Hello to all of you lovelies! As I had said (wrote) in my last post, I was excited to read "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks for a few reasons-- the first was because, I enjoy the "real-life" qualities Sparks attributes to his characters and the second was because I heard there was a film adaptation being made and I wanted to compare the two.
Now that I have finished the novel, I couldn't wait to see how these characters (that I had fallen in love with) come to life. As in many film adaptations, there were certain aspects that had changed from the novel, however I will say that I was pleasantly surprised that at it's core, the film stayed pretty true to the novel. Though the film did take a great deal of creative liberties with the story,
But first things first, the cast. As I have said in the past, when I read, I visualize the characters in great detail and when I see a film version of the story, I find it difficult (at times) to separate my version of the character. So when the actor differs, I can become frustrated. However, I am more forgiven of the physical appearance if the personal matches. And this was the case with "The Choice."
Travis (Parker, from the novel--they changed his name) Shaw, played by Benjamin Walker, actually fits both the physical and personality I envisioned, while I was reading. Travis from the novel, was easy-going, laid back and was in no rush to find himself in a committed relationship. From my perspective, I would say Benjamin Walker portrayed Travis really well.
Gabby Holland, on the other hand was very different then what I pictured. Gabby from the novel, had fair skin with freckles and red hair. The Gabby from the film, played by Teresa Palmer, is petite, tan and blonde. Though, Teresa Palmer did a good job portraying the character, both her physical appearance and demeanor where different than what I had expected. In my mind I pictured a more reserved, Emma Stone.
Another character that I had truly enjoyed reading was Travis' sister, Steph. I loved how snarky, smart, witty and insightful Steph was in the novel. While I was reading, you could sense how close and devoted Travis and Steph were to one another. Though the film version was a toned down version, Maggie Grace did a good job embodying the sisterly role. There was a great deal of playful chemistry between Maggie Grace and Benjamin Walker, which made their on screen sibling relationship, believable and three dimensional. However, I think my favorite character from the film was Shep (Travis' father), played by Tom Wilkinson. Shep was warm, funny, father figure. However, like Gabby's character, Shep was a bit different from the book to the film. For starters, Shep was a widower, a very religious man (in fact he is a Pastor) and is a man trying to find romantic love again. The novel version, was less developed and we didn't have much backstory, aside from knowing he was a veterinarian that worked with Travis. But I did in fact I enjoy giving Shep a more profound role.
Other differences, Gabby is a medical student and not a PA and her (ex)boyfriend Ryan is a doctor at the hospital and not an insurance agent. Gabby's parents were different as well. Both her mother and father work for a well- off family as the doorman/butler and the personal chef, instead of a "southern belle" and her stereotypical, golf-loving father. Furthermore, Gabby is an only child in the film, which differs from the book where she had two sisters. I feel that these changes altered Gabby's film personality. Especially the portrayal of Gabby's parents. The relationship Sparks depicted allowed us readers to make certain assumptions. The Gabby from the novel, had a strained relationship with her "southern-belle" mother--mostly because Gabby saw herself as more of a brainy-ac instead of a beauty queen. The Gabby from the novel was self- conscious, soft spoken and at times leaned on Travis when conflict arose. The film version lacked that vulnerability.
The differences between Travis were slightly more subtle. The main one was the aspect that Travis was more of "player" in the film. The novel version of Travis alluded to the fact that he never lacked company, but the film put it all out there.
Another difference, the dogs. From the book, Gabby had a purebred collie and Travis' dog was a boxer. In the film both dogs were different (still adorable though).
Now, that I have read "The Choice" and seen the film adaptation. I will say that I enjoyed the novel a bit more. The film was a good romantic film. And if I hadn't read the novel, I probably would have enjoyed the film more. But my biggest issue with the movie were all the changes. I felt that the differences took away from point of the story arch and were unnecessary to--like changing Travis' last name... why?
However, I do believe both are worthy of your time. The story itself is filled with love, humor and some sarcasm-- my favorite qualities and I enjoyed the emotional ride they each provided. I can respect each adaptation of the story as an individual project, but I would recommend reading the book first.
