Tragic
2006.05.28To all those reading this, please raise your hand if you like tragic stories.
Okay, you can put down your hand now. Not only do you look funny raising your hand in front of a computer monitor but I cannot see you anyway so there’s no way I can tell how many of you actually raised your hands.
Seriously, this entry is my follow up to my previous post. Remember I was ranting about how I went back to reading books to find even an ounce of inspiration to keep this blog going? Anyway, the book I read was Nicolas Sparks‘ “A Walk To Remember”. I wasn’t expecting to read this book given the fact that the lead actress who played in the movie adaptation was Mandy Moore. Not that I despise her, I just have this disdain for teenage pop stars. I have NOT seen the movie before I read the book. Being open-minded, I looked past that and read the book anyway.
So, how was the story? Well, it was okay but rather predictable. The boy’s persona was that of your typical passive guy who loved making fun of people among other things. The girl was the exact opposite of the boy — helpful, obedient and conservative. Events in their lives somehow found a way to intertwine. They both fell in love. Then the boy discovers that the girl is dying and decides to marry her. The girl eventually dies and the boy probably starts singing Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” in his head. LOL!
Ah, tragic stories are so, well, tragic! I wonder what it is about stories like these that make some people starry-eyed wishing that it, too, was the story of their lives. I guess I will never know just yet.
I think Mandy Moore is a decent actress and singer. Anyway, I’ve seen the movie and I’ve shed buckets over it but I have yet to read the book. Nicholas Sparks is the master of romance novels. Hehe.
Comment by Roanne — 2006.05.29 @ 12:20
Why is it that the greatest “love stories” always end up in tragedy? Think Romeo and Juliet, Samson and Delilah, and of course that early 70’s weeper “Love Story”…
Comment by snglguy — 2006.05.29 @ 14:40
i actually liked that movie when i first saw it….
then it got overshown and overused…i got sick of it…
Comment by claudzki — 2006.05.29 @ 19:52
@ Roanne: I must admit that Nicholas Sparks’ style of writing is admirable. ;D
@ snglguy: I think it’s to make most people realize how fortunate they are to still have someone to love and to not take that for granted. Just my 2 cents.
@ claudzki: I haven’t seen the movie but the owner of the book said that it was different from the novel. :D
Comment by ric — 2006.05.30 @ 11:04
i didn’t expect it would be that book you’ll be reading.. hehe your sister was right, girly stuff.. hehe
Comment by shane — 2006.05.30 @ 11:37
i’m not a sucker for love stories may it be a book or movie. there’s one movie that made me cry though. it was Beyond Borders starred by Angelina Jolie’na and Clive Owen.
Comment by dora — 2006.05.30 @ 13:36
Whenever I encounter the words, “A Walk to Remember”, I’m always reminded of the movie, “A Walk in the Clouds”. I watched a few minutes of “A Walk to Remember” on HBO, but I did not finish it. I got bored, I think. A movie is not the book, of course, so I can’t judge the book by its film adaptation.
Oh, and I liked “A Walk in the Clouds”. I didn’t care for Keanu Reeves wooden acting, but Aitana Sanchez-Guijon (spelling?) was great. And I loved the simplicity of the story. I only watched it because it was an assignment in English, but I ended up liking it.
Comment by carlmans — 2006.05.30 @ 17:43
Finishing a book like that must have been a feat for you ;-D Congratulations! Getting in touch with your sensitive side, eh? I like the emotions depicted in the book. Tragic, heart-wrenching, heartwarming story of true love. A rare event in real life which I think is the reason why a lot of people responded to the movie and the film. GGA! ;-D
Comment by mae — 2006.06.01 @ 8:46
@ shane: I wasn’t expecting to have read it either. But, there was nothing else to read and I got really bored. So …
@ carlmans: Uh, I haven’t watched “A Walk in the Clouds” so I can’t agree (or disagree) with you on your comment.
@ mae: It wasn’t really a feat for me. I like reading and I read almost anything that sparks my interest. Sensitive side? Perhaps. Thanks for lending me your book. ;-D
Comment by ric — 2006.06.01 @ 8:56
gugmang gi atay? the heckz goin on with u ric…
Comment by mungkey — 2006.06.01 @ 8:58
@ mungkey: Nothing is wrong with me, demmit! LOL!
Comment by ric — 2006.06.02 @ 7:46
Speaking of tragic stories, the most tragic one I’ve read is “Peter and Wendy” a.k.a. “Peter Pan” by JM Barrie. It’s a story about a Peter, a boy who wouldn’t grow up and couldn’t love Wendy the way she wants, and about Wendy who has to grow up but will always love Peter. Peter will always have Wendy’s hidden kiss.
Awwwwwwwwwww… Hehe… :)
Scottish authors are the best story tellers in the world. IMO.
Comment by carlmans — 2006.06.02 @ 10:33
If you like tragic, you should watch Korean dramas. Haha, dba big on tradegy yung mga yun? I heard hit na hit na yan sa Pinas ngayon…
Btw, ‘I loved A Walk to Remember’ cuz it was one of the very few movies which made me cry. I read the book too, but I thought the movie was better.
Comment by April Zara — 2006.06.03 @ 2:35
The movie is very very loosely based on the book. It’s like they took the basic premise (bad boy meets good girl, they fall in love, girl has terminal illness, boy is transformed) then transplanted the time to the present day, and then basically just threw in other mushy stuff. ;)
Comment by Noelle De Guzman — 2006.06.08 @ 15:02