Mar
26 2010
Our Book Club selection for March was The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks.
We were lucky once again to find a batch of discussion questions already prepared on the author’s website! And because we’re like that around here, we’ve added a few of our own questions and cut some of the ones from the author’s site. As always, we encourage veering off topic, so please feel free to bring up anything you would like to discuss about the book.
Here are the discussion questions for The Last Song:
- Did you enjoy The Last Song? Did it make you want to see the movie based on the book?
- Have you read other Nicholas Sparks novels? How do you feel The Last Song compared?
- What did you think of the author’s decision to name each chapter after a character, with the focus being on that character?
- At the start of the novel Ronnie is a difficult teenager who’s prone to acting out and is alienated from both her parents. Were you rebellious as a teenager? How was this manifested? On the other side, have you ever had to deal with a rebellious teenager? Did Ronnie’s behavior touch a nerve?
- What do you think about the very different approaches to parenting taken by Ronnie’s mother and father? Do you think Ronnie’s mother is too intrusive or can you understand her relationship with Ronnie? Do you think Ronnie’s father is too absent, or can you understand why their relationship is the way it is?
- What do you make of Blaze? How would you characterize her relationship with Marcus? Have you ever been in a relationship that was not particularly healthy? Did you stay in the relationship? If so, why?
- Ronnie and Will fall in love very quickly over the course of the summer. Have you ever had a summer romance that became something more than a fling?
- What do you think of the choices Steve and Kim make about his illness? Do you think they were right in keeping it a secret from their children?
- Ronnie makes an important choice at the end of the novel. Would you have made the same choice if you were in her position?
- Do you think Ronnie would have grown and changed as much if she had not spent the summer with her dad? What do you think would have happened if she stayed in New York? What do you think was the biggest catalyst fro her changes?
1. I thought the book was OK. I didn’t really have any problems with it, but I found it a little boring. It did pick up towards the end though, and overall it was a good story.
I wouldn’t go see the movie either way because I really hate Miley Cyrus. I actually had a hard time getting into the book at first because of the Miley connection. Despite my best efforts to avoid any movie trailers before I read the book, I was at a movie where they played the trailer twice in a row, and it was pretty hard to avoid. Ever since then I’ve been unable to picture anyone other than Miley as the main character.
But actress aside, I don’t think reading the book would have made me want to see the movie. It’s a nice story, but I don’t think there’s enough going on to warrant a second visit.
1) I didn’t love the book. I forgot until I was reading it that I am not a huge Nicholas Sparks fan… It was slow and so the climax was even anti-climactic. And it was kind of predicatable. It did make me want to see the movie. But mainly just like I got through the book so I need to see how it is portrayed on screen. Not looking forward to Miley so much.
2) I have also read A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. I recall being similarly disappointed. In theory the stories are good, but never reach full potential. I strangely feel like Sparks’ stories are much better in film version.
3) I don’t mind this method. They do the same in The Help. I like getting different first person perspectives, but found I was disappointed to read certain narrators’ chapters (Marcus). Actually, I kind of thought Marcus and his fireballs were ridiculous. lol
4) I was NOT a rebellious teenager. I was a goodie-two-shoes. LOL And I don’t have kids. I had a hard time buying rebelious Ronnie obsessively trying to save the eggs.
5) Well, Ronnie kind of sucks. Can you blame the mother who is probably not only at her wits end, but KNOWS that Steve is dying. Stressful! That said, I loved Steve. He was my favorite character. He could have done better but he kind of did that “if you love someone, set them free” thing and it seemed to work in his favor. This book reminded me SO MUCH of the movie Life as a House. In fact, if anyone asks, I will refer them on to that movie instead of this book/movie.
6) Blaze was an annoying friend but clearly important for the advancement of the plot. I have known people in that kind of relationship so you can’t blame her too much because she is an insecure teenager.
7) I wish! No summer romances for me. Had a few summer camp crushes though.
8) I didn’t think it was fair. And back to Life as a House, the son yells “You tricked me into loving you” (or something like that). It was rather unfair. Hey, I won’t tell you I am dying until I puke blood all over myself in front of you and your young brother
9) Do you mean the decision to stay with her dad? Yes that was the best thing she did in the book. OF COURSE she better stay with him. How could she in good conscience leave that poor old preacher to watch him die alone. Sad.
10) I think the biggest catalyst for change was being with her father who was so laid back and giving (and how big of a jerk was she that she didn’t take that plywood down before he was almost dead? he didn’t even get to play again!) even though she didn’t deserve it. Also, you have Will who is a guy that normally wouldn’t like her, and he likes her just the way she is. If she had stayed in NYC she would have remained immature and, how sad would it have been if Steve had died and they never made up?
Wow, could my thoughts be much more scattered? I am hoping the movie is better than the book. I like Greg Kinnear as the dad. Good casting. Too bad Sparks is so formulaic (come on, I KNEW someone was going to die, they always do!) and manipulative of your emotions…
Re:
#5 I loved Steve too. He was so much more grounded than the rest of the characters. I suppose knowing your days are numbered will do that though.
