Much has been written about this book, as I come to it a long time after its initial release and mass interest in it. I hope not to regurgitate the majority of reviews but feel I want to give some space to what the book is about and then space on how the characters made me feel.
Emma and Dexter meet at University and on that day 15 July, we follow their lives on that same date since leaving university. On occasions, they are in touch their lives crossing and touching, going in different directions and certainly with different goals. There are times when there is nothing between them and misunderstandings on how lives are led cause conflict. Then their paths are going in the same direction, until…..
I just kept turning the pages of this book, as I wanted to see what happened to Emma and Dexter both as separate individuals but also how they behaved together. Emma, the ambitious one with the ideals and opinions becomes one of the lost university graduates in a dead end job, serving others and living that secular life with their colleagues. Been there and done that myself. Emma breaks away and so did I, looking back I can see the similarities in the situation.
Dexter on the other hand, seems to fall into a famous or infamous role and his character reminded me very much of the broadcaster Chris Evans – that crash and burn mentality. There was something certainly irritating about him as if everyone including Emma owed him a favour. His meteoric rise and fall in fame, was of tabloid press status and actually I felt David Nicholls actually dealt with this really well and put across the human side of behind the ‘famous face’.
You could say you lose a lot of connection with the story because as readers we only drop in on these two one a year. I did not find it bothersome, in fact it was a clever way of connecting everyone., even the supporting characters such as Sylvie, Ian and Emma and Dexter’s family are recognisable and you do not need to start flicking back trying to remember how they fit in.
A book that stays with you and well worth all the hype and fuss. For me because of the story and the way it shows some paths in life are right and some are wrong, but you will not know until you have gone down them. It has warmth and humour and is simply just a good read. An author I would like to read more of if this is the calibre of book that I will be getting.
Much has been written about this book, and my review above (published on Amazon as well) just adds to it. What I cannot believe is why I have not read this book sooner, I seem to have avoided all the hype on this one and simply ignored it without giving it a fair go. I wish I had read it ages ago now, I was missing (in my opinion) out on a good book!
I have many books on my shelf which if you like are ‘hype’ books the books that everyone is reading and talking about on mass. I buy them, because I think I should and then they sit on my shelf looking at me. The two that spring to mind at the moment is Room and Wolf Hall! I will read them, I know I will but because of the hype I buy the books but the double edge sword is I then I am being a sheep by reading them just because everyone else is! I think back to the last ‘hype’ book I fell for Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I left that book feeling rather cynical – I leave One Day with much better memories of it.
How do you feel about books that are hyped up or well publicised? Do you ever think I will read it but just not because I am being subjected to its image constantly as a reminder? I would love to hear your thoughts.
The Book Jotter 