content: A truly great love story should be about real people with real faults and real warts. Sparks writes his story about handsome Noah who reads poetry, works incredibly hard, communes with natures, and loves intensely and steadfastly. Allie is incredibly beautiful and soulful (or so we are told, although we are shown no evidence of it) and a tremedously talented artist. The first half of the book is told with all the depth of a fairy tale. What isn't fairy tale is cliche. There's even a scene where they are caught in the rain and he can't help but notice her erect nipples protruding against her wet dress. The second half becomes slighter better, but is marred by the same lack of reality. Allie is still perfect, even in her old age and disease. Her memory is her only deficit. There is no real substance here, just lovely fluffy cotton candy.