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One Day

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 115,143 ratings · 11,838 reviews

It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one cruc...more

Paperback, 437 pages

Published June 15th 2010 by Vintage (first published August 1st 2009)

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Oct 23, 2011 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who love: Message in a Bottle, Atonement, Love Story

Shelves: 50-book-2011, british, chick-lit

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

(I just copied this from my blog...and, didn't realize until it was pointed out to me (below) that I didn't copy the whole thing sorry!)

Please be warned this blog post contains SPOILERS for the following books: One Day, Message in a Bottle, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Lord of the Rings, The Way We Were, A Walk to Remember, Atonement, Bridges of Madison County, The Time Travelers Wife, The English Patient

This is the first book that is so beautiful tha...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Rarely am I left speechless, I usually have plenty to say, but as I reflected on this novel, I realized there would be no surefire way to describe this book. It is a complete conundrum. Readers will either love or hate this book, I don’t think it there is much of a middle road with this one. It will speak to those with similar personal experiences.

I enjoyed the format. It gives the reader snapshots of Dex and Em’s life, like flipping through a stack of polaroids, just a flash of what was going...more Rarely am I left speechless, I usually have plenty to say, but as I reflected on this novel, I realized there would be no surefire way to describe this book. It is a complete conundrum. Readers will either love or hate this book, I don’t think it there is much of a middle road with this one. It will speak to those with similar personal experiences.

I enjoyed the format. It gives the reader snapshots of Dex and Em’s life, like flipping through a stack of polaroids, just a flash of what was going on at a particular time. Picking the same day established a sequence and highlighted that life and circumstances can change so quickly at times, or not change at all as was in Em’s case when two days start exactly the same. I think this was an intelligent way to approach a story that spans 20 years. We don’t really need a full depiction of every single event in their lives to have a sense of what they are going through.

Characterization was excellent. Dex and Em quickly became real in my mind, as if I was peeking into the lives of a couple of friends, or reading their journal pages. I too quickly began to know what Emma would or would not like just as Dex did. The characters were genuine. Some reviews say that they were stereotypical…but I find that some people latch onto stereotypes, it helps them define themselves. I feel this is what Emma was doing in her youth with her political stances and thus why they are not as important as she grows older. So are they really stereotypical characters? Or are they just portraying their ideal personas as so many people do?

I find that comparisons to When Harry met Sally fall short. I understand the reasons for the comparisons in that they are both about friends that seem to circle back every few years and make sarcastic quips to one another. But I feel like it ends there. To me, this is more of a modernized Wuthering Heights.

The author’s ability to write from a woman’s POV is refreshing. I am hesitant when I read something written by a man, trying to sound like a woman. I generally feel like it’s not authentic,like there is something off. Not with this book. Em thought the way I would think, said things that I would say.

In the end, this novel deeply affected me. I have not read something that has touched me this much in some time. It spoke to me completely as I was tortured by my own Dex in my youth and early adulthood. The emotions are portrayed as they should be; the frustration, the yearning are, from my perspective, completely legitimate. I found myself feeling like I was reading bits and pieces of my own story. I had knots in my stomach through most of the book and after finishing this at 1 am this morning, I could do nothing but stare at the ceiling and walls, absorbing what I had read, tearing it apart mentally, and extracting lessons from it to be applied in life. That, for me, is the mark of a wonderful novel, reading that reaches into your soul and touches your heart, writing that moves you to feel.
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Sep 29, 2011 Buggy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top, cryin-over-u, fiction, lmao, love-story, not-so-hea, shelf-11

Opening Line: "I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference."

So I’m going to try to write a somewhat sensible review here that doesn’t come across as all gushy fan-girl. I will say (hopefully only once) that I adored this book but you should know that I'm a bit of a sucker for a tragedy too. ONE DAY was brilliant in every way; making me laugh and cry while filling me with nostalgia and longing. And because I’m the same age as Dexter and Emma the time frame here was also total...more Opening Line: "I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference."

So I’m going to try to write a somewhat sensible review here that doesn’t come across as all gushy fan-girl. I will say (hopefully only once) that I adored this book but you should know that I'm a bit of a sucker for a tragedy too. ONE DAY was brilliant in every way; making me laugh and cry while filling me with nostalgia and longing. And because I’m the same age as Dexter and Emma the time frame here was also totally relatable (see nostalgia) with little details I had forgotten about from the past two decades.

Equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious yet also suspenseful as each chapter takes place a year to the day after the last one so you have to figure out what’s happened in that time between. And of course you want the H/h to get together so you’re waiting with bated breathe for them to finally “see” each other too. In the end this also made me want to seize the day like it’s my last, phone up all my long lost friends and lovers and look at old photographs. Hmmm and I haven’t even gotten into the genius of the writing yet (how do you put that into words?)