What do you think? Have you read the book and/or seen the movie? Were you hoping to see a specific scene come to life in the film? Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
For now, I say good night and hope that the my random ramblings have peeked your inner bookworm.
~BL
Hello to all of you lovelies! I'm sorry I'm a bit late, but I'm excited to write this new review. So, this week I have my second February book review on "The Choice," by Nicholas Sparks. Now, many people believe that Nicholas Sparks novels cater to the sentimental reader (aka sappy love stories), and you know what, even if I believed that to be true, I don't see anything wrong with it.
I honestly think that there is nothing wrong with fairy tales, everyone ends up "happily ever after"-- and who wouldn't want that. But I also feel that Nicholas Sparks' novels aren't given the credit they deserve. I will agree, that many of the plots can be predictable, yet there is element of surprise intertwined in every story Nicholas Sparks has written.
Now in real-life, I am usually "a glass half empty" kindof gal-- I tend to be a bit too rational for my own good. But when I'm reading, I am a hopeless romantic. I want good to triumph over evil, I want the hero to defeat the villains and I want love to conquer all. Going along with that idea, when I read a Nicholas Sparks novel-- I go in anticipating some drama. Whether it is a love triangle, life- threatening disease, a war or an insane ex set out for revenge. But these extreme aspects make the simple moments more powerful. I also, enjoy Nicholas Sparks novels because he writes about actual people. Not superheroes or immortal beings, but about people you could meet on the street. Flawed individuals, with real-life decisions. And I think this is one of the reasons, Nicholas Sparks novels are so popular-- because the characters are relateable.
Though Nicholas Sparks is notorious for having us readers become incredibly invested in the characters' lives, just to throw us a curve ball (usually a life altering curve ball), "The Choice" is no different. I mean it's basically spelled out in the title.
To be honest, I haven't gotten around to reading this book until now (there are just so many books to read, and so little time to read them all). But when I found out, there was going to be a film adaptation made-- I dove right in. I admittedly, tend to be critical of film adaptations if I read the novel first, however if I see the movie and then read the book, I have a difficult time separating the actors from the characters. So, for "The Choice" I wanted to first read the book and then see the movie (because lets be honest, I'm a sucker for an epic love story).
"The Choice," is told from two different time periods. We learn the about the main characters, Travis Parker and Gabby Holland through flashbacks. We see their relationship evolve from hostel neighbors, to reluctant friends and beyond. When we first meet Travis, he has his life figured out. He is a veterinarian, confident and has everything he could ever want. When we meet Gabby, on the outside she seems to have her life together, but inside she is racked with insecurities and doubts--everything from career indecision to relationship fears. But when the two meet, their differences make one another better. Travis allows Gabby to flourish, while Gabby gives Travis purpose.
At first, I thought "The Choice" was going to be another love triangle story. One woman torn between two men, but the story unfolded in a different way. The chemistry between Travis and Gabby, which lead to love, was undeniable. They brought the best out of each other, without trying to alter one others' core personality. Their relationship evolved quickly but it was a natural progression-- I did feel that the speed in which they "fell in love" was rapid. However, the way Sparks wrote their relationship, made it seem as if they had known one another longer. It did help that Sparks established a friendship first (for a time) before jumping into a romantic relationship.
The story continues through Travis and Gabby's life together-- building a home together, getting married and even having children. These portions of the novel, were told through flashbacks, but we were given "current" time told through Travis point of view.
But when tragedy strikes, Travis' world is turned upside down. After a serious car accident, Gabby remains in a coma. Month after month, Gabby's condition does not improve and Travis is left with an impossible decision. He literally has Gabby's life in his hands.
"Every path you take, leads you to another choice."
"The Choice," continues to give us insight into the depth of love Travis has for Gabby and vice versa. Their relationship is pure and intense romantic love-- filled with trust, strength and the choices they (we) make to overcome the barriers life has, in order to be with the ones they (we) love. Now I don't want to give away the ending, but I will say I laughed and I cried throughout the story. But more importantly I envied the love between Travis and Gabby.
