One Day, by David Nicholls
Loved it.
I mean, really loved it, maybe a little too much, maybe until the end. But my disdain was purely personal and not a reflection on the book. You see, I thought I was Emma.
Em and Dex, Dex and Em. When Dexter and Emma are together, they can be fabulous and they can be disastrous. Don’t we all have someone like that in our lives? Beginning in college, they forge a bond and whether they are together every day or let years lapse between their meetings, they are always in each other’s hearts and minds, answering questions they haven’t asked and questioning life decisions they haven’t witnessed.
Somewhere along the line there is flirting, one crazy night, lingering thoughts of something more and even one of those silly promises… “If we never marry, when we’re forty…”
One Day visits each of them on the same day, every year on the same date, a perspective that while interesting and fun, did not over shadow the story or feel forced. I actually forgot about the date angle more than once. Of course the ending brought everything full circle.
For me, One Day was personal, poignant, perhaps a little too close to home. But aside from that, Emma and David were perfectly written and true to their characters. I found myself expecting them to do things, not in a predictable way, but in a way that showed I had come to know them and had expectations, dare say hope for what they would say or do. Ironically, they spend the better part of the book, and their lives, apart. But they are always together.
One Day spoke to me about dreams, disappointment and being true to ourselves with the painful, final message being; Don’t wait. Do not wait.
A Thousand Roses, by Numi Ash
Second on my list of ‘marriage pact’ titles, was A Thousand Roses, by Numi Ash.
Anne DuMonde has her issues. She’s a clutz, unladylike, unrefined and according the images created by author descriptions, I would say unattractive. Yet we are expected to believe that her now dashing and successful, grade school sweetheart has come back to reclaim her after a childhood marriage pact and being separated by disapproving parents. I know, looks aren’t everything, but it wasn’t just looks after all. I have never seen two characters more opposite than Anne & Jake Castle. Despite this annoying theme, I couldn’t put it down. So, what makes a good book? Is the fact that the characters annoyed me ok, as long as the story had me hooked? I’m still not sure.
Despite the romantic undertones, A Thousand Roses included not one mystery, but several. Maybe this made up for the annoying Anne & Jake. I guess my bottom line is that I may have still read the book intently, but also walked away liking the book, had Anne been a little more endearing, had Jake been a little less perfect.
The Marriage Pact, by MJ Pullen
Marci was born in Atlanta, Georgia, where she grew up and attended college at UGA. During those years she forged strong friendships, with Suzanne, Rebecca… and Jake. Jake always floated somewhere between flirty coed and sweet older brother, until one night when too much tequila led to a cocktail napkin contract, to marry when they were thirty, if they hadn’t married anyone else.
Ten years later, Marci is in love with Doug, her married boss in Austin, Texas, when she receives the email from Jake, hoping to collect on that promise. It may have been forgotten in the trash folder, had her secret affair not fallen apart soon after, sending her running back to Atlanta, and leaning on Suzanne, Rebecca…and Jake. This is where we all assume a happy ending is not far away, but of course, Doug shows up in Atlanta!
The Marriage Pact, for me, was a close second to One Day, without all the personal meaning and sentiment. The story is believable, with real people, real problems and a realistic, albeit bumpy ending. Life is bumpy. Meanwhile, the ‘marriage pacts’ are three for three!
**
On August 19, 2011 One Day was released in theaters, starring Anne Hathaway & Jim Sturgess…
I absolutely love when I get to see a movie, of which I have already read the book! This time, it was totally planned and intentional, as I read the book, about three weeks before the movie was released. Seeing a movie after you have read the book, is of course, different. You already know quite a bit, but the fun part is what you do not know. They can change a little or they can change a lot!
So the review becomes first, about the changes. If there were few changes, you may find yourself simply restating your original opinion. But there are almost always changes!! Then your review becomes two things… one, did I like the changes, why and why not; two, how did the changes reshape the overall story and is it so new and different, that I am now reviewing something different altogether? It can be tricky. If you really loved the book, too many changes can offend and then you have a hard time giving the ‘new’ story a fair shake. Here we go…
The on-screen version of One Day, was the most accurate I have ever seen. There were some omissions, but for the most part it seemed they were left out only to save time and space. There is a certain something ‘missing’ when you see a movie that you’ve already essentially seen in your mind’s eye. You don’t gasp at the surprising moments, because you aren’t surprised. That anticipation is missing, but when you enjoy the book, this sacrifice is understood. My fellow movie goers were sufficiently shocked and entertained at the appropriate moments.
I recommend the book and the movie, but if you don’t like doing both, you won’t be disappointed in one without the other.
