David Nicholls
Rating: 7/10
Review:
I realised yesterday that I never reviewed this book on here. I read it a couple of months ago, I must have just missed it out.
I love the idea of this book. The narrative returns to Dexter on the same day over 20 years (St. Swithin's day to be exact). This structure is a clever way to cover such a vast time span and a complicated relationship. Yet the execution did not live up to my expectations.
Having such a big gap between each meeting made me feel like I was constantly playing catch-up; I didn't feel included in their lives. Some major life events happened in the gaps between ad in a normal narrative the reader would have witnessed them 'first-hand' rather than hearing about them in a conversation. Admittedly it didn't help that I knew this book had such a cult following. My expectations were just too high.
I didn't find any of the characters overly likeable either. Some would argue that its because they are portrayed more realistically, as actual people with flaws and problems, but I found it harder to care what happened to them.
And don't even get me started on the ending!!!!