Dear John

By: Nicholas Sparks

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life - until he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart.

But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read, and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love - and face the hardest decision of his life.

©2006 Nicholas Sparks. All Rights Reserved (P)2006 Hachette Audio. All Rights Reserved

Critic Reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Romance, 2007

"[Dear John] brims with longing." (Publishers Weekly)
"Sparks, a perennially popular novelist whose name is synonymous with romance and bittersweet endings and whose work translates so readily to movies, lives up to his reputation with his latest novel, a tribute to courageous and self-sacrificing soldiers." (Booklist)

So sappy it was painful

I like Nicholas Sparks for a light hearted, somewhat romantic read. I liked the Notebook and loved Safe Haven. This one did not work for me. The entire book was sappy drivel, and the narrator was so overdramatic (although the writing kind of called for it). I think the male lead said "I knew I was going to be with her forever..." or something of that nature probably 35 times. Ugh, just painfully cheesy.

As always my favorite

I love Nicholas Sparks and he didn't let me down! Great book for us romance people. Ending wasn't what I expected but still loved the way it ended. Can't wait for his next!

Cheesey and predictable

Typical Nicholas Sparks novel but I enjoyed the sappy romance. Not a lot of thinking required to enjoy.

Dear John

The listen was wonderful, I listened to it while crossing the country, and it tugged at my heartstrings and the ending just made my heart melt. I would definately recommend this.

Thankfully not a typical love story

In the beginning of the story, I thought it was too detailed and the dialogue a little bland. At one point Savannah says "Duh!" which isn't really a good fit for the linguistics of the late 90's. I held on though, and was rewarded in the end. The detail from earlier helped create the emotional climax near the end...and the characters had grown and blossomed into extraordinarily complex people. I found myself surprised at several twists in the road, both by the way the story was unfolding and the depth of emotion I felt for the characters. The reader did a good job with voices too. I would definitely recommend it as a sweet emotional journey that isn't too typical of love stories.

Horrible voices for other characters

Couldn't listen to it. Horrible voices for other characters - couldn't get past that (I really tried) and then I was too far into the book to be able to return it. Waste of a credit.

A great sleeping aid

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, I have difficulty falling asleep, and this book helped me. It was my first ever Nicholas Sparks book and although the story is appealing, and the characters are real and consistent in there actions, to me it was a story and performance what left me without any feeling besides that I could sleep after 15 minutes.

Would you recommend Dear John to your friends? Why or why not?

I understand why people would like this book, its easy, with a very universal subject: love. If I have a friend who is looking for a summer read without thinking too much I would definitely recommend it.

Did Holter Graham do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes, I liked his performance

Could you see Dear John being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I read the book first, then I fast forwarded the movie. I think the actors were the perfect match: enjoyable but forgettable.

Disappointing

This is a case where the movie is better than the book. This is not Nicholas Sparks best. Big disappointment!

Dear John

OMG this book put me to sleep. The reader was so mono tone, I listen to audio books all the time. In the car, while I clean my house, working out. I would find myself really not listening and being totally lost in the book. Terrible purchase. I didn't even finish it.

Okay

The story was interesting and it's a good time killer. The problem I have with Nicholas Sparks' books is that the characters are generally shallow and the storytelling is very trite. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants something easy to listen to and mildly entertaining, but don't expect anything incredible. If the characters had been more believable or endearing, I probably would have started sobbing at points but instead, I ended with a shrug and thought it was "just okay." I have a feeling that, like my experience with "The Notebook," the movie will be more entertaining and moving than the book.