I knew that writing a review here was going to be difficult (when you love a book this much there doesn’t seem to be enough correct words to do it justice) and I promised myself to just keep this short and to the point so here goes... This is one of the most hilarious, perceptive, witty, moving and heartbreaking books I have ever read.

Told in 5 parts in alternating POV’s and over a span of twenty years Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley meet in 1988. Em has just graduated from university and hooked up with that boy she’s seen around for ages. He is Dexter, beautiful, pretentious and in his mind destined for greatness. As the sun rises they drink wine and talk about their futures. They have their whole lives stretching out ahead of them in an endless number of days and isn’t it going to be wonderful they can achieve anything they want to.

Starting as lovers Dexter and Emma continue as friends and the book joins them on July 15th of each year (St Swithin’s day) through their 20’s and 30’s and into their 40’s. As anyone in their 40’s knows, life happens and it doesn’t always go as planned, missed opportunities and the like.

“When I was younger everything seemed possible. Now nothing does.”

Through phone calls and letters, in different countries and towns, through assorted relationships, jobs and life’s little surprises and ruts we join Em and Dex each year in a unique snapshot of their life. They don’t always get along but they do think about each other everyday in some way and in case you haven’t figured it out this is ultimately a love story.

I can’t say much more about this without giving it all away. But when I read the last word I wanted to start it again and nothing I’ve tried to read since compares. Cheers.

“Live each day as if it’s your last, that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that?” (less)

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Aug 14, 2010 Rosanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A hilarious and realistic love story. Excellent characterizations, Nicholls captures life's ups and downs so well and tells Emma and Dexter's stories through snapshots on one day over the course of twenty years.

If you are a HEA junky like me, you might want to be aware that this is not a traditional happy ending at all, but in a way it is even better because the story continues beyond the HEA, it is real, honest and bittersweet.

I don't necessarily think this is a story everyone will enjoy, it is...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Is love really all that difficult? Yes, yes it is. David Nicholls crafts a beautiful love story about two people who are so different that they really only have one thing in common: they are both mad for each other. The frustrating thing is though, that however much these two people love each other, they maintain a "friends only" status throughout most of the book. What starts out as a possible love affair after just graduating college, Emma and Dexter's chemistry and attraction falls through th...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Tatiana rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of depressing chick lit

Shelves: chick-lit

Frankly, after reading a spoiler about the ending, I simply have no will to continue on, there is just no pay-off after enduring this depressing tale sprinkled with occasional one-liners. Granted, I am never opposed to taking a good dose of drama, but melodrama I detest.

This story is about a man and a woman who one day come together as lovers, then break up, but stay connected. Their relationship is followed through the next 20 years by presenting just one day - July 15th - out of their lives.

T...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Rhi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemp-fiction, 2010, books-for-grown-ups, 2-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

28 likes · like · see review

Aug 31, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Every now and then you read a book that sticks with you. It may have a serious tone, or in the case of One Day, no particular tone at all. I’m exceedingly glad that I withheld from reading reviews of this novel until after I was three fourths of the way through, as I’m not sure my experience with these characters, these words, would have been the same. It was bad enough to have been bombarded with blurb after blurb hailing this book as a comedy, others as a romance. I’m of the opinion that it is...more Every now and then you read a book that sticks with you. It may have a serious tone, or in the case of One Day, no particular tone at all. I’m exceedingly glad that I withheld from reading reviews of this novel until after I was three fourths of the way through, as I’m not sure my experience with these characters, these words, would have been the same. It was bad enough to have been bombarded with blurb after blurb hailing this book as a comedy, others as a romance. I’m of the opinion that it is neither. One Day is what life reads like.

*Spoilers Ahead*

I’m sure you all know the premise, if not, watch the movie trailer, it will spell it out quite clearly. Guy (Dexter) and girl (Emma) meet, have a brief hookup, and settle into a loaded friendship until finally, after nearly fifteen years of angst, they become lovers. It’s rather touching really, but what enchanted me most wasn’t the eventual coming together of these two disastrous fools, but rather the hot messes that these two characters are as individuals. What misfortunes they suffer! And what success! Thus is the beauty of this book.

Neither Dexter nor Emma are particularly likeable, but they love each other. Why, I do not know. Frankly, it was only when Dexter was in Emma’s presence that I could even moderately stand him, but again, I thought that was rather brilliant characterization on the author’s part. Haven’t we all met a shithead, or two, and thought to ourselves “I can’t stand this mofo, I bet he doesn’t have a single friend to his name”? Nicholls shows us, that not only do such shitheads have friends, they have a mother and father, and even a brilliant woman who loves them. They might even have good, shine worthy moments whilst in those individuals presence. Who’d have thunk it?

