27.1.11

Book Review: One Day by David Nicholls

You can live your whole life not realising what you're looking for is right in front of you.
15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows?
There has been so much hype about this book, I eventually gave in an bought a copy and I believe it is one of the best decisions that I have made so far in 2011!
Emma and Dexter meet the night of their graduation in 1988, they have a one-night stand but decide to keep in touch when they go off to pursue their new lives post university. So we meet Emma and Dexter on 15th July every year, covering their twenties, thirties, right through to the present day. Dexter follows a career in the media, he is hungry for fame and recognition. Meanwhile Emma wants to be a writer but begins her twenties working in a tacky Mexican restaurant, highly depressed and wondering where it all went wrong.
It was so good to see this relationship develop over the years. Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go; there are times when they are disappointed in each other and times when they are bursting with pride. Whatever happens, it always comes back to these two people, Emma and Dexter. David Nicholls has written quite a simple but totally absorbing story. There were so many times when I completely identified with Emma and Dexter. this book really does make you pause and have a good think about everything.
One Day by David Nicholls gives the reader so many emotions; I laughed, I cried, I was frustrated, happy. It seriously does deserve all  of the hype it is getting, I highly, highly recommend that you give it a go.

14 comments:

Karen said...

So glad to hear that you loved this one. I read it last year and thought it was great too. I then went back and read one of his earlier books - Starter For Ten and enjoyed it too - although not as much as One Day.

Irena @ This Miss Loves to Read said...

This one sounds so romantic! I love the sound of it and I'm glad it was a good decision on your part to buy the book. I might check it out myself.

Dot said...

Karen- I really did enjoy it, such a simple idea but brilliant!

Irena- I highly recommend it, I will definitely keep it on my shelves to read again!

Carol said...

I really enjoyed this one too.
I wasnt expecting the sudden turn of events near the end and was not the ending I wanted but still a good story and a favourite for 2010.

carol

Dot said...

Carol- the ending completely threw me- had to reach for the tissues!

Anonymous said...

I just LOVED this book and have actually been talking about it rather a lot agian of late as Paul Magrs has recently read it too! So pleased you loved it Dot!

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Dot,

I haven't read any of David Nicholls work, but judging by everyone's 'Twitter' posts, he is gathering quite a cult following, especially with the release of 'One Day'

There is no way I can't add it to my 'wish list', after reading your glowing review.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Yvonne

Beth said...

Wow 5 Stars :)
I definitely enjoyed this too - I'm tentatively looking forward to the film now :)

nomadreader said...

This book was my first five-star read of 2011. I utterly adored it. I'm looking forward to exploring his other novels now too!

Rebecca Chapman said...

Strangely enough this is the first gpositive review I have heard of this book. A lot of the time I hear people say that that it didn't work well and that they didn't really feel anything for the characters. I am pleased that you enjoyed it.

Dot said...

Simon- I can't keep telling people about it, have just lent it to my sister who I think will love it too!

Yvonne- One of the best that I have read so far this year, just wish I had read it earlier!

Bethan- Me too, doubt it will be as good as the book though!

Carrie- I think I shall try some of his others but they don't seem to get as positive a reaction as this one.

Becky- I have read reviews like that too, I have to say though that I found the characters entirely believable, I felt as though I could identify with aspects of both of them.

jessicabookworm said...

Thank you for sharing Dot I have umming and ahhing over this book for aggges, as I wasn't sure whether the hype was well just that! Your simple review has really summed it up well...I must give it a go :-)

Dot said...

Jessica- Thank you, I really hope that you enjoy it!

Robyn Ryle said...

This sounds intriguing. I just read a book on a completely different topic that also peeked in on one woman's life over long intervales, Everything Good Will Come. I liked it very much as a device, like a curtain is being raised and then dropped again over the course of a person's life.

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