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<\/a><\/p>\nYOU\u2019D be at your wits end with traditional love stories. Chic lit after chic lit clogging up best-seller lists with their incredulous happy-ever-after plots. A very inspirational English lecturer told me their secret to success, so sadly they won\u2019t be banished any time soon, nor will I take up writing them. Some will put One Day<\/em> into the chic lit category, and if you do, you must be somewhat disillusioned!<\/p>\n This is one love story you won\u2019t get tired of. David Nicholls has not been the most prolific of authors, with Starter for Ten<\/em> and The Understudy<\/em> already in his arsenal. Reactions to One Day<\/em> are quite mixed, but it\u2019s very easy to understand why. His writing style is not far from that of a literary genius, and it goes without saying literary geniuses are not for everybody.<\/p>\n Meet Emma and Dexter.\u00a0 They fall in love under unusual circumstances whilst at University. Dexter is sexy and popular, while Emma is a nerd. So then, a situation familiar to most of us. The characterisation for the entire novel is something I\u2019d not yet experienced and on reaching the end, I realised how quite fantastic it all was. The level of intimacy to which you will descend with both Emma and Dexter is intense but exuberantly compelling.<\/p>\n I won\u2019t divulge too much of the storyline, because it\u2019s something you should experience for yourself, but it involves a love story and a peculiar ending. It is one of very few mainstream novels that will stick with me, one I would go back to, and if I went to dinner parties, one I\u2019d discuss at dinner parties.<\/p>\n It is thought provoking. You\u2019ll find yourself questioning your life, your motives and your routines. That\u2019s before you even consider the difficult love.<\/p>\n It was adapted into a recent film. Given the success-neutral film adaptation of his earlier novel Starter for Ten<\/em>, One Day<\/em> was met with an unsure reception. I blocked out such noise, so, unsurprisingly it was one of few films I\u2019ve really looked forward to. I set my expectations somewhat high and was mildly disappointed. Naturally I became annoyed at the omissions and blatant amendments. But at the end of it all, it held an aura of amazement.<\/p>\n So, read the book before you even consider watching the film. If you think it\u2019s pompous shite I apologise. If not, read on and savour every page.<\/p><\/div>\n