‘One Day’ – a novel by David Nicholls (2009)

“The Polaroids that hold us together
Will surely fade away,
Like the love we spoke of forever on St Swithin’s Day” – Billy Bragg.

one dayOne Day is the kind of book you want to press into the hands of all your friends and say ‘you must read this’.

It may not be a life changing book, but it is a life defining book. It will help (although is by no means essential) if you happen to have been born in the UK between say 1950 – 1970 .

The novel spans a twenty year period and centres on the highs and lows in the lives of Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew from their early twenties to middle age. The story begins in 1988 when they meet on the night of their graduation in Edinburgh.

Each chapter is set in a different year but it is always the same day – 15th July, St Swithin’s Day. This is a day which ,according to tradition, dictates what the weather will be like for the next 40 days.

David Nicholls has fun teasing the reader with this contrivance. For instance, at the end of Chapter 2 (1989) Dex’s Mom has some big news  and says “we’ll talk properly tomorrow” . By the time we pick up the story again in Chapter 3, one year has passed.

Both Dexter and Emma (Dex and Em) are ambitious to do something with their lives that will make a difference. The question is, what exactly?

Emma would like to do something arty, like acting or writing.  Dex would be content with a job that sounds impressive when said out loud in a pub; for instance ‘I’m a journalist?” is good, “I refurbish computers” is not.

He is very into himself , handsome, confident, energetic and arrogant . He is also one of life’s perpetual fuck-ups, living off his good looks and charm yet constantly sabotaging his own good fortune.

Emma is quite a different character. She is attractive and principled but lacking in the courage of her convictions.  That these chalk and cheese characters would find a point of connection is totally believable.  He wants to be a better person and she wants to be less inhibited.

On one level the story is built around the simple premise of will they/won’t they finally get together. Fortunately, Nicholls manages to include enough twists into the plot to take it beyond the straight rom-com formula. Ultimately, it is as much a tale of friendship and loyalty as love and lust. Coming to terms with getting old is also a strong theme , a process summed up poignantly by Emma when she reflects how the passing of time means that “the yearning and anguish and passion had been replaced by a steady pulse of pleasure and satisfaction and occasional irritation”.

The characters are brilliantly drawn, entirely recognisable as ‘types’ without being stereotypes. There are strong incidental characters, notably the bad stand-up comic Ian and bubbly TV presenter Suki but it is the lively bickering and bantering between Dex and Em that makes the novel such a great read. At one point, when Dex proudly declares what a complicated guy he is, Emma retorts: “Complicated? You’re like a two-piece jig-saw”.

One Day is a brilliant novel that is smart but never smug.  It will make you laugh and cry and you will also wince at the deadly accurate description of  England over the past two decades. By the end you feel you know and care about Em and Dex like old friends. You must read it!

Related Link:

Emma Morley’s mixtape – not only great character but also great taste in music!