid to say it but I think maybe he used the whole Notebook tie-in with Noah and Allie just to sell books because I didn't see how it was relevant to this story.

So I want to challenge my favorite author to perhaps pick a different setting, something that will help him write passionately again so we can feel the characters and the magic.

And I want to challenge my fellow Sparks fans to try some other authors who write with that passion and with an intensely human feel to their writing such as Richard Paul Evans and Kirk Martin. Check out richardpaulevans.com and kirkmartinbooks.com and see if you can feel that moving, personal human touch that first captivated you with Nicholas' work. If you don't absolutely love their novels, I would be shocked.

And Nicholas, please, please take your time with the next novel and let us feel the passion again!

I loved this sequel to The Notebook ... maybe loved it even more! I "read" the audio version, expertly read with great emotion & character by Tom Wopat. This story picks up with the children of Allie and Noah. Noah is now residing in a retirement center. This is the story of Noah's daughter Jane and her husband Wilson. Their marriage is in trouble. He's forgotten their anniversary and it's just the way their marriage has been going lately... he's been neglecting Jane and the family for years. With a bit of advise and encouragement from Noah, he decides he must save his marriage. He loves his wife desperately... just doesn't know how to show or say it. He has a plan.... it will take the next year to carry it out. This book will warm you all over and I guarantee you'll never look at a swan the same way again!! I give this book a full 5 starz! JMHO //(*_*)\\

I have been reading Sparks since The Notebook was written, and have read his books faithfully since. I have added his books to my library shelf and have not been disappointed yet! The Wedding is no exception, and I am beginning to think that Sparks is only getting better with experience and age.

The Wedding is about a marriage that's on the rocks, not from any major event that has happened, but moreover from erosion of dedication and communication over time. And as the couple is nearing their 30th wedding anniversary, the question of whether they will spend the next 30 years of their lives together looms heavily over their heads.

I think this story is one many of us can relate to, even if we are not in similar circumstances, it may be something we have seen our friends or parents go through, or something we fear for ourselves down the road. For me, this book was a welcome reminder that a marriage takes work and dedication and that no matter what else is going on in your life, you can always infuse a little romance! Which, of course in traditional Sparks style, he does!

I enjoyed this book because it was very well written, at times I felt it was poetic in sharing sentiments. I also loved how the story was weaved together and how it was brought to a wonderful ending. Plus, the romantic side of me was not disappointed at all either! If you haven't read Sparks, I highly recommend picking up a book of his to try, in addition to being great stories, the are all easy reads and at usually around 300 or so pages, not super time consuming as well.

This book was amazing. It brought tears to my eyes after I read what Wilson Lewis did for his wife, Jane. Since their marriage was failing, Wilson decided to try to save it by reliving his past. After a year of planning, Wilson must pull off the biggest and grandest surprise of all for Jane. While this is happening, their daughter Anna announces that she is getting married on their anniversary. As the wedding day and the thirty year anniversary arrives, Wilson pulls off a twist that surprises everyone, including myself. This book made me realize that true love can never be lost, just misplaced.

I enjoyed "The Wedding" very much. It was very sweet, very sad. Sad not in the way you might think. Sad as in time is passing and it's sad because you can't change past mistakes. Just ordinary things that pass every day in your life, but it's sad because you don't treasure it, because you look back and you wish you had.

"The Wedding" is about a man who realizes that after 30 years of marriage, his wife might not love him anymore. He recounts all of his mistakes, including the day when he forgot their 29th anniversary. So, as he prepares the ultimate present, he tries to change himself, to go past the barrier he has set himself. (He is a man of routine and uncomfortable with sentimentalities.) Also, more things are happening and changing around him. This "unsentimental" man struggles to express his unexpressable love for his "swan" (you'll understand if you read) and also keeps a great secret from her and the reader, who will find the most delightful surprise at the end of this story.

Please read this if you ever have the time. If you see it in the library, give it a try or ask to borrow it if you ever find it on a friend's bookshelf. I promise your time won't be wasted. There's no great excitement, no danger, no fantastical journey to save the world. It's just a man, you know, who asks his wife, "If you had to do it all over-and knowing how everything would turn out with us-would you marry me again?" When you get to the end, you feel all happy and peaceful because you know that there is always hope.

In this sequel to "The Notebook" we follow Noah and Allie's son-in-law, Wilson and his family. Wilson had forgotten he and his wife Jane's 29th wedding anniversary last year and like many empty nesters, have had a hard time adjusting and communicating with each other after the children had left home. Wilson was always the provider--working long hours at the law office, often missing out on family events. Jane was the caregiver, never missing a single moment of their 3 children's lives. But when their oldest daughter Anna comes home and announces she is getting married and next Saturday, the day of her parents 30th wedding anniversary, Jane is still determined to give her the wedding of her dreams despite only having a week to plan. Jane and Anna are gone most of the week with preperations and Wilson even steps up to the plate and helps. He also visits Noah and keeps him informed, often seeking advice about he and Jane. Wilson, determined to make their 30th anniversary very memorable has been working on a special project for nearly a year with the help of family and friends. He plans to present to her a few days before the wedding. The ending has a surprise twist, one that I was a little expecting, but not exactly how it happened--it was better than I envisioned. The book is so romantic and so full of truths. Romance is something you have to work at in a marriage, it just does not happen. So for those who think this is science fiction or farfetched, I am sorry you don't get this kind of romance in your life, but I know several men who under the same circumstances, could most certainly have done what Wilson did. There is not enough romance anymore and I believe that is why so many marriages fail. Romance you have to work at. Don't confuse it with lust. It is not the same. Wilson was not always romantic like this, there were events that lead to a realization and a desire to do something about it. A desire to save their marriage and put his wife as a priority. The Wedding was a beautiful story. Mrs. Sparks must be a lucky lady!!

What an amazing book. I wasn't sure what to expect since I am so fondly attached to the Notebook, and often times sequels fall flat and disappoint. This book however just goes to show how good Sparks is at his craft. Not only does he manage to create another love story for the ages, but he does it while weaving in characters we've all grown to love. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, another twist occurs and you're left reeling. I thought I knew exactly how everything was going to turn out, but to my surprise there were twists I wasn't expecting. Definitely a great read that will make you cherish the ones you love!

In the book, The Wedding, a worried husband searches for something to make his wife love him again. After forgetting his twenty-ninth anniversary, Wilson, must try and find a way to make up to his wife for everything he had missed. He planned the most romantic weekend for his wife, but then his oldest daughter, Anna, decides to get married on their anniversary. Jane, Wilson's husband, was so surprised by her daughter's announcement, and soon they started to plan her wedding. Anna lets Jane do everything for the wedding that a normal bride would have done herself, and since Jane never really had a big wedding herself, she was excited that her daughter had allowed her to do this. On the night before their thirtieth anniversary, Wilson planned out the most romantic evening Jane ever thought of, and Jane was in awe when she saw what her husband had been planning for the past year. However, that was only part of her anniversary present. The rest of her present, the most important present she could ever get, would come the next day, at their daughter's wedding.
One thing I liked about this book was how hard Wilson tried to make his marriage work again. It shows how much he really loved and cared for his wife. I also liked the characters in this book because they were the two main characters from the Notebook, another book by Nicolas Sparks. This helped you relate to what kind of family they really were. Another thing I liked about the book was the ending, but you'll have to read the book to find out why.
Some people that might like this book would be people who like page turners. This book will make you want to not put it down. With every turning page, there is a different surprise. Other people who might like this book are people who like surprise endings because this book has an excellent, unexpected ending.