St. Norbert Times

Issue date: 3/8/10 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: www.hbg-international.com

Nicholas Sparks proved he was the master of romance novels when he wrote "A Walk to Remember," "The Notebook" and "Dear John." His accurate portrayal of true love captured the hearts of his readers in all of his bestselling novels. "The Last Song" showcases the meaning of true love and the potential that it holds to both create and destroy. The novel demonstrated the meaning of love through young love, the love between a parent and a child and the power that love holds over all.

Ronnie Miller was an angry and rebellious teenager who was alienated by her father at a young age. Her loneliness and lack of self-assurance forced her to make terrible choices when she spent time with a bad group of friends. Her mother decided it would be in everyone's best interest if Ronnie and her younger brother spent the summer with her father in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Little did Ronnie know that her life would change forever.

Ronnie's father was a quiet man, dedicated to the construction of a beautiful stained glass window for the local church that had been vandalized and burned. Being a former concert pianist, his quiet and passive nature infuriated Ronnie, which drove her even further away from having any ties to her father. Soon after her arrival, Ronnie met the local heartthrob, Will, whom she never dreamed she would fall for. She plunged into a crippling romance that forced her to let her guard down and open up to the greatest bliss she would ever know.

Through love, friendship and tragedy, Sparks created another novel that showcases what it means to love and what it means to lose. His realistic characters and enveloping plot drew me in from the start. "The Last Song" is a novel that changed my perspective on young love and true friendship. It showcases how truly special the bond between parents and children are and how important it is to treasure every day that we have with them.

The only concern that I had regarding Sparks' new book was the fact that Miley Cyrus will be starring in the corresponding movie which is coming out this spring. Ronnie is a passionate and troubled character who comes to terms with the meaning of life after the summer she spent with her father. I do not believe that Cyrus has the capability to portray a concrete character in such a heart-wrenching plot. We will have to wait and see what is in store for the upcoming movie.

Sparks created a novel that had the ability to transform readers and teach a valuable lesson about what it means to love. Whether it is romantic love, the love between a parent and a child or the love between two good friends, Sparks taught readers that the ability to love is the ultimate endowment of all.

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