#51 Starter For Ten, by David Nicholls (Hodder Paperbacks)

To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart, of all the books in all the world, the Friend of the Wench and I both chose the same one. I trust readers will believe me when I say that there was nothing premeditated about our selection of David Nicholls’ One Day – after all, I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for about a month.

But I suppose it goes to show that coincidences do happen, and our contrasting reviews (you can read his blog here) at least proves there is still plenty of room for diversity in our respective challenges.

Until we get to my book 51, that is, which is one that the Friend of the Wench has already reviewed, and was in fact the one I was looking for when I came across One Day. Apologies if it’s all getting a bit incestuous.

I make no apologies for liking Starter For Ten, though, even if many would probably consider it a slightly more childish novel than Nicholls’ One Day. To some extent, they share a common theme, in that both books use university life as a starting point for life experience and personal growth (it sounds like I’m attending a careers interview…), but while One Day seems, to me at least, to be trying a bit too hard, Starter for Ten is more natural and therefore funnier and more touching.

Ostensibly about a shy boy’s pursuit of knowledge and a place in his university’s University Challenge team, it’s more about the trials and tribulations of growing up, and there were a few cringeworthy occasions when I had to momentarily put the book down rather than read what I knew was coming next, as the main character put his foot in it yet again.

You could argue the characters are simplistic and stereotypical, and probably put up a strong argument at that, but unlike One Day, there was a pervading sense of charm that allowed this to be easily forgiven in pursuit of the next chuckle.

It’s not a masterpiece, far from it, but it’s likeable, good spirited and warm at heart, and you could do a lot worse - if only because you're likely to learn something at the same time. Oh, and you can read what the Friend of the Wench made of Starter for Ten here.

So, rating time:

#51 Starter For Ten, by David Nicholls (Hodder Paperbacks) - 7/10

Next up: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote (Penguin Books)

Click here for the full list of books so far, and their rating

#48 One Day, by David Nicholls (Hodder and Stoughton)

I was looking for a different book by David Nicholls (Starter for Ten) when I came across One Day, and, after reading the blurb, remembered that I had once heard Simon Mayo discussing it on the book review slot of his old BBC Radio 5 live show. Which is about all the impetus I need when it comes to selecting my next book.

Without pre-empting the whole rating business, One Day perfectly passable fare and I can’t dispute it provided some enjoyment. However, I must take issue with the incredible number of ‘book of the year!” testimonials from critics and other authors which adorn the cover and opening few pages, sample quote: “Every reader will fall in love with it. And every writer will wish they had written it.” (Tony Parsons, by the way)

There are some things to like about One Day, which explores and follows the relationship between Em and Dex, two students who sleep together on their graduation night, over the following 20 years. Crucially, the author just dips into their lives on one day per year, the anniversary of that first encounter, so you have to pick up whatever else has happened in their lives on the other 364 days. As devices go, it’s not bad, and it’s to its credit that it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome.

However, I can’t agree with Nick Hornby when he says One Day is ‘brilliant on the details of the last couple of decades of British cultural and political life’. No, it’s not. Parts of the novel feel like Nicholls has Googled a timeline for each year and just chucked in a couple of references to significant events so the reader can place themselves in the story to provide some additional colour. Oh, New Labour have just won the election (I remember that!) so it must be 1997; look, the lead character is presenting a late-night ‘largin it’ television show and dating a lad’s mag babe so it must be the late 1990s.

If it’s love you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. There is unrequited love and requited love, coupled with cheap flings and affairs, but aspects of the two main characters are so determinedly unlikeable that you don’t really care about their relationship or whether they will find love. Bad boy Dex is particularly hard work; after he’s spent so long being thoroughly unpleasant to Em, does Nicholls really believe we want Em, whiny though she often is, to end up with him?

All that said, there were some poignant and endearing moments. I cried, of course. I didn’t see the final twist coming. I laughed a few times. It’s like an unchallenging Hollywood rom-com, probably starring Jennifer Aniston – you know what to expect, it’s going to pass the time and be moderately entertaining, but it won’t change your life and you’ll have forgotten it tomorrow. Which is why these reviews need to be written quickly...

Oh, and a quick hello to Guilty Feat, a fellow Wire watcher (so obviously someone of particularly distinguished taste) who has kindly pointed me the way of his own review of One Day. We agree, we disagree, but I enjoyed reading his opinion.

So, rating time:

#48 One Day, by David Nicholls (Hodder and Stoughton) - 6/10

Next up: Thank You for the Days, by Mark Radcliffe (Simon and Schuster)

Click here for the full list of books so far, and their rating