One Day by David NichollsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've decided to give it five stars just because I really never wanted to put this book down. I wanted to know what was happening, where Emma and Dexter would be with their lives one year on.
It is going to be very hard to review this book without giving spoilers.
This book does not have a traditional happy ending. If you're looking for a happy-happy ending, then you shouldn't really read this book. But I will say, however, I was happy with the ending of this book. It did leave me satisfied, albeit a little sad.
When Dexter is pretending to read Wuthering Heights, as it's a book Emma has given him to read, I realised that this is possibly a modern rendition (and a twist) of Heathcliff and Cathy.
It was really cleverly done, taking in the history of the 80s and the 90s, (making me a little nostalgic in places), each chapter is the same day, one year on.
Dexter is a obnoxious, self-centred git, pretty much throughout this book - well until he grows up and matures lol! - but he has some very loveable moments too for me. (We all love a bad boy). You just know, however hard he tries, he will screw it up. If he'd just taken that step earlier, when they holidayed as "friends" (this chapter had me laughing so much!) I kept thinking, he'd be happy.
The author manages to switch point of views without it being jarring.
My only tiny nit was sometimes it lacked some speech tags - I realise sometimes that was deliberate, but other times I got a little lost on who was talking. But it's tiny nit pick.
For those that have read, would love to discuss this book.
So glad I read this before watching the film (I'm not even sure I want to watch the film). This book had me laughing and crying.
Right, I hope I haven't given too much away. I don't know if it deserves five stars for breaking the rules in romance... although, in some ways, it doesn't. That's all I'm saying.
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I loved this book, but the ending left me gobsmacked. Not what I expected at all! Haven't seen the film either, I wonder if it sticks to the book?
ReplyDeleteYes, I had read on Goodreads (by mistake) that the ending wasn't happy. And I was like oh no, I want Dexter and Emma to be together.
DeleteAnd we sort of get our happy ending, Dexter sees sense in the end, (which is why I am satisfied with the book) and then it just goes wrong :-(
Today, all I've been thinking about is this book, and if he'd done this, maybe they'd been on a different path, blah, blah, blah... When a book does that, it's good. When you can't get it out of your head, it means you care about the characters.
I didn't like it so much. It was okay, but I think the hype had me feeling this was going to be a GREAT novel, and it wasn't. I liked the ending. It was my kind of ending :-)
ReplyDeleteIt just proves that we all have different tastes. It really is a romance, but with a non-traditional ending that a romance should have. Although, it does actually meet the 'traditional' ending before it ends. (Gosh talking in code here so I don't give so much away.)
DeleteI wouldn't have liked the book so much if I hadn't seen the two of them eventually come together - as a romance should. But it's why Wuthering Heights comes to mind, they are separate through the book, when we all know they should be together, yet Dexter and Emma are not as ghastly as Heathcliff and Cathy - yes, even when Dexter is a selfish git I didn't despise him like I did Heathcliff.
I'm a romance writer, I love reading romance. I like my happy endings. This book, however, I still loved even though the ending wasn't how I would have liked it.
The book's been sitting on my shelf for months, but I saw the film first. I must read the book as I couldn't really get into the film and didn't think the whole 'one day' concept came across.
ReplyDeleteIt worked in the book, definitely. The author does back track a little within that day, so you get an idea of what has passed that year. At first I wasn't sure it would work. But it does, because you find yourself wanting to see where they are in their "friendship" one year on.
DeleteI've had this on my tbr list for a long time. I have to get round to it before I accidentally read spoilers somewhere!
ReplyDeleteYes, sorry. You must pick it up and read it ASAP!
DeleteI like a happy ending and feel cheated when I don't get one. Not sure I should read this.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a traditional romance happy ending, then this book probably isn't for you.
DeleteYes! Finally someone writes about diet.
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