"One Day"

by David Nicholls, AF, 2010, 437p, rating=2.75
*SPOILER ALERT?*

"It’s 1988 and Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley have only just met. But after only one day together, they cannot stop thinking about one another. Over twenty years, snapshots of that relationship are revealed on the same day—July 15th—of each year. Dex and Em face squabbles and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself." (book cover)

A telling cover ...atop, an embracing passionate kiss but below each heading on opposite directions.  And so the story goes for Dexter and Emma.  A couple who met and had a moment a day after college graduation but found themselves moving on to different directions thereafter.  And so the cat and mouse game begins.  Over the course of twenty years they lived their separate lives but maintained contact.  Their relationship seemed to be always at bay. 

For some reason I kept thinking of the TV show Arrested Development when I was reading this book.  Mind you I've never sat through an episode, but the few times I stumbled on it while flipping through the channels gave me the impression that it was quirky.  A good adjective to describe this elusive relationship between Dex and Em and the whole aura of the book.  And from that can come comedy and tragedy as well.  There was definitely comedy but tragedy ... well, I can't tell you exactly.

Because this spanned twenty years, you were able to see an evolution of growth.  The earlier years were idealistic and the latter years things began to settle and became practical.  That was the strength and interesting part I got out of the book.  But it also made for a tedious read with all the banter and craziness in the interim.

The foul language and adult content (thought not necessarily graphic) was too heavy for me.  Plus, I did not like the ending!  Looks like I won't be seeing the movie.

ADDENDUM:
I forgot to mention that I learned that la cucaracha means cockroach through reading this book.  See, it pays to read!  Though now I'm disturbed and curious about the song ... what about the cockroach?  Why would one sing about it?  ...Symbolism?