#7 – I don’t know if you missed much Lindsay… not many summer romances end the way Ronnie & Will’s did. I had one once. It was wonderful and then it wasn’t. Because summer ended as did our close locations.
#9 – I agree! I was going to be really upset if she decided to leave him at that point. I think this made the difference between it being an OK book and a stupid one.
2. I’ve also read The Choice, and I really liked that one. I love The Notebook movie, but have never read the book to see how they compare. If anyone’s seen the movie and read the book I’d love to know your thoughts on the two!
3. For the most past I liked that each character got a chapter, but then I grew to be disappointed when I’d see certain characters names. (Mainly Marcus and Steve.) I really like Steve but his chapters mostly took place inside his head and I just wanted to get back to the story.
I was kind of a mid-way rebellious teenager. Meaning I rebelled a little, but my parents thought I was a devil. Until my siblings grew up that is. Now I’m the angel of the family. My dad is the biggest control freak in the world, so it was pretty hard NOT to rebel… I’d get in trouble for EVERYTHING.
I’ve seen my much younger siblings doing crazy teen things, but I’m still young enough to remember what it was like so I don’t think they were being all that extreme. I have two friends with extremely rebellious teens that make Ronnie look like a ball of sunshine, so I really don’t think Ronnie was all that bad. She’s not pregnant or on drugs and has a job, so right there she’s ahead of many rebellious teens.
I agree that this was not the best Sparks I have ever read. I used to joke that Sparks is so predictable – you start with a guy and a girl and the book is just how they will get together.
Now I do take that statement back as I have been impressed with some of his current work, Dear John being one of them. The ending surprised me and I was glad for it.
The Last Song however reminded me of the Sparks I have always known. He has almost a cookie cutter format that I tend to avoid in my reading.
I did enjoy the read – but it was not a “must read” by any means. Like others have said here, it is a likable book… almost all of Sparks are, but in my opinion,it lacked substance.
Hi Shelia. I have Dear John at home, but haven’t read it yet. I’m glad to hear that it’s a little better than this one.
A likable book, but lacked substance is a pretty good summary of The Last Song.
First off, I’m sorry that I voted for this book for the pick of the month. I really didn’t like it (which is saying a lot because I love cheesy and predictable books and movies sometimes.) It had a slow start and it was hard to stay focused.
1) Reading the book made me not really want to see the movie. I’ll probably just wait until it hits Netflix, if I decide to watch it.
2) The only other Nicholas Sparks book I have read was a Walk to Remember and at the time I really liked it. I also liked the movie which I saw after reading the book. I remember feeling for the characters in A Walk to Remember more than I did for the ones in The Last Song.
3) I like reading stories from different people’s POV, but I think I would have liked it more if it was in more first person than third. It kind of made me feel detached from the character. I also felt the way he did it made the writing kind of sloppy.
I’ll answer more questions later tonight.
lol. Sorry to hear you were so disappointed Jenn. But I am glad you let us know what you think! Sometimes it’s fun to discuss the bad books too. And rest assured, you’re not alone, it wasn’t getting much love from anyone. I just feel bad that I keep picking such crappy books for the book club. I really think the next batch are going to be an improvement though!
It also makes me laugh that the book turned many of us off the movie… makes me wonder who thought this would be a good one to adapt?
I saw a Walk to Remember and I enjoyed it as well. I blame sll these good movies for tricking me into thinking they must be from good books!
1- I am really enjoying The Last Song. I saw the movie when it first came out in theatres and I am very surprised the movie and the book are a lot alike!
2- This is the first book I have read by Nicholas Sparks but I am planning on reading more!
3- I really liked how the author made each chapter with a different character so you get different views and opinions of the different characters.
4- I am a teenager right now and I can’t say that I am as rebellious as Ronnie nor do I know anyone as rellious as her but I really like her behavior because as some people think she is just bossy and up to no good, I think she is just independant, free and says things as it is and I wish I was like that!
5- I think Ronnie’s relationship with her parents are very much like mine. I can understand why her mom is the way she is and that is only because she basically had to raise her by herself. As for her father, he is just a typical father in my eyes.
6- I can’t say I am very fond of Blaze but I still do like her. I think she wants everything that she can’t have though and always fights for what she loves but in the end doesn’t turn out right. She really needs to learn that she can’t have everything her way.
7- I can relate to Ronnie and Will’s relationship and how they quickly fell in love but I have never been as in love as much and as long as they have and made it work out.
8- No because they deserve to know everything when it involves a life or death situation.
9- Yes, because he needed her.
10- No I don’t believe she would have changed as much if she would have stayed in New York. I think she would have just turned out horrible and not able to handle life hence she had not gone to her dads.
Over all I really loved the book!!