Book Club Friday: "One Day"

I decided I would link up with Heather and her new partner-in-crime Katie for Book Club Friday this week since I actually finished a book, haven't written/posted my summary of it yet, AND I watched the movie adaption of the book =)

Anyways, I know I'm like a year behind on this one, but this week I finished "One Day" by David Nicholls.

From Goodreads:
"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."

 It's a pretty interesting concept/format for a book - follow the lives of 2 people for roughly 20 years, but only on 1 certain day each year. It was a fun story, watching them both grow up from college graduates through adulthood and middle age. 

Almost wish I had thought of it, following the soon to be 15 year friendship/relationship of hubby and I going all the way back to the 1st time we met in December 1997. However our story isn't done yet ;-)

Because of hubby and I having such a long history though (as he noticed this week, this year we'll have known each other for more than half our lifetimes!), I could definitely relate to the ups and downs of Emma and Dexter's friendship/relationship! 

I will say though, about the book, while a lot of it was predictable, the twist out of nowhere literally had me going "What the hell just happened there?!" "Did I read that right?" and had me flipping through the upcoming chapters just to confirm it, as I just couldn't believe that happened! Totally didn't see THAT coming! 

As far as the movie... I missed the character development that the book had - some of the years just kinda breezed by in a matter of seconds like they included them just for the sake of having them when in the book you know more happened. Also, I liked how with the book they summarized some of the things that happened since we last checked in with Dex and Emma whereas with the movie, some years they touched on it, others they didn't. I missed the whole affair Emma had going on with her boss at one point as well as the whole first meeting she ever had with a publisher (that scene was pretty funny!). I also looked forward to them getting lost in the maze together at Tilly's wedding, only for that scene to get shortened and changed... I wish there was a tad more Suki Meadows on screen too (and for some reason I pictured her as a hyper little Japanese girl with all the crazy Japanese clothing but London-ized, lol...). And I don't quite understand why they added on years at the end there, stretching things out for longer than they actually went on...  

I get they had to change things and cut things for time and to get certain points across but yeah, the movie was alright, I liked the book better though.

Have you read One Day or seen the movie? 

What were your thoughts?