Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Nicholas Charles Sparks is a master of sensual lyric prose. His works are published in multi-million copies in 45 countries of the world. Movies based on novels are box-office hits. Many of the books become bestsellers in the first weeks and even days after release.
Love runs through all the works like a red thread, which makes you dizzy, breaks down all life barriers, seduces with passion, breaks the heart with drama. Sparks writes about ideal love in the highest sense of it, and each reader plunges into iridescent feelings and becomes the hero of the novel, coming into contact with this beautiful and strong feeling, and even experiencing it in moments.
Many critics accuse Sparks of excessive sentimentality, typical plots, drawn-out dialogues and almost ideal heroes, who in places seem a little picturesque, and their relationship is unrealistically elevated. But in the soul, everyone secretly dreams of such a high, divine, eternal love.
The author admits that almost all of the 22 novels published today are based on real stories of real people. Perhaps this is the secret of the mass appeal of books?
Rating of the best books by Nicholas Sparks
| Nomination | a place | Name of product | rating |
| Rating of the best books by Nicholas Sparks | 1 | Diary | 4.9 |
| 2 | The last song | 4.8 | |
| 3 | Dear John | 4.8 | |
| 4 | Hurry to love | 4.8 | |
| 5 | Lucky | 4.7 | |
| 6 | Quiet haven | 4.7 | |
| 7 | The best in me | 4.7 | |
| 8 | Guardian angel | 4.6 | |
| 9 | Message in a bottle | 4.5 | |
| 10 | Choice | 4.5 | |
| 11 | Two by two | 4.5 | |
| 12 | Sharp turn | 4.5 | |
| 13 | The rescue | 4.4 |
Diary
Rating: 4.9
Book author: Nicholas Sparks
We can say that Nicholas Sparks became famous almost overnight. The first novel that brought the author fame and a $ 1 million contract was “The Diary of Memory”, which tops our rating.
The plot is based on the real story of the relationship between the grandparents of the writer's wife, Katie, who lived together for 60 years. In his work, Nicholas portrays eternal love, lasting a lifetime.
The main character – Noah tells the story of their love again – Ellie, his beloved, who again and again forgets about everything. This story is about a happy family life and obstacles; eccentric fate and separation; warm memories and emotional experiences.
The Diary of Remembrance is one of the first books by Nicholas Sparks, written back in 1994, and in its first week hit number one among the bestsellers according to the New York Times.
On May 20, 2004, the eponymous film with the slogan 'Behind every great love there is a big story' was released on television screens, stirring up new interest in the book and again returning it the title of bestseller. In 2005, the film won the MTV Award for Scene with Best Kiss.
The novel “Diary of Memory” is admired. He is hated and criticized. But the sensual love story of Noah and Ellie still occupies a leading position among the most touching lyric works of our time.
The last song
Rating: 4.8
Book author: Nicholas Sparks
We gave the second line in the ranking to the book by Nicholas Sparks “The Last Song”. In the novel, the author extensively presents the concept of love, revealing all its versatility. A guy's love for a girl, love for parents, animals, people and life in general. This story makes you think about higher values, your own relationships with your parents and the importance of time spent with loved ones.
The leitmotif of the work is the forgiving theme of the love of a father and daughter. The events that happened to the main character, Ronnie, changed her life forever. The eccentric 17-year-old girl falls in love for the first time in just one summer, finds the love and forgiveness of her father and immediately loses him.
“The Last Song” was the first novel by the writer, for which Sparks completed the text after the script. The first version of the picture, written specifically for the young actress Miley Cyrus, was completed a year before the end of work on the book.
Subsequently, the novel was published in more than 30 countries around the world and almost instantly hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Dear John
Rating: 4.8
By Nicholas Sparks
The No 3 Dear John novel is the 12th novel to be introduced to the world in 2006 and a Publishers Weekly bestseller that same year. The film adaptation of the novel in 2010 returned it to its former popularity again, causing a real stir among fans of Sparks' work. The release of the film was presented to the public on February 5, 2010, 4 years after the book was released.
A love story comes to the fore in Dear John, told from the perspective of the main character, 23-year-old soldier John Trailey. He is torn between a desire to be with his beloved and a sense of duty that encourages him to rejoin the army after the horrors of the 9/11 attacks.
Sparks masterfully talks about real feelings. The reader even gets the impression that the storyline is real, not a fictional story. And the characters are described so subtly that they literally begin to “live” in the head.
Page after page, the reader receives answers to his questions and comes to the conclusion that love is a great feeling that does not fit into boundaries. Its presence or absence is determined only by actions. And the novel tells exactly about this.