And Emma, what can I say about Emma? For most of the book she is a walking, talking catastrophe. Pinning after a man who isn’t worthy of her, lost and directionless. Filled with dreams and utterly clueless as to how to make them a reality. But she endeared herself to me with her fiery passion, intellect (except in matters of the heart), indecision and lack of self confidence. Why? Because I’ve been her. I think we all have. Most of us suffer through a quarter life crisis, otherwise, the coin never would have been phrased. And I’m certain most of us struggle with when to settle for our lot, and content ourselves with our fortune and when to press on and reach for our dreams, hopes and wants.

In seeing the disasters that are Emma and Dex, I was reminded that the beauty in life is best shown by living it. Adversity only magnifies accomplishment. And while we all surely have a fate, our choices very much determine the course of a life. One Day was a touching book, filled with relevant detail and rather lovely, readable writing. I’ll certainly read it again.
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Aug 12, 2011 EZRead eBookstore rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amelia-reviews

Romances that bring friends together should show some reason why the two people like each other. Right? That seems to be the tactic that works for other stories.

As complete opposites, you’d think Dexter and Emma were turned on by these differing facts. But, the characters actually seem annoyed by most of what makes them dissimilar. In short, there is nothing to explain why they would actually care about each other. And, there’s no reason for me to care about them either, for that matter.

Dexter i...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Cecilia Solis-sublette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was hesitant about this novel because it semed like a romance novel, but I picked it up because it came up on several "best books of the year list". I'm glad I did. This is a real-life romance novel. No fluff, no fantasy. It follows the lives of two very real people who struggle with life, relationships, and self. The novel is fast-paced in that you only get a glimpse of their relationship (or lack thereof) as it spans over twenty years. The author achieves this by picking one day and describi...more

20 likes · like · see review

Dec 09, 2011 Aleeeeeza rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-movie-combo, abandoned-in-favor-of-movie

So here's the thing: The old me would've gobbled this book up. I used to love witty dialogue, 'clever'ish writing, and foreign locales. And heck, I still do. But I've read over 200+ books this year and have, naturally, become much more choosy in what I read. It's not that the book’s that bad, really. It’s just that the chemistry between the leads was nonexistent and the writing just didn’t get with me. And I’ve been in this horrible, horrible book slump—nothing seems to be holding my interest la...more

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Feb 26, 2011 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university, read-in-my-twenties, adult-fiction

One Day is a simple concept: "Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways." The first chapter is set Friday 15th July 1988 in Edinburgh and each chapter takes place on the same day but a year ahead. At first, I struggled to think what to write for this review and so I browsed others for inspiration only to find a lot of people who also loved the book also did not have much to say. I think this is because there isn't anything...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jun 22, 2012 E rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

I feel as though I just went on a wonderful date with this book, but now I'm trying to justify to my friends, myself and the book why this isn't true love. Or at least true literature.

Like most page-turners, the dialogue is snappy, the ruminations are written like people talk, and the story is mostly plot-driven in a sea of Omigodwhathappensnext adrenaline. (And that scene where the new boyfriend nervously plays a game with the girlfriend's family only to play too hard and have everyone glaring...more I feel as though I just went on a wonderful date with this book, but now I'm trying to justify to my friends, myself and the book why this isn't true love. Or at least true literature.

Like most page-turners, the dialogue is snappy, the ruminations are written like people talk, and the story is mostly plot-driven in a sea of Omigodwhathappensnext adrenaline. (And that scene where the new boyfriend nervously plays a game with the girlfriend's family only to play too hard and have everyone glaring at him? IT'S BEEN DONE.) But so much of it was just so charismatic, so unforgivingly honest, that I often found myself putting it down in order to soak it all up. And I kept having arguments with myself as to whether or not I was really in love with real Literature.

Before I come off as any more of a snob, let me state my standards. Literature sets itself apart from genre fiction because it doesn't rely on formulas. A story avoids formulas by having a) complex, realistic characters, b) a creative writing style, c) an overarching theme about the human condition. So, does One Day have what it takes to keep itself out of the Romantic Comedy genre section?

A) Emma and Dexter are carefully crafted characters whose brilliant inner monologues could never translate to well film. Unlike so many modern authors, Nicholls understands Her as well as he understands Him, assigning them both self-destructive tendencies and a profound capacity for love. That they are constantly pointing out each other's flaws and constantly making each other laugh makes theirs one of the few literary relationships based not on passionate romance but passionate respect. (And respect is freakin' romantic.) Unfortunately, most of the supporting characters are stereotypes used mainly to tilt the reader's sympathy back to the main two. Whatever selfish mistakes Emma and Dexter make, Suki is just too ditzy, Ian is just too inept, Sylvie is just too cold, and Mr. Godalming is just too nondescript for the reader to ever risk siding with them. A few points lost there, but stereotypes can also be used to reflect the society in which the main characters are trying to survive (see American Beauty or White Teeth for more of that) and Nicholls does sometimes pull this off quite well.

