Today's post is a review of One Day by David Nicholls which is a book I read a couple of years ago. I have decided to make Tuesdays a day where I do full reviews on books I have recently read or have read in the past. Let us dive straight into it:
Title: One Day
Author: David Nicholls
First Publication Year: 2001
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6280118-one-day
Plot Summary: The date is July 15th 1988, and two unlikely friends make a connection that might just last a lifetime. Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley officially meet on the night of their graduation and decide to spend the night in each other's company. In the wake of the next morning they decide to stay friends and go their separate ways to pursue their own futures. Set over a span of 20 years on the same date that they met, where will their relationship lead them?
Book Review: I absolutely adored this book. I just love the format of this book so much. Basically the chapters follow to events of that one day (July 15) each year after 1988 and it is just brilliant. Even though there's a whole year gap since the previous chapter, David Nicholls finds a way to write about that one day's events as well as giving the reader insight into what may have happened in the last year. It is such an intriguing idea that Nicholls has presented where there is only a small window of time that the reader gets in order to see how much the characters have grown in the last year as well as learn whether or not the two are still in touch with one another. There is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety before each chapter as it moves on to the next year. In this time, As a reader, I was in wonder of where the tale will go and where Dex and Emma will bring me.
This story is more than just a love story which is part of why I really enjoyed it. It is about two people trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. It's also about life, and the ups and downs of adulthood. The reader joins the journey that Dex and Emma make as they look for their own identities as well as face all kinds of challenges and trials along the way such as rejections, confusion and regret. I learnt a lot about following dreams and taking care of oneself first before helping others and finding companionship. I was able to relate to Emma, quite a lot as she struggled to find where her place was in the world. I loved reading her journey as she battled with taking care of her own life as well as trying to help Dex figure out his life.
At times I was annoyed with the characters and the choices they made throughout the story but I think that's what made it a much more of a compelling story as you really get invested in these people's lives and start to see things from their point of view. I became to feel what the characters were feeling from their failures through to their successes which I really enjoyed going through.
For a very serious and heartfelt book, there is also quite a bit of humour within the story. I love the banter that was shared between these two characters from the very first moment they met. This little bit of humour helped keep the story balanced with both a good amount of happiness and sadness to keep the tale flowing.
Overall; the characters are really relatable, the writing and structure is amazing and the story is absolutely beautiful, captivating and heart breaking all at the same time. I cannot speak more highly of this book and would definitely be looking into more of David Nicholls' other work.
Also if you enjoyed the movie adaptation of "One Day" which starred Anne Hathaway, You will definitely enjoy this book as it has so much more detail and really dives into the characters deeper.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Star Rating: 5/5 Stars!
I hope you are all having a wonderful day!
~Louise
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