Something different


First of all I feel like I owe my readers a gigantic apology… it has been far too long since I posted! I have been waging an internal battle with myself over my reading habits, and I think I was rebelling because I felt like I was reading to write reviews rather than reading for enjoyment. It was very childish, and I am hoping that I can create a peaceful balance between the two so I can start updating more frequently again!

Moving along, I do realise this is a crime blog, but I think it would be a crime not to read One Day by David Nicholls. I saw the trailer for the movie adaptation and decided that I was sufficiently intrigued enough to read the novel. I am a firm believer that novels are always, and there are no exceptions, better than their accompanying films. I do not feel any different having read this novel, and will actually approach the film with caution. The novel is an absolute delight – a treasure from start to finish, wonderfully refreshing and witty, and heartbreakingly sad. I laughed out loud, I reached for the tissues, and I fell in love with Emma and Dexter as they struggled to grow up and make sense of the crazy journey of life.

We meet Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew on July 15 1988 on their graduation day. Having recently graduated, I can see bits of myself in the characters as they struggle to deal with a seemingly limitless future and their desire to embrace life with open arms. From 1988, we as readers are privileged enough to look into their lives on the same day, July 15, as every year passes by. Emma and Dexter interact with each other more often than once a year, but we only see them on this day, and we quickly learn that life doesn’t always go the way either of them plan. From failed marriages to disastrous dates, deaths and overseas holidays, through the highs and the lows, we watch as two people grow up, mature, fail, succeed and try to maintain a friendship through all of life’s adversity.

It is a simple yet exquisite novel that captivated me from the opening page. Nicholls is an extraordinary author – the characters are so unique, yet I couldn’t help but see myself in them from time to time. They are flawed and far from perfect, but that’s what makes them loveable. When you finish the final sentence, you feel like you have made two best friends over the course of 435 pages, and it took me some time to pull myself out of the story. That’s how I knew it was a life-changing book… I sat there for a good deal of time afterwards in some blissed out state, knowing I had just experienced something magical.

I do not suggest that you read this book. I feverishly urge you to run out and read it now.

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