A huge hit in its native U.K., David Nicholls' best-selling novel, One Day is proving equally successful in the United States. After 18 months, the London Telegraph dubbed it "a sleeper hit of huge proportions."
Nicholls' One Day cannot be dismissed as "chick lit," as it gives its male protagonist equally "billing," time, words and attention. The novel chronicles 20 years in the relationship between two long-time friends, Emma and Dexter who meet at university, during graduation on 15 July 1988. Each chapter of One Day focuses on - you guessed it - that one summer day in each subsequent year in the lives of the leads. Clearly the general idea is "will they?" or "won't they?" but Nicholls' has penned a novel that clearly goes beyond the expected or standard.
It's Nicholls' intention to draw the audience into both Emma's and Dexter's lives, whether they are "together" (and primarily not in a romantic sense, but more in a same space kind of thing) or not. Twenty years is a significant span in the lives of active young people.
As relationships go, Emma's and Dexter's probably is not unfamiliar. Many have friendships that wax and wane, and those who have had close relationships with those of the opposite sex have experienced, reciprocated or not, attraction or spark at various times throughout the years.
Nicholls' strength is that he, in no way, romanticizes either character. And really, nothing is a forgone conclusion. While undoubtedly the novel will have readers who are rooting for Emma and Dexter to finally "get together" there are those who will revel in each stage of their lives, and accept them as individuals not merely the emotional centerpiece with an inevitable conclusion. Emma is principled and hopes for a bright future and a better life than the working class one she grew up in, but Dexter is charming and was born with the proverbial "silver spoon" in his mouth (he uses that spoon for nose candy in a particular dark period of his life).
Careers, too, are not always on a single soaring trajectory and Emma and Dexter each have both certainty and uncertainty regarding what they want to do to make the proverbial "living." Dexter's life, in which he becomes a minor celebrity, is on the hedonistic side, whereas Emma's plods along until she finds her passion.
Romantic relationships (with others) come and go, but they rely on their history and genuine sentiment and emotion throughout the years.
Nicholls, who was once an actor, wrote two previous novels, one of which was turned into the James MacAvoy feature film, "Starter for 10." As a writer, Nicholls is able to offer nuanced characters who are flawed and familiar, yet also unique.
Unsurprisingly, One Day has already been shot in the U.K. (in the summer of 2010) as a feature film, due in U.K. theaters in July 2011 and in the U.S. in the fall 2011. Anne Hathaway is Emma and Jim Sturgess is Dexter. Nicholls wrote the screenplay based on his book and the director of last year's "An Education," Lone Scherfig, directs. Also in the film are Romola Garai, Jamie Sives, Rafe Spall, Ken Stott and Jodie Whittaker.