One Day by David Nicholls

The chapters in this book each cover one day, July 15, for 20 years in the lives of the two main characters, Emma and Dexter. It's an interesting approach which jumps back and forth between the viewpoints of the characters in a kind of 'how does each one view the same events differently?' way. The tale is basically about how these two are drawn to each other but can't really admit it. We see how that affects their relationship as friends over the years.

I found the book interesting enough to finish, wondering how it would all turn out, but there were things that bothered me. Dexter seemed like such a looser who faced almost everything in his life, good or bad, with drinking and drugs. Emma was more interesting and had much more character as a person, but even she did some crummy things. I really couldn't see why she was so attracted to Dex. At one point a drunk Dexter is left alone with a baby. Wow. That really angered me.

Also there was the occasion where a letter from one to the other was inadvertantly and unknowingly left unsent, thus perhaps altering the course of the relationship. I hate when that kind of thing happens. It always seems contrived.

Then finally I hated the ending. It was also contrived. It made me feel like I had wasted my time reading through all the rest of the book.

There was some humorous dialogue in the book, but overall I did not care for this novel.