It was one of the most enduring moments in my life when on my recent visit to Chennai a very close friend of mine gifted me with this charismatic novel titled ’’LOVE STORY’’.I must admit that I belong to that category of readers who are reluctant when it comes to reading romantic novels.And this is primarily the reason why I choose to call it charismatic more than romantic!I still can’t figure out as to what made me believe that this novel would be peculiar(perhaps the backside cover reviews were too good to resist!!).
To begin with, LOVE STORY is more than just a ’love story’.I’ve heard and read plenty of reviews and opinions about LOVE STORY, right from being a ’trend setter for romantic novels’ to ’the mother of all romantic novels’, from being humorous to heartbreaking, from being sad to sensitive.But for me what makes LOVE STORY a cut above the rest is the pragmatic approach it displays throughout.It is not just a love story because it teaches us that ’’death is the greatest truth ever known to man’’.It makes us realise how often we forget to thank God during our good times and only remember him during tough times.
Erich Segal has depicted each and every scene in such a magical way that we can’t help but sustain the vicarious feeling within ourselves right throughout the novel.As a writer Eric Segal has done exceptionally well and what makes him a class act is his magnificent use of words(although I feel he could have done away with the slang american stuff!}.Personally for me, the climax where Olliver breaks down into his father’s arms after informing him about Jennifer’s death is one of the most wonderfully written scene in this novel.It is a fair testimony to the fact that no matter how hard we try to hate our parents and ridicule them for various wrongdoings, the truth remains that they will always be our beloved and we will always fall back on them at some point in our life.
It is extremely difficult for me to sum up Erich Segal’s masterpiece because as Olliver says, ’’i dont think I posses the vocabulary’’ to aptly appreciate the author’s efforts and do justice to the talents of this genius called ERICH SEGAL.