One Day was without a doubt the best book I have read this year, and having just seen the film I’m please to say it didn’t disappoint. The story takes place on St Swithin’s day every year for 20 years, telling the story of two friends Emma and Dexter who after an almost passionate night together on the day they graduated college decided to become friends.
Over the 20 years, we follow them through heartbreaks, happiness, success and failure, all the while wondering why they can’t just realise they’re destined for each other. I don’t remember a book that I devoured as quickly or as attentively as One Day. I brought it on a week long holiday telling myself that if I read slowly I could make the 400 or so pages last the entire week. I left Dublin on a Saturday, and by the following Wednesday two of us had completed it and a third was well on her way. The reason I couldn’t physically bring myself to put it down was that I genuinely couldn’t sleep until I found out what happened to the characters. Even for their faults they’re so charming and real, hearing their story is like being told about an old friend.
One of my favourite things about the book was the dialogue. It felt very natural so I was please in the film that they didn’t change much of it or try to adapt it, they lifted a lot of the script straight from the book.
It’s witty, and full of wonderful cultural references, in the book these are quite subtle – Dexter referring to Emma’s haircut as a Rachel. In the film, music was used as a way of bringing you into the moment. The first scene of the 1990s takes place in a club with loud house music blaring, a wedding party with Fatboy Slim’s Praise You followed by a painful karaoke scene of Robbie Williams’ Angels.
I really enjoyed the film, although it had a lot to live up to, and some scenes felt a lot more powerful in the book. Dexter and Emma’s falling out in particular, although this is mainly because the book gives far more insight into the characters, and therefore a better understanding of their emotions.
I would absolutely urge you to read the book, or see the film, but mostly read the book. It’s amazing.
"You’re gorgeous, you old hag and if I cold give you just one gift ever for the rest of your life it would be this. Confidence. It would be the gift of confidence. Either that or a scented candle."
2 comments:
I have that quote on my wall since we moved in, always gives me a smile!
I think what's clever about the book is that it's a bog-standard romance at heart, with the old favourites 'roguish male lead needing to be saved from himself' and 'ugly duckling female lead who needs to believe in herself' enacting a 'will-they-won't-they' plot... but everything's dressed, as you say, in excellent dialogue and cultural archeology. My favourite part was the unflinching take on MDMA hedonism near the start. Also there were a few excellent jokes.
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