Safe Haven

I bought Nicholas Sparks' newest novel, Safe Haven, when it was first released in September 2010. My university studies meant that I wasn't able to crack open the book until recently. Let's just say that I spent a good few months staring wistfully at the novel's spine in my bookcase. But, after finally completing the read, I'm not even sure where to start with my review.

Two days ago I had no intention to write a review for this book. Actually, a hour ago I thought this was a quick little read before I ventured into more hard-hitting literary work. Seems I was mistaken.

What has lead me to write a few chosen words on Sparks' work? The ending. The last fifty pages were suspenseful and full of twists. Unfortunately, the rest of Sparks' work contained numerous grammatical errors and a tedious plot line.

Sparks' plot line is based on a 20-something woman escaping a physically abusive marriage. The lead-up to her escape, how she escapes, her new relationships, and of course, her husband's relentless search to find and murder her are described in detail. The plot echoed so many other stories concerning domestic abuse that it was hard to remain engaged with the novel.

I have noticed a lot of shifts in Sparks' writing style of late. As a longtime reader of Sparks, I can recall his beautifully crafted tales such as The Notebook and A Walk to Remember. However, Sparks seems to be on a crime/suspense/criminal bent in his most recent works. I miss Sparks' old-fashioned, romantic, and drama-filled stories of the past.