The Last Song (novel)
| Company type | Publishing company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Products | Books |
The Last Song is a 2009 novel penned by American writer Nicholas Sparks. Marking his fourteenth published work, this book was crafted expressly to serve as the foundation for the film adaptation titled The Last Song. Published on September 1, 2009, through Grand Central Publishing, the narrative follows Veronica “Ronnie” Miller during her seventeenth summer, a period in which she rebuilds her relationship with her distant father through their mutual passion for music.
Plot
Veronica "Ronnie" Miller, a 17-year-old teenager facing challenges, resides with her mother Kim in New York, while her father Steve lives separately in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Following their parents’ separation, Kim sends Ronnie and her younger brother Jonah, aged 10, to spend the summer with Steve. While Jonah welcomes the trip enthusiastically, Ronnie feels reluctant and unhappy about leaving home.
Shortly after arriving, Ronnie slips away to a beachside carnival where she encounters Will Blakelee, an affluent volleyball player who accidentally spills soda on her. She also meets Blaze, another outsider, and observes Blaze’s boyfriend Marcus performing a fireball act before authorities arrive. When Marcus makes inappropriate advances toward Ronnie, she quickly departs.
Ronnie finds a clutch of Loggerhead turtle eggs endangered by raccoons and takes it upon herself to safeguard them by camping nearby. She discovers that Will volunteers at the local aquarium and gradually develops a close bond with him through their numerous conversations on the beach.
Later, Ronnie learns that her father is battling cancer. As his health declines, she joins Jonah and Will in completing a stained glass window project while composing a piano song dedicated to Steve. Pastor Harris installs the window in the new church. Kim briefly returns to bid farewell and take Jonah home; however, Ronnie chooses to stay with Steve. Although Will leaves for Vanderbilt University in August, he comes back for Steve’s funeral and shares his intention to attend Columbia alongside Ronnie.
Release
On July 11, 2009, plans for a book tour promoting The Last Song were revealed, spanning approximately 13 cities. Despite its relatively short length, the novel debuted at number one on several weekly bestseller lists including Publishers Weekly, New York Times hardback fiction rankings, and the Wall Street Journal fiction chart. According to sales data compiled by USA Today, which tracks across multiple formats, The Last Song was the top-selling book during its initial week. It slipped to second place the following week due to the launch of Dan Brown’s eagerly awaited sequel The Lost Symbol, continuing from The Da Vinci Code.
Film adaptation
The cinematic version of The Last Song premiered in the United States on March 31, 2010. Diverging from previous adaptations of Sparks’s novels, Sparks co-authored the screenplay with his college friend Jeff Van Wie prior to writing the novel itself. Directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her first feature film role, the cast includes Miley Cyrus portraying Ronnie, along with Greg Kinnear, Liam Hemsworth, Kelly Preston, and Bobby Coleman.
