Nicholas Sparks is a Better Writer than Jane Austen: A Serious Review

by Krysta Tawlks

In a world full of breakups and divorces, dead ends and gluten intolerances, we really need something to cling to…hope. Nicholas Sparks gives us hope that out there, we’re going to find a manly man, good at outdoors things with the ability to grow a full beard. He has a chiseled chin and abs that turn pancakes into waffles. Two people of modest backgrounds and fantastic figures, dreams and hopes, insecurities and flaws, meet and spark. Sparks turn to flames, passion, kissing in the rain—the perfect ingredients for undying love to blossom.

As for Austen, we have a world of extravagance and elegance, and our dashing hero imbibes that world without flinching. He's not perfect, but he does have a perfect jawline, and the landscaping around his castle is well-kept by the most talented of Edward Scissorhands' apprentices. Austen gives us a task--fix that man, inspire him or woo him with our minds. The most famous of Austen's stories end in uniting unlikely couples against all odds--family disapproval, class differences, and scandal.

Both authors create a man who bestows his undying love on only one woman no matter the competition, time apart, or obstacles he faces. That's devotion, Stan. Loyalty. Sparks and Austen serve up a man with a wellspring of adoration for the beauty of his woman—body and mind.

However, there is a stark difference. While Austen ends her stories happily, Sparks is smarter than that. There is no such thing as a prince charming or a perfect world with a perfect ending. This is when Spark pulls the plug…and kills someone off in every one of his books. All those beautiful stories that he builds up larger than life are just dreams. Sparks knows this, his readers know this, and that’s why he aims his pen at the majestic unicorn of our romantic hopes and pierces it through the heart. Then, we watch those dreams flop on the lush grass and die a glorious death.

Austen does not have the nerve to shoot the dreams she creates, not even to maim it, but there's no way Darcy and Elizabeth's story ends happily. Not with Wickham's wickedness and Lady Catherine's big mouth. Sparks is clearly the better writer, presenting his beautiful story while having the maturity and presence of mind to share the moments Austen would shrink away from. He forces us to face the reality, that love can be sad, disappointing and short-lived. The death of our hopes is shocking, electrifying, and freeing as his reader knows the truth.

It’s just fiction.

Stan’s review—Jane Austen is way better than Nicholas Sparks.

Daredevil, Skittles and Jesus: A Serious Review

by Krysta Tawlks

April 17, 2015

If you have been described as happiness in a bottle, a bundle of joy, or eternally optimistic, then you should watch this show.

Why? Only a person unwaveringly upbeat and impervious to depression can watch this show without succumbing to dread, anxiety, or scary dreams.

Daredevil, or Dared(evil) as I like to say, is an original Netflix show that starts out dark literally and figuratively. Even daytime scenes look like you’re watching everything through sunglasses. The brooding lead actor—that British guy from Stardust—speaks in a calm voice about the devilish deeds he will commit. I did not know the devil was a Catholic. I sense a joke at the expense of the Catholic Church on the tip of my tongue…No, it’s gone. I lost it.

Our introduction to the main character is promising. Matt Murdock has a cute smile and visual impairment never looked so good. His assistant, Foggy, eked out a couple laughs.

You’ll see blood splatters, stalking, murdering, sharp objects in combat, blunt objects in combat, maniacal speeches…and that’s all from the good guys. Then, the bad guys have their turn. Avert your eyes! No, I’m eating pizza!

Isn’t this a superhero show? It’s nothing you haven’t seen before on TV, but for Marvel…yes, maybe it is the first time.

If you think Foggy, a character meant to lighten the mood, is going to help you through this, you’re wrong. He’s funny, but it’s like a cute little sister braiding your hair while you watch the Passion of the Christ. It doesn’t match and it feels weird.

For anyone with a tendency for brooding or pitiful sighing, I suggest balancing your viewing with some brightly colored foods like Skittles or a donut with sprinkles to help cheer you up…or holding a kitten is also a good idea.



Rating: 4.5/5 stars--For those who can handle darker themes and appreciate deeper characterization. A compelling look at the line between good and evil, and the necessary and/or questionable lengths a hero must go to make something good. Not for children.