B) An accessible style need not be shallow. Nicholls's descriptions never risk distracting you from the plot, but they decorate it very well. ("She looked up at the ceiling as if she were giving someone the chance to hide.") The story's structure, jumping one year ahead with each chapter, is clever and tantalizing, warning the reader that no scenes will be guaranteed. And, like the main characters, Nicholls can be very, very witty, when he wants to be. ("In a war film, Ian would be little Tommy writing home to his mother. Dexter would be, well, an effete Nazi.")

*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*

C) The theme is perhaps the weakest part. Crazy stupid love and the difficulty of growing up aren't the most challenging topics ever put to paper, and the speed at which this story was turned into a screenplay at least whispers "standard fare." But it's no surprise the film did badly because Emma and Dexter are NOT just two cuties who riff until it's time for the Cinderella ending. They're friends first and foremost, and, as the NY Times observed earlier this year, pop culture doesn't have many stories about friendship. It doesn't really know what do with it. Nicholls does.

He's written that he feels ambivalent about leaving Dexter and Emma childless, but this was one of my favorite aspects of the plot because it serves as a testament to the strength of their friendship. They don't need a biological symbol of their loyalty to one another in order to justify it.

He loses a few points for talking so much about sex without proving he can write a sexy line describing the act. (FYI, "flesh" is not a very sexy word.) But their sexy friendship is portrayed in such a rainbow of delicate details that anyone who's had a crush on a close friend will relate to at least a colorful handful of them. And nothing epitomizes Nicolls's commitment to portraying all that is cruel and banal and frustrating in life than the fact that he spends no more time on their marriage than he does on Dexter's bereavement. As Roger Ebert has pointed out, every love story ends in death, and unlike so many pop culture storytellers, Nicholls is brave to let us see how Dexter struggles with that, skipping the melodramatic moment of discovery and going straight to the hell of healing.

Whether or not it's Literature, I am pleased as hell when there are books like this in the world. Like a fun date, there were points when I wished it could have been better, but I never wanted it to end. (less)

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Sep 03, 2011 Anna rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporay-fiction, romance

Every moment with this book felt like a waste of my time. I've seen it all before: the ugly duckling pining after the rich asshole who could be transformed into a better man if he only realized that the right woman was right there in front of him. This plot is so well trod that I feel like there are hundreds of better examples of it that I could have been reading. And here is the thing, I love these kinds of stories as the size of my romance shelf can attest. But I hated these characters so much...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Sweetdhee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bahasa-inggris, punya

Dear Em and Dex,

Please tell me, what a true love is?
Coz i can't bear to read about how you both live in lies and denials for more than 10 years

Does it supposed to be like that? a true love?
Make you live in despair, trying to keep your love one closed, though you know you don't belong?
What's that all about?
Meh

Why it has to be that way, Em?
Why don't you realize that you are worth enough, even when Dex had told you how gorgeous you are, thousands of times?
Why'd you have to wait for many years to co...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Bookguide rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Bookguide by: Fifna

Twenty years, two people, one day... Pick a turning point in your life, preferably involving somebody else, and then examine your lives on the same day every year. Compare and contrast, take a snapshot of your relationship with each other, your careers, your family. Would your story be like Dexter and Emma's? That is what this book is about.

I loved most of this book, particularly because I'm British too, and graduated two years before them, so many of the background trends in 'One Day' feel fami...more Twenty years, two people, one day... Pick a turning point in your life, preferably involving somebody else, and then examine your lives on the same day every year. Compare and contrast, take a snapshot of your relationship with each other, your careers, your family. Would your story be like Dexter and Emma's? That is what this book is about.

I loved most of this book, particularly because I'm British too, and graduated two years before them, so many of the background trends in 'One Day' feel familiar and real to me. The music, the TV shows, the bet about whether Emma will ever succumb to a mobile phone. The fact that rich boy Dexter can go off travelling the world and playing at life, then falls into a media job, whereas middle class Emma has to find herself a dead-end job, in spite of her 1.1. I laughed at Emma and Dexter's one-liners, and felt akin to Emma with her lack of self-confidence and bad clothes-sense. Dexter, at face value, is supremely confident, but underneath he needs somebody to guide him, whether that be his mother, Emma or Sylvie; without a strong woman, he drifts and heads down the slippery path of self-destructive behaviour. By the later stages of the book, Emma's star is on the rise (cue Dido's 'Mary's in India'), and Dexter is in need of a saviour and somebody outside the fickle media industry which has chewed him up and spat him out. His relationship with Emma is the one thing which keeps his feet on the ground.

