Hello everyone!
So I've sort of had to pace myself with this book as I was reading it, because one thing is certain, I would have probably devoured it in one whole night if I gave myself the chance.
Now, normally, when it comes to Nicholas Sparks books, I'm sort of apprehensive; mostly, because for all the salt this man has as a writer, he usually ends up killing someone off and making my tear ducts work out double time. So even though I picked this book up at the bookstore (regardless of the fact that I already have an electronic version OR that there's a nice image of Scott Eastwood on the cover, ahem) I wasn't entirely sure I wouldn't need a whole box of Kleenex the way I would usually do when it boils down to it.
The Longest Ride, being the latest of the writer's books, intrigued me, I have to say, mostly because of the trailer I saw for the movie. I have yet to see the finished product but I have every faith that it might be just as magical as the book was. Because, at the end of the day, the amount of enjoyment I got out of this was probably the most I got in a long, long time.
First off, let me say that there will probably be people who don't like this book. The fact does remain that it doesn't exactly have this big climax, it doesn't have a fight, it doesn't have someone drowning, and it's definitely not something you'd typically consider as Sparks material. So a lot of readers might find it boring.
Me?
Gosh, I loved it.
Maybe it's because I've come to recognize Sparks in his work and how he will usually send a curve ball right through the pages and hit the readers when they least expect it (although granted, I know someone's going to die, one way or the other; it's SPARKS, of course it's going to happen). Or maybe it's because the actual story is, at its core, very basic and very simple, which, after reading many of his books and seeing him go through all sorts of blenders, is a very nice change of pace.
Because at the heart of this book, there's love: for your soulmate, for what you enjoy doing in life, for art, and for life itself.
The Longest Ride is actually two stories rolled in one, and chapters alternate from point of views (although still written in third person for two of the three protagonists): we learn about the life of Ira Levinson, and the story of Luke Collins and Sophia Danko.
Ira's story begins, as he tells it himself, when he's sitting in his car after crashing through the fence and going down a snowy slope late at night; for most of the book, we see him sitting there, struggling to stay alive. He recounts his memories from when he was a little boy and how his immigrant parents, Jews, began a new life in America. His story then evolves to meeting the woman who would eventually become his wife, Ruth, and his undying love and devotion to her. In the middle, we see the devastation of World War II and what it meant for people like Ira and Ruth, the consequences of the devastation it caused, and how they overcame personal problems. Through this all, Ruth appears in the car with Ira, keeping him awake and remembering with him, thinking about the times they spent travelling and collecting art pieces of the twentieth century, modern art that is. During the course of their lives together, they gathered quite a collection of note worthy pieces, but to Ira, it has always been about Ruth, their love and their love of the art, not the money.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have bull rider Luke Collins, who meets art history student Sophia Danko when she and her friends attend an after-event party and her ex gets abusive and dangerous. Luke overpowers him easily enough, and he and Sophia get to talking. Of course, anyone with eyes can see where this is going, and a gentle romance begins between these two unlikely people. They begin to learn about one another, about Sophia's dream to one day work as curator, about Luke's struggles with the family ranch which has been mortgaged to pay off hospital bills from his near-fatal encounter with one of the riding bulls, Big Ugly Critter (the name totally suits the beast). He has a metal plate at the base of his skull, as the bone had been too shattered to repair completely, and each time he rides again, he might die if he lands wrong. This eventually leads to a crossroads for him and Sophia, because she can't accept his decision to risk death, as she won't wait for the news. Eventually, Luke figures out that riding really isn't his only option, and retires, which then leads to a reconciliation for the couple.
The two storylines merge when Luke and Sophia find Ira's car on their way home from a trip, and help him to the hospital, where Sophia reads his last letter to Ruth. Ira passes away during the night; the couple then attend an auction of the paintings collection Ira and Ruth had gathered, which has a rather pretty twist: the first painting to go up is a child's portrait of Ruth, made by one of her former students. No one wants to buy it, until Luke does for about four hundred dollars.
The catch?
In a letter, Ira explains that whoever buys the portrait, will automatically be given ownership over the rest of the collection; as he had never cared about money himself, he figured that if someone was willing to buy a painting by a child, they had the heart he was looking for.
This means Luke is suddenly rich ... and it opens doors. The ranch is therefore saved, although he does set to auction the pieces off, but he and Sophia both agree to take their time and not rush into anything. By the end of the book, Luke drops on one knee and pops the question.
Happily ever after.
I have to admit this was one book I'll probably end up reading again and again, mostly because even Ira's death wasn't something that broke my heart. It was sad, yes, but he was over ninety years old and mourning for his beloved wife, eager to join her, and he passed peacefully enough. And the main coupe didn't go through the usual soap-opera routine, but a rather reasonable conversation and decision making. And they didn't stubbornly hold on to their own views without listening to the other, but actually talked and heard one another out.
And, after all, love requires some sacrifice, right?
The only one I was a bit iffy about was Sophia's best friend, Marcia, who spends the majority of the book confusing Sophia with her stories about Luke being her rebound not an actual relationship. Instead of actually supporting her best friend, what she does is simply confuse her so she doesn't know what to do with herself - or the guy. Which is just fundamentally wrong. Not to mention hooking up with the ex later, but that doesn't last, thankfully. It was just a bit ugh to me.
All in all, however, a definite worth read and I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 stars!
I can't wait to see the movie, either.
xx
*image not mine
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