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One Day by David Nicholls


Lukeozade100

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If you go into a bookshop, pull this off the shelf, and see the front cover, orange shadows about to kiss, you might instantly feel this is a quick read, a nice book but not memorable, certainly nothing more than a Saturday night in with a warm drink, the sought of book you happily read a chapter of before going to sleep, but probably no more. But what's that old saying, I think it goes something like 'Never judge a book by it's cover?'

 

Now i'm going to go right out there and say it, this book is truly amazing. It has everything I want in a book like this, wonderfully written characters, wit, beauty, sadness, love. I truly adored it. And so i'm going to give it the honour of me writing the blurb rather than a quick amazon copy and paste job (wish me luck, those people get paid to do that :17:

 

A book spanning twenty years, but only one day at a time? Surely this will be something to match War and Peace in size, but no, we only get One Day a year, and what days they are. The two main characters Emma and Dexter are at university when they meet in 1988 and there lives appear intertwined from then.

 

I'll stop there, I don't want to spoil what is frankly a rollercoaster of generally a feeling of annoyance towards Dexter, but the kind that forces you too keep reading because you want it to go away. But even here I feel I say too much.

 

All I can say is read this, read this and maybe if your still thinking about not reading this, read this. I don't care if you don't like it in the end, you can scream and shout at me all you like for wasting your time, but i'll be happy, cuddled up in bed, in the knowledge that my life is just a little bit sweeter for the enjoyment this book bought me. And if only a few of you feel this way too, then my job here has been done well.

 

Overall 9.5/10 because if this book teaches you anything, it's that life is and never will be perfect. (Though there is one book I would give 10/10 too, maybe one day i'll write you all a review about it...)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I LOVED this book, as a reader of thrillers and epic international books like Half of a Yellow sun- I thoroughly enjoyed this lighter, funny and hugely engaging 'When Harry Met Sally' type story. Ive always liked David Nicholls (Starter for Ten) but he's really come into his own with this mature and warming story of friendship. Its so easy to read you'll fly through it and wish there was more

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I'm waiting for the paperback.

 

I read Starter for 10 a year or two ago and was really enjoying it - right up to the last fifty or so pages (which completely ruined the book for me).

The film, which I think Nicholls wrote the screen play for, was a lot better.

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  • 3 weeks later...

With Starter for Ten, I agree that the film ending is a lot better than the book, but there's such personality in the narrative that is so difficult to capture on film.

 

As for One Day- I devoured it. :D

 

Knowing Nicholls from his other works I was expecting the same light, embarrassing humour but actually found this to be so much more. Its not rocket science or a major social comment, but it makes no suggestion that it is. I found it to be a wonderfully in depth study of sparkling characters and their changing friendship. I loved the When Harry Met Sally element, it brings richness to the central relationship and deprives it of being a silly 'love at first sight' rom-com. It was still hugely funny, but didn't have the relentless jokes quality of Starter for Ten or The Understudy.

 

I also think Nicholls has done a really good job of character development over time. I related really well to Emma's post graduating predicament- and her lack of direction! Its 20 year span gives you a rare perspective on books.

 

I went to see David speak at a literature festival in Durham last year (he's lovely in person by the way!) and I believe he is working on a screen play. Despite his success with Starter for Ten- I'm very wary as to how this will work out with the characters going from 21 and into their 40s... however I will keep an open mind! All I can say is read the book before the film comes out- its such a joy to read.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've just read this, because as another poster said, I was drawn to the cover and enjoyed 'Starter for 10'. I did enjoy it but I knew what was going to happen before the end, which spoiled it a bit. It's a really clever idea though and very well written. It's tempting me to write a 'one day' diary - I have written diaries before but always got bored, but it would be quite interesting to pick a date in the year and then write something about your life/relationships every year and then to look back on it in years to come.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm about 180 pages into this, which is quite good for me in four days, but it's starting to feel a bit rudderless (I don't think it helps that I don't like Dexter very much, I'm pretty much reading it for the Emma updates at the mo!).

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I've just read this and thought the beginning especially was fantastic. I loved Emma, hated Dexter at times but got totally caught up with their stories.

 

I liked the concept of writing about just that one day each year.

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Do not read the following unless you like your books majorly spoiled!

 

 

 

 

I'm not quite finished, but:

 

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

I could so see that coming, but I was hoping I was going to be wrong! I was gutted when I read Emma's death scene last night, I think it's the only time I've ever got emotional over the death of a character in a book.

 

It should have been Dexter!

 

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  • 5 months later...

I've just read that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Emma in the film adaptation, which to my mind is completely wrong. The whole point of Emma was that she was very ordinary, you don’t go getting a Hollywood name to play that type of character!

 

I felt the same way when I heard she was cast, but based on photos from the set it looks great! And she really does look that ordinary quite dorky.. (: And I love Jim Sturgess but would never have thought of him as Dex when I read the book but now I actually think this casting sounds very good. I can't waitfor the trailer :)

 

I had a lot more problems with Ian while reading than with Dexter, I never liked him and was just annoyed.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

^ She was supposed to look better, but not film-star better!

 

Oh you know Hollywood, they can't bear to actually cast anyone ordinary looking ... the most they will do is tie someone's hair back and put glasses on them .. apparently then they become 'homely' (they especially like doing this if there's to be a big reveal later in the film ... 'oh my gosh ... you're beautiful' ... which actually means they've put contact lenses in and shaken their hair out.)

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  • 4 months later...

But Emma is supposed to be really beautiful and not know it. There's even a bit in the book about taking glasses off and shaking the hair out. Anne hathaway sounds perfect to me.

I wasn't that keen on One Day to be honest. There were moments of insight, but I felt the characters were cliches / stereotypes and I didn't really care for any of them.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

I was instantly unsure about Anne Hathaway but I'm starting to warm to the idea after seeing her in The Devil Wears Prada; she looks dowdy but still pretty. Also, as others have said, they can't have someone too 'plain' or it wouldn't be Hollywood! And I got the impression that Emma would be quite attractive, just an ordinary girl.

 

As for the novel, I really enjoyed One Day, and - again, like many people - found Dexter horrendous sometimes! The leeway he gets from Emma was just infuriating enough to dent a 'perfect' reading of Emma, which I think is something lazy that is far too common in good books (ie the do-no-wrong-protagonist).

 

One thing I did notice, and I'm going to try hard not to spoil anything, but I didn't think the start of the book really set up what unfolded through the rest? I know it was explained more at the end, but I just didn't feel it until I read on.

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I was instantly unsure about Anne Hathaway but I'm starting to warm to the idea after seeing her in The Devil Wears Prada; she looks dowdy but still pretty. Also, as others have said, they can't have someone too 'plain' or it wouldn't be Hollywood! And I got the impression that Emma would be quite attractive, just an ordinary girl.

 

It's not a Hollywood film though, and I think they could have been braver about the casting of this part than they have been.

 

I still maintain that Hathaway is wrong for this part.

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