The Guardian
(NICHOLAS SPARKS)
Julie
Barenson becomes a widow at 25 when her new husband Jim dies of cancer. After
his death, a puppy is delivered to her house with a backdated note from Jim
saying he wants her to be happy. She names the dog Singer and tries to move on
with her life in a small coastal North
Carolina town.
Years pass
and Singer grows into his Great Dane frame. Julie tests the dating waters with
Richard Franklin, a consultant new to town. Jim''s best friend Mike realizes he
loves Julie, but must watch from the wings as she goes out with Richard. After
a few dates, Julie breaks up with Richard and Mike gets the nerve to tell Julie
how he feels.
However,
Richard isn''t ready to let Julie go. A budding relationship between Julie and
Mike is strained by Richard''s obsessive behavior. Even Singer is suspicious of
Richard and asserts his role as The Guardian.
Fans of
Nicholas Sparks may be surprised by this departure from his usual tales of
everlasting love. The author notes at the end of the novel that he wanted to
write a piece that added elements of suspense and peril to his
usual love story. Much of The Guardian concentrates on Richard''s
dangerous behavior while the romance between Julie and Mike is on hold.
Sparks maintains a good level of suspense
and moves the story along at a decent pace. Much of the drama comes from the
characters'' inability to act on their suspicions. The conclusion is easily
predictable from the beginning of the novel and Sparks'' tendency to italicize key points
for emphasis lessens the mystery of what''s to happen in the coming pages.
Still, Sparks is to be commended
for branching out to suspense fiction. He rises up to his own personal
challenge to find the right balance between love story and thriller. Small
criticisms aside, he definitely pulls it off .
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