So is this a romance, a tale of will they, won't they, when we know they will? I don't think it is, and I think many people who have picked up a copy of the book which has the romantic film still of Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess would have been disappointed. It isn't a Rom Com, and it isn't chick-lit, although if it had been written by a woman, I think it would have been marketed as such. My copy of the book has the neutral orange and white cover above, with quotes by Nick Hornby and Marian Keyes, both of whom write intelligent relationship-based novels, but not necessarily happy ending romance. And I don't visualise Meg Ryan and Hugh Grant in the leading roles. The quotations from Hardy and Dickens reminded me that romantic and relationship-based novels have not always been considered the sole preserve of women's romantic fiction, written by women, and bound in bright pink covers.

'One Day' is a book about friendship and relationships and affection for a friend of the opposite sex, despite all their quirks and faults; if Em and Dex had been two women, there wouldn't have been the problem of sexual tension to muddy the waters. The idea of the annual snapshot limits the storytelling at times, and it's easy to forget that Emma and Dexter were in constant and almost daily contact at some points, so that their relationship and "in jokes" would have made them closer than most friendships. Yet for many years they forced themselves to ignore their mutual sexual attraction, showing remarkable self-control, given Dexter's usual womanising and non-monogamous lifestyle. Many of the best relationships are built up around a friendship which becomes something more, between friends who came together when supporting one another through a traumatic experience. Dex and Em fit the mould.

I couldn't help wondering who David Nichols was basing his character of Dexter on. For most of the book I was imagining Jonathan Ross, but at one point I was considering Jools Holland as the prototype posh boy pretending to have street cred. I also imagined Dexter as blond for some reason; I think it was the description of his hair at the beginning, which reminded me of a particular bleached-blond 1980s singer whose name I have forgotten. By 1988 I had left the UK, so I'm not sure which programme "largin' it" is based on, but I know the type. Dexter drifts along, following all the trends of the times, drinking the popular drinks, taking the popular drugs, falling into all the fashionable pitfalls of fame and money. A sad story, bittersweet and frustrating for anyone who likes neat and tidy happy endings.

Registered on BookCrossing: www.bookcrossing/journal/11029768 (less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Cecily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: miscellaneous-fiction, humour

This isn't great literature, but it's entertaining and told in a subtler way than I expected, despite a tricky mix of humour and sadness. In particular, the "ending" was not at all what I expected (and the better for it), but I would have stopped the book at that point, rather than drag out the story for a few more chapters, which I think weakened the overall impact.

PLOT
Dexter and Emma are at the same university and know each other by sight, but only meet properly on the evening after graduatio...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, hype, mmxi

I kind of hate this book. I can only reason that I picked it up because I felt lonely and hormonal and thought that maybe I could pass the time with a cute little chick lit book... maybe on the lines of The Time Traveler's Wife, which I can also, reasonably, (though I am not always that) can see as being a hokey book. But--- this... no, I can't let it go. Yes... I was menstruating and I'm sorry if that's TMI... it plays an important role in my reviewing of this book because I could be biased or...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Jana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

There are some books that fit you straightaway like cold choco milk. But they are still not a real chunk of rich black chocolate, do you know what I mean?

I’ve read the covers and I had that tingling impulse down my spine that I have every time when I read something promising. When it comes to male-female relationships, I enjoy those that are based in London, because romance in London, yes, I can relate with that.

But when I finished it, I projected my feelings through Portuguese word: saudade -...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Eline rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I still, weeks after having finished it, don't know what to think of this read.
The main characters annoyed me half the time, and the other half I found them surprisingly pleasing, shortly after which, they started to annoy me again. The end was a total give-away, which was a shame, I wanted it to be something surprising... but then, with a novel like this, surprise isn't really an option, I guess.
The novel, however, does contain a quote that greatly touched me personally, p.433, "'Live each da...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, comfort-novels, read-in-2011, chick-lit, realistic-fiction, movies-or-tv, lasting-impression, too-much-hype, not-for-me, books-i-own

This book is completely overhyped. It is so dull. It's not exactly boring, but it's certainly not exciting. In my opinion, dull is the perfect adjective to describe 'One Day'. I was expecting something mindblowingly heart-wrenching from all of the praise I've seen for this book, but it was quite a disappointment. The book was well written and the premise was fantastic but it just didn't work for me - the whole thing just felt so drawn out and I didn't feel much for either Emma or Dexter - especi...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Maroo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amazing. Heart-wrenching, funny, real, albeit sometimes over-the-top. The author doesn't waste a word in this book; it's very character-driven, and each and every sentence seems to have purpose and feeling.

The more time that passes since I finished reading One Day, the more I wish there was more of it. You won't wanna put it down.

