This story is about a 17-year-old boy named Landon Carter. During the course of this story he finds out the hard way that life is too short to care about what others think. You can miss out on a lot of things if other people's opinions are more important than your own. He decided early on that an acquaintance of his named Jaime Sullivan wasn't beautiful, special, or anybody worth getting close to. He thought this, however, because it was the most agreed upon thing among him and his friends. His opinion of her does completely change during their senior year in high school but by then it is too late. For this reason this book fits into two genres. It fits in with a romance since Landon tries to prove to his new found love how he truly feels even though everyone thinks he is crazy and it also fits into a tragic genre. In the end they both get what the always wanted but it isn't too long after this that she dies. Landon's life is very detailed and is written how a 17 year old would really talk. It is because of the amount of detail that there is so much imagery. Even the little things that happen are explained in very descriptive sentences. Everything that Landon says is also very straight forward. If he is saying or thinking something mean it isn't sugar coated. “First you will smile, and then you will cry- don't say you weren't warned.” (Sparks, xiii) this quote is very accurate. Normally I don't go for the sad love stories but this one I enjoyed. It doesn't seem farfetched or unrealistic in any way. Everything in this story could be true and while you are reading it you can't help but think it is. No Nicolas Sparks' wife didn't die soon after they were married in real life but you get the impression that she did when you finish this bittersweet story.