One Day

One Day by David Nicholls
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

People have such different reactions to this book. Some think it’s completely over-hyped while others think it’s a love story for the ages. I fall somewhere in the middle. I decided to read the book because there was a movie coming out and also because I was intrigued by the idea. Twenty years broken down into chapters told about one day each year. We as readers have to fill in the blanks about what is not said or explained.

The premise alone is brilliant. Yes, the characters are occasionally oversimplified or the connections are too serendipitous, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book just the same. I did not have high expectations, and so over and over again, my expectations were exceeded. This is one of those books that I saw myself in. The characters are often lost trying to grapple with life decisions and missing that one person who helped them make sense of the chaos around them.

I think it’s a worthwhile read. It’s not a classic. It’s not a romance. It’s a beach read. It’s a curl up on a couch read, but not something you have justify. It just lands somewhere in between. And for reading it you will enjoy some great one-liners, a chance to use your imagination, and a chance to cheer for one of those couples you can’t help but root for.