16 likes · like · see review

Aug 13, 2011 KarenH rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-5-stars-plus, audiobook, audiobooks-that-rock, bad-boy-hero, bittersweet-ending, death-of-a-loved-one, definitely-worth-your-while, different-classes, excellent-love-story, friends-to-lovers, great-dialogue, heart-wrenching, keep-the-kleenex-close-by, keepers, narrator-extraordinaire, one-night-stand-for-starters, small-town-heroine-big-city-hero, sexy-with-a-capital-s-hero, unusual-storyline, writer-reporter, love-at-first-sight, top-5ish-favorites

I finished this book 3 days ago and I'm just now coming out of the stupor that I've been wandering around in since. One Day isn't a book with many gray areas...readers will absolutely love the story or they will hate it. I happen to be one of the former...so much so that I have spent all of my free time in the last 3 days hunting down pictures, articles, interviews, etc, related to the book and the movie adapted from it (opens nationwide August 19th). Since the author of One Day, David Nicholls,...more I finished this book 3 days ago and I'm just now coming out of the stupor that I've been wandering around in since. One Day isn't a book with many gray areas...readers will absolutely love the story or they will hate it. I happen to be one of the former...so much so that I have spent all of my free time in the last 3 days hunting down pictures, articles, interviews, etc, related to the book and the movie adapted from it (opens nationwide August 19th). Since the author of One Day, David Nicholls, also wrote the script for the movie, I have no doubt that this is going to be that rare exception where the movie will be as good or better than the book. The actors they have cast to play the lead protagonists are a perfect fit. In fact, Anne Hathaway loved the book so much, she flew to London to convince the director why she was perfect to play the part of Emma.

The story centers on the lives of two people, Emma Morley & Dexter Mayhew, who meet the night of their college graduation on July 15, 1988. The one-night-stand they attempt to engage in doesn't pan out; instead, they opt for being friends. Little do they know, this "off-the-cuff" friendship they've settled for will cultivate and grow - encompassing Dex, Em and all of the book's readers. Thus, July 15, 1988 marks the day that changes their lives forever. For each year thereafter, the story stops on that same day to check in with Dex and Em.

One Day is a character study like no other. I don't think I've ever read a book where I have known the H/h as intimately as I do Dex and Em. Their hopes and fears, successes and failures - as well as the steadfast bond between them - is all absorbed by the reader. Whether you enjoyed the book or not, I'd wager very few could deny the amazing chemistry between Dex & Em, as well as how thoroughly exposed & vulnerable their feelings become as the years go by. You will laugh a little at them and cry a lot with them. In fact, there comes a point in the story where the laughter will cease but not the tears...definitely not the tears. Even for those of us that normally don't cry at the drop of a pin...you might surprise yourself here. Forewarned is forearmed...have the box of tissue handy!

I am not going to elaborate on the storyline because it isn't one to tell; rather, it is a story readers should experience for themselves. Although it is a fictionalized account, there are situations in One Day that might hit home as being very personal to you. Friendship and love... does one lead to the other or should heading in that direction be avoided? Can they exist synonymously...running deep and true and eternal? Is there one specific day that changed your life forever?

The only genre I read is romance and IMO One Day is a 10-star contribution. However, if you require your romance to be all wrapped up in shiny paper with a big bow on top (like I usually do), I would recommend that you do not read this book. But for those of you who are willing to step outside of the box, you will get an extraordinary, emotionally-gripping, "laughter despite the tears" powerhouse of a novel in return. The cover of the book says it all!

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Jul 31, 2011 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gloomy, romance, coming-of-age, adult, book-with-no-ending, open-ended-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked up One Day at the airport. I already had a few books on me (as any member of goodreads would). I'd seen the trailer for the movie, but I still think it was mostly an impulse. There was no conscious 'must read before film' vibe for me.

The hook for One Day is that the story spans many years but takes place on only one day, the same day every year. Sometimes the characters are together; sometimes their lives have taken them in vastly different directions. As techniques go it was fairly wel...more I picked up One Day at the airport. I already had a few books on me (as any member of goodreads would). I'd seen the trailer for the movie, but I still think it was mostly an impulse. There was no conscious 'must read before film' vibe for me.

The hook for One Day is that the story spans many years but takes place on only one day, the same day every year. Sometimes the characters are together; sometimes their lives have taken them in vastly different directions. As techniques go it was fairly well executed. Every major event does not happen on this one day a year, but some cheating does occur. I didn't find the cheating too off putting although I did notice it. For instance, Emma and Dexter meet on this day, which is why the day was probably selected, but they also stop speaking for several years after a conversation held on this day -- then several years later they begin speaking again on this day. In general, however, the author goes through some pains to make the day average through a majority of the book. Most of the time it is a successful snapshot of the moment they are living in.

