By Bethan Croft
I watched the Netflix series first. I feel like it's necessary to point out that just like many others, I added this book to my read list approximately thirty seconds after the credits hit my screen, after a session of binge-watching. I cried for the entirety of the last two episodes and decided that wasn't enough pain to put myself through. No, I had to read it too. Luckily my birthday was just a few weeks later and I was delightfully surprised with a brand new copy of the book.
One of the first things that stuck out to me whilst reading was how well David Nicholls wrote a female perspective. Now, I'm not saying this in a 'I-hate-all-books-written-by-men-way' but yes, as a female I do tend to read more books written by women (the same way a man most likely favours male authors, for a sense of relatability.) But, Emma's perspective was written so well that I had to actually do a double-take and check the front cover, to ensure that this was indeed written by a male. I've previously read books from a female perspective written by a man and never have they so realistically expressed the true thoughts of how a woman's internal thinking mechanism works, as well as David Nicholls did in One Day. He captured the self-doubt and insecurity that plague the brains of young women and he captured the fight and strong belief of wanting to make a change that many of the younger generation have.
The storyline itself follows the characters of Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley, for the 20 years that they have known each other. Their first major interaction is on the day of their university graduation in 1988. I think it's fair to assume that Dexter expected they would spend the night a bit differently from how they actually spent their night together. They talk about what they expect to be like when they are in their forties and then the absurdity of their conversations intrigue them both enough to become penpals throughout Dexter's travels and eventually become best friends.
That being said, this book is the slowest of all slow-burn tropes.
After several major career changes, marriages and children from other relationships - and after it took them nearly twenty years - they finally get together. Despite them both being aware from the very beginning, of the very obvious feelings they have for each other.
Then, the most heartbreaking part, is that after just over a year of their marriage and them trying to conceive, (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT:) Emma dies. And, this is something I may never forgive David Nicholls for (on top of killing off Dexter's mother earlier on in the book and making me go through Dexter's dad saying, “Well, you have to try. What do you think I’ve been doing for the last ten years?” *SOB)
The way that Emma's death is written is very similar to the style in which John Green writes the death of Augustus Waters in The Fault In Our Stars, “Augustus Waters died eight days after his prefuneral, at Memorial, in the ICU, when the cancer, which was made of him, finally stopped his heart, which was also made of him.” This long sentence packs in every emotion and every thing that needed to be said by the author about the death of one of the main characters. Similarly, in One Day, this is the line in which Emma takes her last breath, "He'll wonder where I am, she thinks. He'll worry. Then Emma Mayhew dies, and everything that she thought or felt vanishes. And is gone forever." Both writing styles are blunt and to the point and both of these lines from each respective book made me ugly cry.
On top of this, David Nicholls tackles a lot of important issues. One of the most subtle, yet profound being male loneliness, which is explained in this article by GQ.
The author also uses a lot of symbolism throughout. St. Swithins Day is consistently mentioned throughout and the date tends to align with every major event of the book. From the day after the first night they spent together, Dexter explains that, according to belief, if it rains on St Swithins' Day it will rain for forty days but, if not, the weather will remain fine for forty days. This is particularly important because every July 15th remains sunny until the end of the novel, on the final St Swithin's Day that they share it rains and Emma dies.
This story is about love deriving off the foundation of friendship but also about not accepting a person until the time is right for you to be together and they have worked through their flaws. Until they realise your worth because sometimes it is quite possible that, “You can live your whole life not realizing that what you're looking for is right in front of you.” So maybe fate is a key theme that goes easily unnoticed within this novel despite being prominent. The story is also about the heartbreakingly unjust reality of life and how we never know what may happen next.
“Live each day as if it's your last', that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that? What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and courageous and bold and to make a difference. Not change the world exactly, but the bit around you. Go out there with your passion and your electric typewriter and work hard at...something. Change lives through art maybe. Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved, if you ever get the chance.” ~ David Nicholls, One Day.
To read more about the differences in the story presented through the novel, Netfix Series and film, read our article on the subject.
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