Title: One Day
Author: David Nicholls
Pub: 2010 (audio);
Length: 16 hours; 23 minutes
Genre: Contemporary; Realistic; Romance; Fiction
Etc: Read by Anna Bentinck
LOVE the concept of this book something fierce: take ONE DAY from TWO PEOPLE'S LIVES for a random amount of years and observe it in a snapshot. Seriously! Kudos for Mr. Nicholls for writing a book like this. It is such a curious way of looking at someone'(s)' life and honestly I wish I had been clever enough to think of it. I mean, not to write. Gawd knows I have no desire to become a writer. But, how nifty would it have been if I had a collection of letters to myself or a pictures of a day: same day different year? Yeah, yeah, I surely could START doing it now. But, *le sigh*, let's face it. I'm a dreamer with no follow through. Oh arch nemesis of mine!
So now you know I loved the concept hard but let me tell you the Truth about the book itself. It lost its magic after the novelty. The characters were blerg and oftentimes I wanted to b1tchslap our dear Dexter. Plus...Dex and Em; Em and Dex. Seriously? Ad naseum.
Come, I will tell you why. But firstly, let me make it obvious: there will be spoilers. So, if you haven't seen the movie OR read the book BUT plan to do one or the other, move along. - - - >
Okay. Dexter. Seriously? Does a guy like Dex exist? He's SUCH an arse. Oooh looky me, I'm famous. I'm on the tele. COME ON Nicholls. I just can't believe that someone can be that irredeemable for that many years of his life. When did he finally grow up? When he was forty? Sure, sure money might make others more selfish than us middle class folks, but even when his mom is on her death bed?! Yeah, yeah, tell me that everyone handles grief differently. I get that, but still! Dex is handsdown one of the most detestable characters I've ever had to bear.
Which leads me to bring up Emma. Emma wasn't terrible, she wasn't plain, but she was a little whacked with her affection for Dexter. Once again, I continued to ask myself who pines for a man for that many years? I'm all about crushes, you guys, but this was some hardcore pining that only left her devastated.
It's like the premise was to show polar opposites and how their friendship and love could survive the test of time. Except, realistically it was more about the redemption of Dexter. And I think he spent way too much time offering sacrifices and praying to Narcissus.
The obvious question that you are probably asking yourself then is: why continuing listening for over thirteen hours? The answer is simple enough...even though the characters didn't interest me, the writing was actually pretty good, the dialogue chipper, and the storyteller was British (which always makes my ears warm and tingling).
Hm, sounds like a skippable sort of book...
ReplyDeleteMy bookclub is going to be reading this later in the year. I kind of skimmed the review. Though I like audio I sometimes wonder if something is missing when you can't hold the book and see the pages.
ReplyDeleteI have the same reaction to audio books with good readers--I'm much more inclined to stick with them than if I'm reading a meh book.
ReplyDeleteThis is a book that I was surprised how much I liked, actually, because I was expecting it to be pure fluff. I suppose that if my expectations had been higher to begin with I might not have liked it much. :)
YES. Exactly what you just said! All the things you just said. I don't think I'd have made it all the way through on audio -- it was fine to read in one afternoon when I was waiting for my sister in Soho, but a longer stretch of reading it would not have pleased me.
ReplyDeleteMeh. I think the idea is interesting, but if not done well...yeah. Glad I am not missing out on anything life-changing. :)
ReplyDeleteI have heard such RAVES about this book but was turned off by the movie preview so lost interest. But yes, a British accent sometimes is a lovely bandaid. ;)
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