From the Bookshelf of The Wide Web of Friends in YA Books…

Just One Day (Just One Day, #1)

Gayle Forman

Start date: December 31, 2014

Finish date: January 31, 2015

Why we're reading this: January BOTM Themed Read 2015
[close] January BOTM Themed Read 2015

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Dec 17, 2013 Bailey rated it it was amazing

We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.

Absolutely loved this, the writing is easy to understand and beautiful. Amazing story ♡

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Feb 09, 2021 Teenage Reads rated it it was ok

Shelves: series, 2021

Plot:
Allyson was a good girl. That is what her parents say, her best friend Melanie tells her, and even what her Europe tour guide told her, after ending their Teen Tours trip through Europe. Where the other teens went to pubs and drank the night away, Allyson was in her hotel room, watched a movie, packed for the next day, and wrote in her travel log like it was a transcript. After a cute guy told her to come to see his Shakespeare play in the park, Allyson decides to be a little rebellious, se Plot:
Allyson was a good girl. That is what her parents say, her best friend Melanie tells her, and even what her Europe tour guide told her, after ending their Teen Tours trip through Europe. Where the other teens went to pubs and drank the night away, Allyson was in her hotel room, watched a movie, packed for the next day, and wrote in her travel log like it was a transcript. After a cute guy told her to come to see his Shakespeare play in the park, Allyson decides to be a little rebellious, seeing the park’s version of Twelve Night, over the RSC version of Hamlet. Having her one bit of fun, Allyson was shocked to see the cute guy on the same train, who introduced himself as Willem and called her Lulu after Louise Brooks, whom Allyson looks like. Telling the cute boy on the train how she wanted to go to Paris on this trip but could not due to a strike, Willem offers to take Lulu there, just for the day. Melanie, shocked that her good best friend was going to do this, Allyson says “see you later” as she and Willem hope on a train heading to the heart of France: Paris. Having a magical day, with deep conversations with Willem about the difference between falling in love and being in love, some close calls, and some fantastic sights, Allyson wishes her day as Lulu will never end. Yet, it does. Waking up alone, Allyson finds herself using her return ticket to London, then her flight back home to the United States, wondering what Willem was. Starting college, Allyson longs to find out what happened that night, where did Willem go, and if that was true love. Determined to find out, Allyson goes on a life-changing adventure, trying to find the balance between herself and her alter-ego Lulu, finding Willem, and reliving her love for Paris, France.

Thoughts:
Five years ago and before I took my own trip to Paris, this book would probably have been incredible with its wanderlust love story and romantic setting of Paris, France. However, reading it today, I am rolling my eyes at this 18/19-year-old child, wondering if she saw the 2008 movie Taken starring Liam Neeson, that she would have in no way gone to Paris with a dude she met on the train. For the structure of the story, Gayle Forman did a good job as they normally do. The plot kept a fast enough pace, easy writing made this book fly through your hands. With two parts, you get to see Allyson during her day with Willem, then a year later as she starts college and tries to find her way back to Willem. Supporting characters in this novel were great, as when you go off to college you make new friends, and lose touch with others, as what happened to Allyson. A nice touch is that Forman made Allyson struggle through university, which is something a lot of people do and most of the time the media shy away from because everyone wants that “Happy College Student” lifestyle. This struggle was a part of Allyson moving away from what her parents wanted her to do to what she wanted to do, which Forman writes about in the sub-plot to this novel of Allyson's and her mother’s dynamic needing to change. However, it was the main plot that made this novel a nightmare as I could believe that Allyson did fall in love with Willem, even after one day, but could not get over her delusion in thinking that Willem may have liked her back. Maybe this tinder hook up culture was not as prevalent as it is now compared to this novel’s release in 2013, but the entire time reading I was just thinking this girl had a one night stand, and will not stop obsessing over it. Like, a Facebook page, really Allyson? Her entire first-year college had her obsessing over a guy she met one time, and her friends, not family, supported her in this romantic delusion she was having. I think only Melanie had it right, telling Allyson to get over Willem, because, literally, you knew him for one day get over yourself. He probably does this to millions of girls a year. Maybe I am just cynical of love when reading this, but this instant love was just a no for me, as I wanted Allyson to get over him and not find him. With a too convenient ending, and a cliff-hanger at that, Forman let me down with this novel, or maybe I am not a believer in that one-day true love. ...more

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