Hurry to love
Rating: 4.8
By Nicholas Sparks
A Walk to Love, ranked 4th, is one of Nicholas Sparks's most famous novels, earning him worldwide fame, becoming the # 1 bestseller according to the New York Times. The book tells about real, almost unearthly love, which does not pass and does not end even under the pressure of difficult life circumstances and losses.
The novel is largely autobiographical, since the prototype of the main character – Jamie Sullivan – was the author's sister, Danielle Sparks Lewis, who was sick with cancer and died in 2000, when she was only 33 years old. It was to her memory that Nicholas dedicated this novel.
“Haste to Love” is a romantic and touching story about a beautiful youthful love that lasts a lifetime. The main character – Jamie, who got her name in honor of the editor of the writer, is hopelessly ill with leukemia, but her beloved Landon (this is the name of the writer's son) – decides to be with her until the end, even if they are destined to be together for only one summer.
Lucky
Rating: 4.7
By Nicholas Sparks
“Lucky” gets to the 5th step of our rating. This time, Nicholas writes about the story of a Marine survivor during the hostilities, thanks to a photo of a pretty girl that he accidentally found. In any case, Logan himself thinks so and decides by all means to find a beautiful stranger.
Creating the image of Logan Thibault, the author strove for maximum believability. He conducted numerous interviews with people, flipped through archival newspaper notes and watched documentaries.
A wonderful book for a wonderful evening – “Lucky” is from the category of those novels that are good for while away the evenings. The novel does not stand out from the context of other works of the author. The same idea, characters, experiences and tragedy. However, Sparks is so great at conveying feelings of warmth, care and trust that the reader involuntarily imbued with the fate of the characters.
An unforgiving fate presents the heroes with a choice, requiring them to fight for their feelings. And only on them depends their future, which takes a very unexpected turn.
Not without the film adaptation of the novel, traditional for Sparks. The premiere of the film took place on May 19, 2012 and, as expected, became a box office.
Quiet haven
Rating: 4.7
By Nicholas Sparks
We gave the sixth place in the rating to the novel “Quiet Haven”, which came out of the writer's pen in 2010. This time Sparks decided to write something more exciting than vanilla romance and raise a socially significant issue that is acutely facing society. Nicholas has devoted another novel to domestic violence.
The author places the main character, Cathy, in dire conditions. She is lonely, defenseless, helpless. The tyranny of her husband – a policeman goes beyond all limits. Nevertheless, the courageous girl tries to escape, but what does it mean for her?
Using the example of Keti's act, the author calls on all women not to tolerate domestic violence, but to fight for their right to a happy life and not be afraid to start a new life. “A person can do the right thing at any time,” says Nicholas.
Another highlight of “Tikhaya Gavan” was the interweaving of a detective, thriller and romantic story in the canvas of the novel. This technique formed the basis for the script for the film of the same name, which successfully premiered in 2013.
The best in me
Rating: 4.7
By Nicholas Sparks
It is no coincidence that we have placed the love story of Nicholas Sparks – “The Best in Me” on the 7th step of our rating. It is the seventeenth in the list of world famous bestsellers and the most anticipated for readers.
The storyline, already traditionally for Sparks, touches on two directions at once – the past and the future. Amanda and Dawson have been in love with each other since high school. She is the daughter of wealthy parents, he is a simple ordinary guy from a dysfunctional family. Class inequality and behind-the-scenes intrigues that cause them to part ways become an obstacle to their happiness.
After 25 years, forgotten feelings flare up with renewed vigor when already adults and accomplished heroes meet again in their hometown. Their feelings are revived with renewed vigor, but will Amanda leave her family for the sake of ghostly happiness?
In addition to the lyrics, the novel contains crime, conflicts, murder and death of one of the heroes. But despite the dramatic denouement, the aftertaste after the book remains lyrically romantic.
The rights to screen adaptation of The Best in Me were purchased 6 months before the end of work on it. The film premiered on October 7, 2013.
Guardian angel
Rating: 4.6
By Nicholas Sparks
Guardian Angel is another work by Nicholas Sparks, which will not leave indifferent fans of lyric prose, occupies the eighth step of the rating.
The novel is traditionally set in North Carolina, in a small seaside town – Swansboro, which is famous for its cute provincial atmosphere, cozy marinas, shops and boutiques, and nightclubs.
The author's style is felt from the first pages – Sparks once again exalts pure naive love to the pedestal of human relationships. A pleasant, light story from the first pages immerses you in a special romantic atmosphere – a young widow is trying to find love and happiness. The girl manages to meet a real maniac and the man of her dreams, to go through many twists and turns of fate. But the guardian angel protects Julia and helps her to survive all the difficulties. According to Sparks, this is the only novel based on a completely fictional story.
