Wednesday, May 26, 2010

BOOK REVIEW: "The Rescue"

The Rescue
By Nicholas Sparks
Copyright 2000
Warner Books, Inc.
Adult Fiction
3.5 Bookmarks

Everybody's favorite author and screen-writer seems to be appearing all over the place these days. With The Notebook firmly under his belt (among others) and now The Last Song out in theaters, Nicholas Sparks is going to be a permanent fixture in American pop culture. So whenever I see a new (to me) Sparks book on the shelf, I try to grab it. The formula Sparks uses for his novels doesn't really change all that much, but I always feel like any book of his is a satisfying read.

The Rescue is no different. Denise Holton, single mother of a unique child, is inconsolable when her young son goes missing after an accident. Found soon after by firefighter Taylor McAden, the three form a special bond and thus begins the story of The Rescue. While Denise struggles with the challenges of motherhood, living in a new town, and her new relationship with a man who keeps protective walls solidly in place around him, the story moves forward toward what we know will be a dramatic ending.

With sad moments, happy times shared and a final realization for McAden, The Rescue doesn't disappoint Sparks fans. Many romantic moments dot the landscape of this novel. One of my favorites being the simple moment when McAden whispers to Denise, "You're perfect".

I enjoyed reading this book (as I always do with Sparks novels), but there were a few moments that were just nearly too sad to bear. When an author is really good and getting his reader's emotionally involved, you can almost feel the pain of the characters and sometimes it's just a bit much. But if you have a strong heart, take some time to find a good Sparks novel and let yourself sink in.

1 comment:

  1. That's one of my favorite things about Nicholas Sparks' books- the way he writes his characters makes it really easy to relate to them. It can really put a reader through the full gamut of emotions! As a love story author, it's always surprising to me how he can create such relatable, believable characters time and again. In The Rescue, I particularly enjoyed how Sparks wrote Denise's son... his problems with language and the struggles his mother had to go through for him were a unique basis for the story. As far as tugging on your heartstrings goes, how would you rank The Rescue against other Sparks novels you've read in the past?

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