Book Review - ‘Safe Haven’ by ‘Nicholas Sparks’

Source: Aayonlinestall

‘Safe Haven’ is a novel written by Nicholas Sparks, who is known to be one of the best-selling authors in the New York Times. The novel was written in 2010, and later in 2013, it was adapted into a movie by the same name. The setting of the novel is in the small town of Southport, North Carolina, just like many other novels by the author. The home state of the author is used as a backdrop to his romances, depicting the beauty and history of the state as the central motif.

Introduction-

Book’s Name- Safe Haven

Author’s Name- Nicholas Sparks

Genre- Romance, Drama

Adapted in Safe Haven ( A film released in 2013)

Language- English

About the Book-

Katie, a young woman with a mysterious past, flees from her home in Boston and lands up in the small town of Southport, North Carolina. Her sudden arrival raises numerous questions about her past, and later, also reveals a number of dark secrets.

Initially, when Katie arrived in Southport, she just had enough money to pay a month's rent for an old cabin and nothing more. After having changed a number of jobs, she finally ends up working as a waitress at Ivan’s, a fine diner. During her stay, she tries to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships- one with Alex Wheatley, a widowed store owner, who had a kind and caring heart, and also with two young children, the other person being Jo, Katie’s neighbour.

When Katie used to visit Fisher’s, Alex’s store, to buy her daily groceries, Alex soon grew attracted to her and also started to try and make small conversations with her. Katie was soon drawn toward his children, especially his five-year-old daughter, Kristen. Later, Katie is introduced to her new neighbour, Jo. Sometimes, Katie and Jo used to spend their evenings together by sharing a bottle of wine and talking about their lives.

Katie slowly begins spending more time with Alex and his children. One evening when Alex visits Katie for dinner, Katie slowly opens up to Alex and reveals her true identity. She tells him that her real name was Erin, and also talks about her escape from Boston, and more importantly, from her abusive and dominating husband- Kevin. Jo, who initially seemed to push Katie towards Alex, suddenly warns her to leave Alex if she is not fully sure and is not ready to commit.

On the other hand, Katie and Alex’s relationship starts growing stronger. Meanwhile, Kevin continues to search for Katie. After a neighbour’s death, Kevin finds out about the secret friendship that Erin had with the neighbour’s daughter, Katie Feldman, and he later realizes that Erin might have stolen Katie’s identity. After taking help from a friend, Kevin finds that a license had been recently issued by the name of Katie Feldman in Southport.

One night, when Alex is not home, and Erin is alone with her children, the house is soon lit to fire and Kevin waits downstairs for her with a gun. At the end of the whole drama, Kevin dies, and Erin and Alex come back together. Erin is also fully determined to fulfil Alex’s ex-wife Carly's final wishes.

About the Author-

The author of the novel is Nicholas Charles Sparks. He was born on 31st December 1965 (current age 56) in Nebraska, United States. He is an American novelist, screenwriter, producer, and philanthropist. To date, he has published twenty-two novels and two non-fiction books, some of which have been New York Times Best Sellers, with over 115 million copies sold worldwide in more than 50 different languages.

Nicholas Sparks lives in North Carolina, where he contributes to a variety of local and national charities. He also sets many of his novels in that area. In 2011, he launched the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to improving cultural and international understanding through global education experiences for students of all ages.

The Theme of the Book-

The book deals with the theme of hope, working against the theme of despair. It is Erin’s despair about her past life- which especially includes her relationship with her abusive and drunkard husband, that leads her to flee from Boston. This despair makes her change her identity and elope far away from her home so that she can cut off all the ties with her past. Once she reaches Southport and starts a new independent life there, she also starts a romantic relationship with Alex- this gives her hope for a better future.

Famous Quotes-

‘Everyone has a past, but that’s just it- it’s in the past. You can learn from it, but you can’t change it.’
‘That’s the thing about life. A lot of the time, it isn’t easy at all. We just have to try to make the best of it.’
‘I truly believe that while love can hurt, love can also heal…’
‘Love doesn’t mean anything if you’re not willing to make a commitment.’
‘It’s never too late to do the right thing.’

Conclusion

‘Safe Haven’ truly has all the trademarks of being a good novel- a love story, secrets in spades, and deep friendships. It is truly one of the best novels written by Sparks.

My ratings for the book: 4.2 out of 5

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Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks: Safe Haven

Written by- Pranika Kothari