I first read this book more than a decade ago, before it was widely popular and long before it became a movie. A fellow book loving friend recommended it so I picked up a copy and it instantly became one of my favorites.
This is one of those books that polarizes people. Either you love it or hate it. I haven't figured out what predisposes a person one way or the other, but I've never encountered anyone who thought it was just okay.
I've heard this book described as a romance novel and I guess I can see why, but a better description is to call it an epic love story. I had never read anything quite like it. At the time when I first read it, I was going through my divorce and I think this book crawled into the hole in my heart!
Even though the premise is far fetched, the characters are relate-able. My heart ached for them and rejoiced for them. It's a sprawling story that takes some time to get used to but once you get into it, you'll get swept up!
I was hesitant to watch the movie version because I love the book so much and my concerns were justified. While the film is probably lovely if you've never read the novel, I found it had too many holes and simply didn't do the book justice. Unfortunately that's not uncommon when it comes to book versus movie!
If you've read this book, what side of the polar opposites are you on and why? If you haven't please add it to you TBR list today!