The biggest problem, and what diminished my enjoyment of the book, was the main characters. I didn't find either main character lovable. Dexter is most spoiled rich boys and when Emma isn't suffering she is bland. I certainly didn't think their romance was epic enough to warrant a book let alone a book like this where their lives and romance are tracked over decades. Yet, at the same time, their imperfect circle back to one another, their irredeemable personality traits, made the experience worth while for me. Most of the time I only tolerated Dexter. Emma wasn't any bright shinning light despite the author's aims. But... they both fucked up in ways I could relate to. They made mistakes, faltered over pride, and threw away opportunities with both hands. Maybe I didn't like them because sometimes they painted a mirror image of my own mistakes. None of the situations remotely resembled my life and yet I felt a constant, perhaps universal, connection to some of my own worst choices.

I don't think Emma and Dexter's romance could have turned out any differently. They weren't right for each other the first time they met. They weren't right for each other each time they edged closer to being something. The separate, winding paths their lives took made it possible for that (forgive me) spark, to develop into something. If they'd done more than brush against the idea of being in love in their early twenties then they would have been each other's first mistake instead of the best thing that ever happened to either of them.

Emma's death surprised and saddened me. It was written bleakly, as if everything important about Emma was snuffed out along with her life. There's no whisper of souls or an after-life, neither of which I believe in. I respect that the author didn't pad it out to comfort people, although I expect the starkness of her loss more than her death is what made so many people unhappy. We get to see Dexter go on for thirty or forty pages without Em. He is miserable, then slightly less miserable, and then finally able to remember her with some sense of peace. When he called her his best friend in the context of someone taking her away I felt more sappy than during her actual death scenes. Probably because with that line, I realized why the story was about these two people I didn't like much. They were the most important events in one another's lives, the very best thing life had given either of them, and this is how it happened. They didn't need to be epic and I didn't need to like either of them to appreciate the significance and the way things worked out.

Overall the book has some beautiful, charming writing. I underlined many sections of the book to reread later and if I'm feeling ambitious I'll add it to the quote section on goodreads. Despite the writing, I can't get over not quite liking the characters for a large portion of the book. Three stars. I think maybe I'll give it four if I read it when I'm older.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Mostafa سليمان rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

يخربيت اللك والكلام الكتير
الرواية دي لو ف 150 صفحة كانت هتبقي حاجه لطيفة خالص
لكن الكلام والرغي دون حتي تفاصيل هامة شئ كان ف منتهي السخافة

قصة رومانسية تم صنعها ك فيلم سينمائئ
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1563738/

عن ايما وديكستر اللي هما اصحاب
خلال 20 عام
فكرة تثبيت اليوم ف المناسبات الهامة
ومدي اهمية دا

وبعدين هو يقرر اكتشاف العالم
ويجد نفسه يحبها
بينما هما الاتنين بيقولوا لا احنا صحاب بس
وتفضل الدينا تلف بيهم
وكل واحد يمشي ف طريق
هي ك طاهية بينما مش عارفة تحقق حلمها ف الكتابة
وهو ك مقدم برامج ناجح
تشهد ا...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Kim Castiglia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was bored at the beginning and then got into a bit more, but didn't like the ending. The idea of the book is interesting, but I didn't like the characters much.

8 likes · like · see review

Apr 04, 2011 Nikki Mendoza rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finally finished reading this book yesterday, it only took a whole month. I love the occasional chick lit, the kind of book that I would pretend I haven’t read if I were that kind of person who cares that people judge me by the books I read. Having said that, I will secretly judge you if you tell me that you love the Shopaholic and Twilight series, not that I haven’t read them, I have, I just don’t love them. I’ve read more books by Nicholas Sparks than I care to admit, I just keep hoping that t...more

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Nov 19, 2010 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Only the fact that I borrowed this book from Courtney kept me from throwing it against the wall...

21 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

http://oimaginariodoslivros.blogspot....

Maravilha. Um livro muito bom, um enredo bem construido, coeso, forte, com sentido. Personagens fortes, marcantes, humanas. Um enquadramento histórico bem desenvolvido, bem delineado e arquitetado. Uma história de amor muito bela e por vezes tão triste...

Vi primeiro o filme. Com dois atores que gosto muito, foi uma história bem bonita, bem romântica. Estava com algum receio que o livro não fosse como o filme (o filme não fosse como o livro), pois tinha go...more http://oimaginariodoslivros.blogspot....

Maravilha. Um livro muito bom, um enredo bem construido, coeso, forte, com sentido. Personagens fortes, marcantes, humanas. Um enquadramento histórico bem desenvolvido, bem delineado e arquitetado. Uma história de amor muito bela e por vezes tão triste...

Vi primeiro o filme. Com dois atores que gosto muito, foi uma história bem bonita, bem romântica. Estava com algum receio que o livro não fosse como o filme (o filme não fosse como o livro), pois tinha gostado muito do filme. Mas não aconteceu. "Um Dia" é um livro muito, muito maravilhoso. É como escrevi acima. Bem elaborado, cativante. Retrata 20 anos de forma muito convincente e estruturada: acontecimentos politicos, históricos, sociais, mundiais, europeus... um retrato histórico que fica entrelaçado com a história de Emma e Dexter.