As you can probably tell, I really enjoyed "The Choice." It made me think about the choices I make throughout my day and the decisions that have shaped the person I am.
I am looking forward to seeing the movie and comparing the two.
What do you think? How far would you go for the person you love? What are you hoping to see in the film? Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
For now, I say good night and hope that the my random ramblings have peeked your inner bookworm.
~BL
Hello to all of you lovelies! So, this week I have my first February book review on, "Passenger," written by Alexandra Bracken.
"Passenger" follows Henrietta "Etta" Spencer, a 17 year old, violin prodigy as she discovers the real story behind, her family's lineage. When I first heard of "Passenger" I was excited to read it; I found the concept of a time travelling, treasure hunt, to be incredibly fascinating. Especially, after reading and loving the "Ruby Red" trilogy, written by Kerstin Gier. I was looking forward to going on new and different adventures, and following Etta as she discovered her true destiny.
In saying that, Bracken's time- travelling world has many different levels, so I want to begin with a break-down of the world Bracken created. There are specific "rules" to time travel, and as Etta learns the rules, we as readers learn them. This type of story-telling reminded me a little, to how J.K. Rowling told "Harry Potter," in the sense that as Harry learned, we the readers, learned. However, unlike in "Harry Potter," Etta does not have people willing to help and explain the rules to her initially. Instead she is thrust into this bizarre and confusion world, with no guidance or explanation. She is just expected to adapt and move forward, which surprisingly she is able to do (to some extent).
As we begin piecing together the "rules" of time travel--we learn that the passages used for travelling, not only move a person through time, but also through space. For example, we begin the story in modern day New York, but the first passage Etta travels through, brings her to the Atlantic Ocean on a pirate ship in the year 1776. We learn that the passages are connected to one specific year and location, and if you wish to travel back to the day you left, the traveler must wait an entire year in order to return (ie: if a traveler leaves September 1st and wants to return home on that day, they have to live in the decade/century they traveled to, until it is September 1st again).
"The best way to explain this is to think of the timeline as a kind of... constant, roaring stream. It's path is set, but we create ripples by jumping in and out. Time corrects itself the best it can to keep later events consistent. But if a small change snowballs into a much larger one, or it a traveler's actions are devastating enough it can actually shift the flow of the timeline, thereby changing the shape of the future from that point on."
We also, discover that time travelling is limited to those who have inherited the gene from their families. Throughout history there have only been four families to travel through time. But over the years--after civil wars, power struggles and rebellions, there is now only one surviving family-- the Ironwood family. Except we find out that Etta and her mother are the sole survivors of a rival family, the Lindens. Which brings us to the real reason Etta begins to travel. Cyrus Ironwood the patriarch of the Ironwood family kidnaps Etta and her mother, Rose. Cyrus Ironwood then threaten's Rose's life and forces Etta to travel to find the last existing astrolabe, a device that aids in time-travel (however we find out later that the astrolabe is actually significantly more powerful then we were first lead to believe).
This creates obstacles for the "Passenger" characters, especially when Rose, leaves clues for Etta throughout history to follow. Bringing Etta to London 1940, Paris 1880 and Bhutan 1910. Fortunately, Etta is aided in her travels by the charming and chivalrous sailor/pirate Nicholas Carter. Who we met on board the Challenger, the pirate ship in 1776.
Nicholas is bribed into helping Etta at first, by Cyrus Ironwood, but eventually forfeits his fortune because of his feelings for Etta.
I've enjoyed the path that "Passenger" has taken so far, but there are aspects of the story that have me struggle to relate or develop any sympathy for some of the characters. For starters, though I like Nicholas and believe he is a crucial character, the first time he sees Etta he has this overwhelming urge to protect her. Even as he was pulling her out of the ocean, he was "willing" her not to die. And as the surgeon was resuscitating Etta, Nicholas remarks on how he didn't like the way the other men aboard the ship were observing her. This is escalated further, during the crew dinner. Both Nicholas and Etta make rash decisions, jump to one another's defense and feel protective over someone they only just met. In addition, this plot-line was fairly predictable, within moments of meeting Nicholas, the readers know that Etta and Nicholas will fall "in love."
