One Day (Book Review)

Book: One Day by David Nicholls

Reason to Read: May Book Selection for the Book to Film Club, and one of the most recently released books in the book club as it came out in June 2009.

One Day by David Nicholls, our May selection for the 2011 Book to Film Club and the only book that I hadn't even heard about back in January when this journey started. I hadn't quite decided for the last selection so asked on Twitter for recommendations and this one shot to the top of the list (Something Borrowed was a close second). I'm very, very thankful for the recommend as I absolutely loved the book and had never heard of it before that Twitter request. Don't you love social media?

One Day follows Emma and Dexter, on the same day for many years. Honestly that hook hooked me deep and I didn't really need any more selling to want to read it. But to throw some cherries on tip, it will star Anne Hathaway (Devil Wears Prada, Rachel Getting Married) and Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Heartless) as Emma & Dexter and will directed by Lone Scherfig (An Education). I feel like we are in very good hands for the adaptation.

I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. Even though I only finished the book a few short days ago I still fully fell immersed in the lives of Emma and Dexter, and I felt this way every time I put the book down until I picked it up again - even if a week passed by. What would happens next, where would the emotions turn, how would their lives change, or stay the same. I remember the smallest things from places they lived or worked to of course the bigger moments. I often read it while I was on public transit, and more than once had to stifle a laugh and almost always had a smile on my face. If I'm making it sound purely like sunshine and rainbows, it certainly isn't as there are many hardships and strong emotions but I always connected to the emotional realness of their relationship. I also adored how the book easily transitioned the point of view from character to character although it did take a bit of getting used to, including sometimes wanting to jump ahead to see who was thinking, writing or talking. As the book wore on it was easier to know who it was because of how well the characters are developed.

I'm really excited about the casting of the film, I think Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess are going to be absolutely perfect! The only thing I wonder is if Anne Hathaway will have do an accent, which I'm not a stickler for in general but I think it is important to her character and would be weird if they changed it. I'm curious to what kind of storytelling style they will use for the film, especially in terms of transitioning from year to year and I really hope they get the clothes and 'cool factor' right and I really hope they keep the life trajectories consistent with the book.

Overall, I found it riveting, engaging and emotional ride from start to finish. Even though I could have read it faster, and always wanted to know what happened next, it was one of those books where I could sit contently after a chapter and reveal in the deliciousness of the banter, the joys & the horrors and above all the realness of the characters and their emotions. I highly recommend checking it out.

Film Adaptation
Current release date for the film is August 19, 2011. It was previously scheduled for July 8, 2011, although readers will know the best day would have been July 15, 2011 but then again that would have it going against the juggernaut that is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and well, that's not a good idea for any film. We can always watch it year and year again on July 15th is we so wish. And if we like it! Here's hoping!

The 2011 Book to Film Club is open year round, you can hop on the fun train at any time! Sign up for updates here.