The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

From John M. Formy-Duval, for About.com

Grand Central Publishing, 2009

It seems that it took only a moment for The Last Song to reach number one on both the USA Today and New York Times lists of best-selling books. Such is the norm when Nicholas Sparks publishes a new novel. His previous novels, and the films made from them, have created a built-in and extraordinarily loyal audience. And, he is loyal to his audience, always trying to give them what they want.
This audience flocks to the bookstores when a new novel appears on the horizon. It helps that Sparks is as regular as an atomic clock and able to tell listeners at each reading when the next novel is coming out. There is an added twist this time: the movie is almost here. According to news releases, Miley Cyrus had read A Walk to Remember and was interested in some new Sparks project. As it turned out, Sparks was planning a novel about a female protagonist. As he was finishing the novel, he began co-writing a screenplay for The Last Song. So, as easy as that, January 8, 2010 is the release date in a theatre near you, starring Cyrus and Greg Kinnear.

The Last Song has more substance than the usual Sparks novel. It explores the aspects of familial love and the storm and stress that come with having a teenager in the family. The angst generated by a 17-year old female is contrasted with the complete love a 10-year old son has for his father. Secondary themes briefly explore the father's relationship with his ex-wife and with slightly more emphasis on Ronnie's (the teenage daughter) relationship with a new boyfriend. As usual, there are a couple of other permutations that create roadblocks to happiness.
The story is formulaic, but is imbued here with a great deal of life. The formula has each novel begin with a problem. A new player enters the playing field and it seems the problem will go away. This story is familiar. Whether you are a teenager or older, you understand the conflict between parent and child. You understand the difficulties associated with love, especially first love, in all its permutations. The story tugs at one's heartstrings because it is so familiar and this time Sparks gets the reader invested in the story and the culmination of the characters' stories. Of course, there are further complications and problems, but all's well that ends the way life ends. We know, and the novel shows, that love brings both happiness and pain, that when everything seems to be working out the way we want, Life can, and often does, throw us a curveball. As in Elizabethan drama, no matter how dire the apparent ending, there is always an up tick which promises happiness.

The Last Song is more overtly religious than Sparks' previous books, all of which have had a strong moral compass. This does not interfere; rather, it infuses the themes with added depth. The author speaks to the "fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Despite her strands of rebellion, it is fitting that Ronnie's saving grace may be the manner in which she treats children.
Sparks has now had nine number one books on the NY Times' list with 50 million books in print and 4 movies. He continues to live in New Bern, North Carolina and set his novels in the state. The current novel is set on Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington, which, ironically, is the center of television and film production in North Carolina.

http://contemporarylit.about.com/od/fiction/fr/last-song.htm?nl=1