However, personally, I found that the romance happened pretty quickly--they have only known one another for a few weeks and both Etta and Nicholas are trying figure out their "forever" plan. Not to mention the "love scene" in Bhutan, it escalated quickly-- going from 0 to 60 in just a few minutes. Now don't get me wrong, I love a great romance plot and I loved the little moments they shared together, like when they were in the London tunnel during the bombing or in Paris after Nicholas thought he saw his mother. But in some instances the romance felt out of place-- like Etta should really be more focused on saving her mother's life, instead of furthering a relationship with a potential boyfriend (who by the way is 240 years older than her).
Also, at times Etta seems quite independent, self-sufficient and strong. But more often then not, Nicholas is fulfilling the role of her protector and bodyguard, but also the person piecing the clues together. At those moments, it was frustrating to read because I was trying figure out what Etta's role was and why she has relinquished so much control. Especially when Rose's clues were targeted to Etta's life and experiences.
Lastly, I found several points that were similar to the "Ruby Red" trilogy. Both stories have the heroin on a type of scavenger hunt and both focus on a rare device that aids in time travel, as well as having one leader pulling the strings, while existing in the past. Not to mention, both stories utilize a biological gene, which allows a select few individuals to travel through time. Though there are similarities between the stories, there a quite of few differences. I liked how Bracken combined all of the elements and gave Etta a unique perspective. Bracken's idea of a "blank slat" was creative, and it explained (to some degree) as to, why Rose did not tell Etta about the time-travelling world. Also, Bracken's use of music was an interesting way in connecting Etta's passion and her destiny. I also, enjoyed how the story was told from both Nicholas and Etta's points of views. It gave readers a little more back-story and history to the time-travelling world.
Also, I do feel that because I did read the "Ruby Red" trilogy, I might be a bit critical of "Passenger." However I want to reiterate, that I did enjoy "Passenger" quite a bit. I found the origin of each families' lineage interesting, and I liked how there are Guardians-- like Alice, or members of each family throughout history (time and space) that guide and protect the travelers. I think these aspects are clever and unique, which makes "Passenger" a different type of time-travelling story. I am also, looking forward to see how the next book unfolds.
I am eager to see what Nicholas' next steps are after the cliffhanger and how Sophia will fit in with his plan. I'm really hoping that Rose kindof steps up, in the next book. Rose's character bothered me, I felt that Rose was only interested in Etta when it benefited her. And I'd like to see how Etta and Rose's relationship either grows or fizzles, because of the disclosure of secrets-- like who is Etta's father or will Rose come clean about Alice.
But my biggest hope for the second book, is to see more of Alice. I love the Alice character (both the old and young version), Alice is such an important person in Etta's life, and I like to see how Alice will fit into the next story. Maybe there could be some Nicholas/Alice scenes? Since they are the two people the care about Etta the most, maybe they could work together to figure out how to find her.
I liked how "Passenger" left off on a cliffhanger, it makes me excited to read what happens next. I do have some questions, but I think that's only normal. Hopefully we'll have those answers in the second novel (though I anticipate once one question is answered, there will be a dozen more new questions). I'm eager to see where Etta ended up, if Nicholas will find her, and how the events in "Passenger" effected or changed the future/ Etta's present.
What do you think? Where would you like to go, if you could travel throughout time? What are you hoping to see in the next book? Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
For now, I say good night and hope that the my random ramblings have peeked your inner bookworm.
~BL
But first things first, the cast. As I have said in the past, when I read, I visualize the characters in great detail and when I see a film version of the story, I find it difficult (at times) to separate my version of the character. So when the actor differs, I can become frustrated. However, I am more forgiven of the physical appearance if the personal matches. And this was the case with "The Choice."
