I’m big fan of Nicholas Sparks books however turning them all into movies…not so sure. While the stories overall are still engaging, entertaining and all that, it’s the old argument of book vs movie. Us readers all know that the majority of the time the movie isn’t true to the book nor is it as good as the book no matter how great the effort (a strong testament to authors I believe.) While some efforts are better than others, a lot of movies created from books end up lacking details and what was originally a beautifully flushed out novel gets crammed into a two hour movie. The stories are often changed in minor or even major ways for reasons which I can only believe are to conform to what the movie studios think will make more money. There may be an exception where the changes are made to make it more ‘workable’ as a film for one reason or another.

As a movie goer, while you may still see and appreciate the detail the author painted in painstaking detail but it can lose the build up and overall effect that is needed to help a reader connect with the characters and the story. Often times in the movies (of Nicholas Sparks books) I think the romances come off rushed and unrealistic, whereas I could read essentially the same story but am more on apt to believe and let myself be swept up by the romance because I feel the build up and I care about the characters. I’m not as likely to be thinking about the fact that they’ve only known one another for two days, for example.

A Walk To Remember and Message In A Bottle were both turned into well known movies beforehand but I don’t think they exploded in the same way.

The movie that really launched the Nicholas Sparks books in the movie world was beloved tale of The Notebook. A Walk To Remember and Message In A Bottle were both turned into well known movies beforehand but I don’t think they exploded in the same way. They didn’t have the power to break through and grab the following that the star studded flick of The Notebook did. Everyone agreed it was a great love story and that Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams had amazing chemistry. Throw in the charming James Marsden and the heart wrenching James Garner and Gena Rowlands and you have yourself an ultimate romantic hit at the box office. This was one that I had read so long before that I second guessed myself on what the major differences were between the movie and the book, and thus loved the movie. I do however remember liking the follow-up book The Wedding more but this has yet to be turned into a movie.

Nicholas Sparks Books & Movies Are Known For Predictable Storylines

No other movies from his books have been able to measure up to the Notebook. His first book to debut at number one, Night of Rodanthe was still a great tearjerker. The 2008 movie had some key differences but still got me in the end. I love Sparks’ books but can’t read them too close together sometimes, need a break from the sort of romantic stories he tells. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all good but can get predictable. This isn’t a criticism of him personally as I find this with most authors. It’s just my personal preference to mix it up a bit so I can enjoy each as much as possible and not get sick of them.

Dear John was a more recent book that I loved and was so excited for the movie with Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum. The movie was good for the most part but I didn’t like how they changed some major things, including the ending. I won’t go into spoilers but I felt like the ending was changed to appease the movie going audience with hope that they would be together after all. Whether that’s what the readers would have wanted as well, I think it was more real and poetic for it to end the way Sparks wrote it.

Can Movie Castings Ruin A Nicholas Sparks Book Experience?

The last one I read was The Last Song. I was so pumped to read this one before the movie came out but it was sort of tainted by the knowledge that Miley Cyrus was playing the lead and had gone to Sparks to write a character for her. I hated picturing her when I read instead of allowing the descriptions to illustrate the characters for me. I also hated the thought that Nicholas Sparks, with all his success and novelist brilliance, would go along with a teen pop star in collaboration for one of his novels, especially with the intent for a major motion picture. Sounds a bit like selling out to me but is it if you’re already turning your novels into movies more regularly anyways? I guess maybe not. I don’t  know how it all went down. I’m sure it was a lovely collaboration but I just didn’t like the idea of her being a part of his creative process. Like I said, it tainted the book a bit for me and honestly, while the story was good, I lost the desire to see the movie upon finishing the book. Sad but true. I feel like I’ve already seen it in my mind, picturing all the actors while I was reading and imagining the parts they would probably change or skip over. It’ll be a rental.

Until then, I think The Lucky One and The Choice would make good movies, if done right of course. =)