"One Day"

Nathania Carissa Vida Octaviani (392020032)

February 8th, 2021 

Reading Diary - Entry 4 

Introduction 

“One Day” is a romance fiction novel by David Nicholls. The book was first published by Hodder & Stoughton in United Kingdom on 11 June 2009. The name of the illustrator is not listed in this book. In fact, this book has 448 pages. However, because I don't have the original book, I only read it through the e-book. I read it in English e-Reader.net and the e-book is only available for 76 pages. So, I have completed the 76 pages. I choose to read this e-book, because I was interested with a romantic novel genre. 

The Setting 

The story takes place in London, United Kingdom in 1988. In this story, many places are told  in London, especially the University of Edinburgh where Emma and Dexter met. 

London is the capital and largest city of England and Great Britain. The city sits on the River Thames in southeast England, at the end of an 80-kilometer estuary that leads to the North Sea. 

The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1582, is the sixth oldest university in Great Britain and the English speaking world and one of the ancient universities in Scotland. The university has five main campuses in the city of Edinburgh, which include many important historical and architectural buildings such as those in the Old City. The university played an important role in Edinburgh being a major intellectual center during the Scottish Enlightenment, contributing to the city being nicknamed "Athens of the North". 

    University of Edinburgh 

   Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/University-of-Edinburgh

The Characters 

The main character is Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew. They are best friends. 

Actually Emma is a pessimistic person but she becomes an optimist when she has gone through some difficult realities. She can also get up and survive until she can become successful. Likewise with Dexter, when he already shone as a TV presenter, he was faced with a decline in his popularity so that he was in a slump. However, they can be strong through it all because they always share stories and always encourage each other.

Dexter's character is special, because he keeps his commitment as Emma's best friend who always supports him and he never asks for a more relationship. The twists and turns of Dexter's life are well described. We can be annoyed and pity with his life.

Plot 

Dexter and Emma spend the night together following their graduation from the University of Edinburgh, in 1988. They talk about how they will be once they are 40. While they do not become romantically involved completely, this is the beginning of their friendship. The novel visits their lives and their relationship on 15 July in successive years in each chapter, for 20 years.

Emma wants to improve the world, and begins writing and performing plays, which remain unsuccessful, while Dexter travels through the world, drinking and hooking up with women. Eventually both move to London, where Emma becomes a waitress in Kentish Town, at a Tex-Mex restaurant, while Dexter becomes a successful television presenter.

While there are various attempts from both sides to start a relationship, coincidences stop Emma and Dexter from getting together, and while they have relationships with other people, they remain best friends, each secretly longing for the other. They are drawn closer through a holiday together and the death of Dexter's mother.

Emma breaks up with her boyfriend, Ian, after realising she is creating a life with someone she doesn't love. During this time she is able to find a job as a teacher, after various years of struggle, despite having a "double-first degree". Dexter, meanwhile, develops a drinking and drug problem, and watches his career collapse.

Emma and Dexter's friendship grows increasingly difficult after Emma is constantly hurt by Dexter, who attempts to hide his feelings for her from both her and himself. Finally, after being treated rudely by Dexter at a restaurant, Emma breaks up the friendship.

At the wedding of Emma's former roommate, Emma and Dexter meet again. Emma admits that she wants Dexter back. At this juncture, she has just ended an affair with the headmaster of the school she teaches in, and Dexter has fallen in love with another woman, Sylvie, who is pregnant. At this reunion, Dexter invites Emma, who is disappointed by the situation, to his wedding.

Emma tries to overcome her problems and begins to write, while Dexter is unemployed and overwhelmed by his role as a father after his divorce from Sylvie, who was having an affair. Emma leaves to go to Paris in the hope of writing a sequel to her first successful children's novel. When Dexter visits her in Paris, he learns that she has met someone and likes him, and for the first time admits his feelings to her. After talking about their relationship, Emma chooses Dexter.

Emma and Dexter form a relationship, are happy together, and get married, but Emma wants a child. The couple finds themselves frustrated by their failing attempts to have a child. Dexter, however, is able to open a deli-café and finds himself on his way back to being successful.

On the anniversary of the day they met after graduation and the day they got together, Emma and Dexter have an appointment to see a house. While travelling there, Emma has a bike accident and dies. After her death, Dexter finds himself in despair. He starts to drink again and provokes people in bars to get beaten.

He is comforted by his ex-wife Sylvie, his father, and his daughter. Three years after Emma's death Dexter travels with his daughter to Edinburgh, where he and Emma met, and they climb the same hill together that he and Emma climbed 19 years earlier.

Conclusion

In my opinion, the story of this novel actually is a little bit complicated, but ya, I love this novel and I recommend this novel to all of you, eventhough this is a sad ending story. This novel teaches us to appreciate the existence of the person we love while she/he is still around and love him/her sincerely.