By the way, “Guardian Angel” has not yet been filmed and still remains without due attention from Hollywood producers.
Message in a bottle
Rating: 4.5
By Nicholas Sparks
“Message in a Bottle” – the second novel by Nicholas Sparks, published back in 1998, falls on the ninth line of our rating.
The author was inspired to write this drama by the love story of his parents. During horseback riding, Sparks' mother died tragically. His father could not come to terms with the loss, for many years experiencing his pain. And at that moment, when a new love came into his life, he died. As Nicholas himself says – he wrote this story not to tell about his grief. Rather, it was an attempt to share a life lesson.
One fine morning, Teresa Osborne – a famous journalist, divorced single mother, jogging along the coast – finds a bottle with a letter in which the widower Garrett Blake sincerely and sensually confesses his love. This moves the woman so much that she decides to find the author of the romantic message. Life gives Garrett new love the hope of happiness. However, this story is not destined to have a happy ending.
The novel was successfully filmed back in 1999. The stars are played by Robin Wright Penn and Kevin Costner.
Choice
Rating: 4.5
By Nicholas Sparks
Absolutely atypical for Nicholas Sparks, The Choice novel was ranked 10th in the ranking. The book was released in 2007, although many readers have noted a certain split, as if the plot was written by two different people.
On the writer's official website, a solution to this mystery is given: the final part of the novel was written in 1996, and the introduction – 11 years later. The idea of writing a new novel came to Sparks immediately after the overwhelming success of The Notebook. But many critics are sure that if the writer had released this novel immediately, his career could have tragically ended there.
The prototypes of the main characters – Gaby and Travis – are real people. The image of Travis was taken from the author's brother, and his former assistant turned into a charming main character.
The theme of choice runs loudly throughout the novel. Nicholas emphasizes that a person always has the right to choose, but making the right choice is sometimes not as easy as it seems.
The history of the novel is as old as the world – selfless but tragic love. In order for the novel to end with a happy ending, the heroes have to overcome many obstacles. And that's so traditional for Sparks.
The novel was filmed in 2016. Film critics noted that this is the only motion picture based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks in which none of the characters dies at the end of the film.
Two by two
Rating: 4.5
By Nicholas Sparks
“Twice Two” – a new novel by Nicholas Sparks, released in 2017, was placed in 11th place in the ranking. The book caused a mixed reaction from readers. Many people talk about the atypicality of this work, the excessive length and boring of presentation. Others admire sentimental prose, pity and scold their favorite characters.
The main action of the novel is traditionally set in North Carolina, in the city of Charlotte. It's no surprise that Sparks put his heroes here – it's the perfect place for walking together and warm family evenings.
The main role in the novel is assigned to the relationship between father and daughter. The author draws on a true story and shows important life lessons. The breakdown of marriage, raising a daughter as a single father, and even same-sex love – all these problems are raised in the pages of the novel and are considered from the point of view of strengthening family relations.
Sharp turn
Rating: 4.5
By Nicholas Sparks
“Tight Turn” – the fifth work by Nicholas Sparks, published in 2001, is placed at the twelfth position of the rating. He is not as famous as other works of the author, due to the lack of a screen version. But fans are enthusiastic about the novel. Even if “Tough Turn” is not as strong as the previous works, it makes you think.
At the time of writing the novel, two events occurred at once in the life of the author – the birth of a third son and the death of a sister. Nicholas admitted that it was a difficult period and he even had to throw out the 200 first pages, which “did not go anywhere.” The image of the main character – policeman Miles Ryan, the author copied from his son-in-law, who remained with small children after the death of his wife.
In the novel, three storylines are intertwined at once – tragic, detective and love. Overcoming obstacles on the way to their happiness, the heroes will need to find a criminal, see ghosts from the past, trust each other and learn to live in a new way.
The rescue
Rating: 4.4
By Nicholas Sparks
The novel “Salvation” became the 4th work published in 2000 from the pen of Nicholas. He is not very well known to the general public for the reason that this book was never filmed. In our rating “Salvation” occupies the last, thirteenth step.
Nicholas confesses that Salvation is the most personal novel and that sometimes he was hurt and difficult to write because of the memories. His son Ryan was then diagnosed with developmental disorder and speech delay. By the way, now the boy is all right.
Also in the year of writing the novel (1996), the author's father died, his sister fell ill with cancer, and the novel “Diary of Memory” was being prepared for release. All this left a kind of imprint on the plot of the book.
Taylor McAden is a lifeguard. One day he saves single mother Daisy and little Kyle, who is suffering from speech delay. This event becomes fateful in the life of both heroes. From that moment on, they learn to love, despite all the responsibility entrusted to them. This novel is one of the few Sparks' novels with a happy ending.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