O facto de não ser um romance muito convencional, com uma ideia interessante (contar um dia das vidas de Em e Dex durante os 20 anos em que se conheceram) é algo que me cativou, por ser original e por estar bem feito.

Emma e Dexter são antigos colegas de faculdade (não de curso) que se encontram no dia da formatura. Nesse dia passam a noite juntos e depois disso começam a dar-se um com o outro, estabelecendo uma relação de grande amizade ao longo dos anos. Há medida que vão passando pelos anos, muito vai acontecendo e eles vão mudando. E há medida que o tempo passa, ambos continuam a ser amigos. É uma história de amizade e amor, que não vou promenorizar mais pois não quero spoilar ninguém!

Com alguns laivos de critica à sociedade e a alguns comportamentos, David Nicholls leva-nos numa viagem desde 1988 a 2007, deixando-nos espreitar a vida de Emma e Dexter ao longo destes anos, sempre no dia 15 de Julho, o dia em que tudo começou.

É uma bonita histórica, com momentos muito sentimentais. Emma e Dexter são muito interessantes, à sua maneira, um muito diferente do outro. E depois existem as outras personagens que vão aparecendo e que dão corpo à história. É uma história inteligente e bem contada.

Gostei muito, não costuma ser o género de livro que leio mais, mas fiquei muito bem surpreendida. É bastante bom e já está nos meus favoritos.
Recomendo a todos! (less)

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Sep 24, 2011 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Any novel inspired by a quotation by Thomas Hardy is bound to appeal to me, but I must confess I picked this one up because it was on offer in Waterstone´s and I thought it seemed like a relaxing read. I only learnt about Thomas Hardy later!
I don´t regret the impulse buy, I really enjoyed this book. It is based on two intelligent premises. Firstly, structurally each chapter covers the same day, 15th July, each year. Using this device David Nicholls retells the friendship between Emma and Dexter,...more Any novel inspired by a quotation by Thomas Hardy is bound to appeal to me, but I must confess I picked this one up because it was on offer in Waterstone´s and I thought it seemed like a relaxing read. I only learnt about Thomas Hardy later!
I don´t regret the impulse buy, I really enjoyed this book. It is based on two intelligent premises. Firstly, structurally each chapter covers the same day, 15th July, each year. Using this device David Nicholls retells the friendship between Emma and Dexter, who met as they were about to leave university in Edimburgh. They grow closer, particularly thanks to Emma´s efforts, it may seem. Emma has, unreservedly, a crush on Dexter, a posh "ladies guy". As the years pass, we see their lives move on: new jobs, new partners, new flats... Still, Emma seems to be letting her love life wilter in the vague hope that something will finally happen between Dexter and her. I am sure I am not the only reader who has felt that Dexter takes Emma for granted, and that she is making a terrible mistake "choosing" this man, as I am not sure as a friend he contributes a lot to her life or self-esteem. Still, you can´t "choose" who you fall in love with, and Emma´s enterprise to love Ian seemed doomed to me too. Of course, the problem is that Dexter is not very likable: he is selfish and superficial, and he is the one who benefits the most from the relationship, as Emma is generally a kind and loyal friend.
The second premise is closely knitted to the end, it is a gift from Thomas Hardy and I wouldn´t want to spoil things for anyone.
The book is very funny. Emma and Dexter have quite sarcastic conversations and there are very many humorous comments. The good "funny" British novel is always a thing of beauty. I particularly liked Emma´s affair with a headmaster: anybody who has worked in a school knows that that turn of events is a lot more plausible than it may seem to outsiders.
Towards the end of the book, we learnt what happened the day Emma and Dexter met and why they went their separate ways. A Shakesperean moment involving parents, a misunderstanding and an impending journey. It brought back an always vivid memory of a boy suddenly glad to see me in the surroundings of the railway station: my parents had just picked me up, he was on his way back to uni. I always knew it was never meant to be, but I still remember how glad he was to see me that afternoon, and what a hindrance my parents became all of a sudden! Now I am a parent, but my feelings are still with the young girl.
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About David Nicholls

David Nicholls is a British author, screenwriter, and actor. A student of Toynbee Comprehensive school and Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, he Graduated from the University of Bristol having studied English Literature and Drama.

After graduation, he won a scholarship to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, before returning to London in 1991 and finally earning an Equity...more

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Quotes from One Day

“What are you going to do with your life?" In one way or another it seemed that people had been asking her this forever; teachers, her parents, friends at three in the morning, but the question had never seemed this pressing and still she was no nearer an answer... "Live each day as if it's your last', that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that? What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to be good and courageous and bold and to make difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you. Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.” — 769 people liked it

“Just kidding' was exactly what people wrote when they meant every word.” — 609 people liked it

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