One Day Review -- David Nicholls

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 crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.

Dear Last Seventy Pages,


You are amazing. If I had to rate you, I'd rate you a gazillion stars. You are heartbreaking, poignant, loving, and precious. This book wouldn't be the same without you.

Now, why couldn't the rest of the book had been like that?


The beginning of the book was alright. The middle was dreadfully boring. The end . . . liquid gold. Books like this cause lots of worry inside the reader's mind -- they want to give the beginning/middle of the book zero stars because of dreadful boringness/uneventfulness, yet they want to give the ending a gazillion stars, because it's memorable and perfect. So, averaging zero and a gazillion, you get about three stars. Three stars isn't a good enough rating, because it doesn't give the flawless and beautiful ending justice. Then, you up the rating to four stars -- four stars isn't good enough, because it doesn't give the trainwreck of a beginning enough justice.


One Day is a perfect example of one of these books I've just described. As it is right now, I have no idea how in the Sam Hill I'm going to adequately rate this book while covering all of the things above.


In One Day, none of the characters are particularly memorable. I don't understand the deep connection Dexter and Emma apparently have in this novel.

An Indeterminable Number of Owls