'One Day' by David Nicholls - come and chat only if you've read it (Plot spoiler!!).

[kimlouiseb]

Sniff sniff.
I loved it but am brokenhearted now. I can't cope with sad endings. Emma's character was so alive to me I feel like I've lost a friend.

If I hadn't known the writer was a man I would have thought Emma was a Mary Sue type character. She was so perfect, people always telling her how beautiful she was, double first honours degree, sweet funny talented inspiring teacher blah blah blah. I found her very dull and her 'working class' credentials were very affected.

Dexter was a twat but a bit more well-drawn than Emma. I found the bit where he poured milk all over the baby pretty funny but that chapter (where he's babysitting drunk) made me hate him, really.

Overall I didn't like it very much - it didn't seem to have any direction or message. I didn't think there were very many significant period details and they didn't add much to my overall enjoyment of the story. I couldn't understand why their relationship existed at all and I didn't relate even remotely with the characters.

Someone Sarah Parish-esque for emma I think, but no good for the earlier years obviously...not sure about Dexter.

I quite enjoyed it but it took me a while to get into it. I agree that it's chicklit though - but I like a bit of chicklit sometimes.

I finished this tonight and will admit to tears .

I read the other day that Anne Hathaway is filming this movie at the mo.

I liked it, especially the chapter with him looking after the baby - very funny indeed. I saw Emma's demise coming - several loaded references beforehand to putting things off that she would do later (i.e. there would be no later) also he dispatched Rachel in Cold Feet in a similar freak RTA. I wasn't surprised.

I loved it! I have just googled and the actor playing him in the film is similar to how I imagined Dexter en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sturgess.

I finished it last week and thoroughly enjoyed it- all that skirting around the real issues and witty banter instead of straight talking was very well observed.

A really easy read which evoked feelings and memories- was just what I needed. Agree ComeWhine, he looks like I imagined Dexter too.

I read this on holiday and thought it was a good, lightish read (except the sad ending, obviously), and thoroughly enjoyed hating some of the characters (Sylvie and Callum, ugh, and Ian made me cringe with his 'comedy' accents). Excellent fun!
DP read it too and we then cast the film, with Dominic Cooper as Dex - cross posting with most of you here - and Gemma Arterton (sp?) as Em.

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

And was shocked to a little tear when Emma met her unexpected end. I thought it was wonderful, really evocative of the 90's. Sooo sad at the end too...all that 'if only'......

I want to recommend to everyone and will poke them if they don't agree is fab.

I thought it was trash.

I wasn't shocked at all - I waited for her to die from the moment they got together. It was so predictable.

Pity because it was a good book - well written, easy to read, interesting characters and then they killed off the main character so that it wouldn't slip into "chick lit" with a happy ending. Pissed me off.

I read lots and lots of books, and while this was OK it was bordering on 'film script' like others have said.

Dexter was a prize shit and the poor sappy girl really irritated me, wanted to throttle her for being so naff at times.

It was getting better towards the end and then she died... what a crock!

I really enjoyed it ,despite it being film script predictable.

I'm with Lalalonglegs - I though it was rubbish - it was just like Cold Feet - which I enjoyed but was expecting a much better book because of all the hype. I knew that she would die - thought she might have got pregnant or had a baby first but it was all so predictable

Totally didn't understand all the hype!! Thought it was really wishy washy and dull.

hope for the best

the understudy is that the one you mean - its my favourite

I really enjoyed it - would define it as 'good chick lit'

I knew she would die when they got it together way before the book ended....although I thought she was going to find out she had cancer when they were TTC.

I actually found Emma's character quite annoying at the start, the way she was always snipping at Dex due to her jealousy and she was such a goody goody (the first holiday), he so would not have kept that friendship going in RL

It was well written but agree Dexter was an annoying twat-she would not have given him the time of day in RL. As a reader I found it manipulative and it didn't ring true on many levels.
I am astonished at all the hype and the amazing reviews.