At First Sight
by Nicholas Sparks
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Book Summary Information
Author: Nicholas SparksEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-10-18
ISBN: 0446532428
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Product features:
- First Edition
- Hardback
- Dust cover
- Collectible
- Sparks
Book Reviews of At First Sight
Book Review: (4+) Superb But Emotionally Intense Conclusion After Slow Start
Summary: 4 Stars
This story is an absorbing sequel to the recently published TRUE BELIEVER; if published together as one story and with some editing of the repeated and/or overly detailed descriptions which at times slow the pace of both books, they would have become what might well have been a five star novel and perhaps Sparks' best book. However, this does not rise to that level as a standalone story due to the factors detailed in my criticisms later in this review. Despite the fact that I afforded this book a higher rating, I strongly suggest that you read them both in the order in which they were published. If you only plan to read one, they are so different in tone and content (as described in this review) that even though they together form a unified whole, your choice should depend on your reading tastes rather than the ratings which they received.
The easiest way to provide the appropriate context and background for my review of AT FIRST SIGHT is to provide the following excerpts from my review of TRUE BELIEVER(6/9/2005):
"It is indeed unfortunate that after Nicholas Sparks spent so much time constructing a really interesting and nuanced storyline, he utilized it simply as the setup for the conclusion of a true "feel good" romance, with the final chapter best characterized as five-star schmaltz. Thus, while I realize that some of Sparks' readers will be delighted with a simple love story that eschews the bittersweet nature of much of his work, and I certainly enjoy a well written story examining the mystery of romance, my rating of only three stars reflects my reaction to a plot that had so much unrealized potential. If the author had put a little more effort into providing a conclusion consistent with the earlier complexity of the story and had also provided more closure regarding all the wonderful secondary characters who he made the effort to infuse with life for the reader, he would have made me into a TRUE BELIEVER that his story deserved a full five stars." (Aside - as this review will make clear, in effect that is what this sequel accomplishes.)
"The universal question explored by this novel has been asked innumerable times before in story, play and verse - can a young man and woman of very different backgrounds and who have made very different lifestyle choices find enough common ground to experience more than a temporary attraction to each other? In this case specifically -what happens when Jeremy Marsh (a sophisticated and successful young scientific investigative reporter who enjoys life on the Upper West Side of New York City) travels to rural Boone Creek, North Carolina to debunk the supernatural explanation of ghostly lights that recurrently appear in a local cemetery and meets the charming and aloof Lexie Darnell? The setup is leisurely, interesting and complex, and Jeremy is soon drawn into the complex history of the town and finds himself increasingly as intrigued by Lexie as by the mystery which he professionally wants to explain. The inhabitants and their relationships are drawn well enough to make the town come alive, especially Doris McClellan, the aunt who had raised Lexie and whose letter had piqued Jeremy's interest and drawn him to Boone Creek. And while most of the humor is low key, there are a few real laugh-out-loud moments, mostly with regard to Jed, the local taxidermist and proprietor of Greenleaf Cottages, "the Museum of Natural history transformed into a horror movie and squeezed into a closet". As the novel proceeds, while the threads of the mystery are gradually being unraveled, the background details of Lexie's and Jeremy's previous romantic entanglements and their emotional baggage which remains add depth to the story.
"So, what's not to like? There are interesting characters, some humor and a little mystery, to add color to a romantic backdrop. Unfortunately, it is the promise of all these elements which made the abrupt conclusion such a letdown for me. The table was set, a delicious meal served, and then the final course was an overly sweet confection with no substance. In addition, a further minor complaint involved was one major flaw in the rush to conclusion which should have been spotted and corrected by the editors, who were apparently in as much of a hurry to keep to the publishing schedule as was the author. I can't provide details without including a spoiler, but it was disappointing given the attention to detail throughout the rest of the book.
"I also acknowledge that TRUE BELIEVER would make a wonderful movie with the right director and actors. My criticism would be less valid given the visual storytelling nature of that medium; such a goal may well explain Spark's rather summary conclusion. However, I in fact am disappointed by the increasing tendency of authors to shortchange their readers with books which are actually screenplays in disguise and hope that my suspicion is wrong in this case."
AT FIRST SIGHT begins with a very brief prologue which occurs five years in the future and immediately foreshadows that the syrupy sweet romantic conclusion of TRUE BELIEVER has surprisingly set the stage for a much more emotionally nuanced sequel. We then return to where we left Lexie and Jeremy and follow their lives forward from that point. Lexie meets Jeremy's friend and best man Alvin and his large family; Jeremy does indeed move to Boone Creek and the local cast of characters (including Doris, Jed, Lexie's lifelong friend Rachel, Rodney, and the wonderful Mayor Gherkin) all play their part; and finally, the normal travails of all new couples and prospective parents are presented in both wonderful perspective and maddening detail. Several incidents gradually coalesce into a climatic emotional crisis between Jeremy and Lexie; while Sparks does a great job of capturing individual moments which undoubtedly will be familiar to all his readers, the pace is even slower than the small town world of the South in which the action occurs. Furthermore, Jeremy's insecurities eventually cause his actions to become so potentially self-destructive they also caused me to become very frustrated as a reader and also combined with the slow pace to make it difficult to continue reading the story at certain points in contrast with my usual complete immersion in and non-stop completion of most novels which I read.
Then suddenly with eighty pages remaining, everything comes together, the tone and focus changes, the petty and usual concerns of Jeremy's and Lexie's daily routine are replaced by events which put both them and the reader on an emotional roller coater of wonderful highs and depressing lows. Then even more abruptly, the startling and unforgettable climax! This is followed by a perfect and moving epilogue which returns us to the present following the narration those events of five years ago.
In summary, while some of the material is repetitive, I strongly suggest that you read both of these books as one story. (Despite my irritation at having to purchase two books to get one complete story.) Just remember that the early courses of this meal are much sweeter than the dessert (and also much less satisfying). So, if you like romances which end happily, read only TRUE BELIEVER. If you like stories which leave you emotionally drained and don't want to spend the time to read both books in light of their overlapping nature, then you should read only AT FIRST SIGHT. Their combined storylines form a compelling tale; together they would form the basis for a film at least as moving as THE NOTEBOOK.
One final cautionary note, I agree with some other reviewers that this is a book that will probably cause undue distress to many pregnant women and most prospective parents.
Tucker Andersen
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