Bibliofemme Bookclub An Irish Bookclub

Although Nicholas Sparks is a familiar name, I had never read anything by him until very recently. Well known for his works of fiction, which include The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and Message in a Bottle, my first encounter with Sparks was actually Three Weeks with my Brother, a memoir that he penned with his brother Micah’s assistance.

True Believer is Sparks’ ninth book and eighth work of fiction. As I haven’t read anything else by him – apart from his factual collaboration with his brother – I have nothing to compare this to. However, True Believer would not inspire me to race to the bookshop and buy up his other work.

Cynical New York science journalist Jeremy Marsh accepts an invitation to investigate the cause of mysterious lights that appear in a cemetery in Boone Creek, North Carolina. Arriving in the small community, the sophisticated Jeremy finds himself the centre of attention. When he meets the town’s librarian, Lexie Darnell, he finds his attention shifting away from the task at hand.

In a predictable fashion, Jeremy and Lexie have both been hurt by love and are fearful of their feelings for each other. It does amaze me how people in novels tend to fall emotionally and very conveniently in love in the space of a couple of days. Some authors can make you nearly believe this could happen, unfortunately Sparks in not one of them.

This story has two plots, one being the mystery of the Boone Creek lights, and the other the love story between Jeremy and Lexie. Neither is gripping enough to carry the book and the entire plot lacks depth. The book is a feel-good love story and, while it doesn’t necessarily evoke strong enough feelings to throw it against a wall, it doesn’t evoke any feelings at all. I am amazed, based on this calibre of work, that Sparks seems to enjoy a permanent spot at the top of the New York Bestsellers List.