My name is Landon Carter, and I’m seventeen years old. This is my story; I promise to leave nothing out. First you will smile, and then you will cry–don’t say you haven’t been warned.”
A Walk to Remember is a beautifully written book by Nicholas Sparks. It follows the story of a seventeen-year-old high school senior named Landon Carter. At the beginning of the book, Landon is self-centered, rebellious, and sarcastic. However, as readers go through the book, they get to witness the way his character changes and grows into a compassionate and selfless man.
At the beginning of the book, Landon faces a dilemma. He needs a date for homecoming, and all the girls already have a date–well, almost all of them. With only a few choices left, Landon decides to ask Jamie Sullivan to homecoming.
Jamie Sullivan was the daughter of the local Baptist minister. She was plain. She always wore her hair in a tight bun and always wore the same sweater. She never wore makeup. She would carry her Bible around everywhere and even sit by herself at lunch to read it. She often spoke of “the Lord’s plan.” She was also kind to everyone, even the people who teased her. In fact, she was known for being unconditionally cheerful and never saying a bad thing about anything or anyone. She was different. She had never really fit in.
When Landon asked Jamie to homecoming, she agreed to go with him, but only under a strange request, “‘You have to promise that you won’t fall in love with me.’”
At the time, Landon believed this was no problem at all. He didn’t like Jamie. Not even a little.
However, after the homecoming dance, Jamie convinces Landon to audition for the leading male role in their town’s Christmas play. Landon gets the part. This forces him to spend a lot of time with Jamie, who is playing the role of the angel, the lead female role.
At first, Landon loathes the time he has to spend with Jamie. Soon, he finds himself walking her home after rehearsals.
By Christmas, he had fallen hard.
At first, it all feels like a wonderful dream. All too soon, though, Landon discovers that Jamie has been keeping a secret. A secret that will change everything.
A Walk to Remember is a beautiful book with a bittersweet ending about how the life of a seventeen-year-old boy is changed forever. It’s definitely a story to remember.
