The Notebook, Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Notebook. 

Did you enjoy reading the first section? The first chapter was so vague, wasn't it? I didn't really have an idea of what the story was going to be about after I read that it. Did having such a vague beginning intrigue you, or did it make you feel frustrated? 

One of the details that first stuck out to me about Noah was that he enjoyed the book Leaves of Grass so much that he brought it to war with him. Did you see that the book actually took a bullet for him? I was curious if books could actually stop a bullet during war, so I did a bit of research. I stumbled upon this article from The Daily Mail that tells about how a pocket Bible saved the life of a soldier during World War I. The article even includes a picture! 

After reading the article about Noah's house in the newspaper, Allie decides to visit him. Were you surprised that she took that drastic step? Obviously, she wasn't completely over him since she was willing to shake up her whole life and future by traveling to see him. She kept it a secret from everyone, so I think she didn't think it was the most honorable thing to do. 

When Noah and Allie reunite, they easily slip into their old relationship. Did you think that was realistic? Do you think Noah should have been more upset when he saw Allie, especially since he never heard from her after she left town the first time? I did think it was good that Allie told Noah about her fiancé early when they reunited, but it didn't seem to slow Noah down at all. 

I know Allie seemed a little conflicted at the end of this section, but once she agrees to meet Noah again, I think she's proving that she is still invested in her relationship with him, and she is willing to risk her engagement to spend more time with Noah. Were you surprised when she agreed to see him again? Where do you think Noah will take her? 

How do you think Allie's fiancé will come back into the story? Surely, we haven't heard the last of him. What about Allie's family? How is this all going to tie back to the first chapter? 

In this story, Noah lives in New Bern, North Carolina. At first, I assumed that it was not a real place because authors often create fictional towns in stories like these. New Bern is real, however, and it looks like a cool town. If you'd like to learn about it, visit its Convention and Visitors Bureau website. One of New Bern's claims to fame is that it's the birthplace of Pepsi. Learn more about that on the Birthplace of Pepsi website, or in these historic Pepsi photos. You can also learn more about New Bern through the Tryon Palace, the original home of North Carolina's governor and now a historical center. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this first section. Make sure to leave all of your first impressions in the comments section. Before you come back next week, try to read the next section, through the "Crossroads" chapter. I hope to hear from you in the comments!