When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
SOMEBODY TAKE ME TO AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE AND GET LOST WITH ME. I WANT TO FALL IN LOVE AND PERHAPS EVEN STAY IN LOVE. I WANT TO MAKE A TRUE FRIEND WHO ENCOURAGES ME TO FIND HAPPINESS. I WANT TO JUMP AND TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH.
There are endless reviews of Just One Day on this wonderful world we call the internet and the majority of them say that this novel is an amazing one of personal growth and love. They say that Forman is an exquisite storyteller who seems to craft realistic, complicated and enthralling characters with ease. And I agree.. completely and wholly. But I never doubted this; I never doubted Just One Day would be beautifully written or that characters would evoke an array of emotions in me. After reading If I Stay and Where She Went for me the layered characters and raw storytelling of Just One Day was a given that Forman.
What I didn't completely expect was the effect Just One Day has on me. While reading If I Stay and Where She Went I empathised with the characters, I cried for them and I wanted them to get there happily ever after and while I felt the same things for the characters of Just One Day, I also felt like the story really changed me. I don't think I've read a book that has ever affected me in a way like this one has.
At the beginning when Allyson is surrounded by her tour group but feels so disconnected, I knew Just One day would be an instant favourite for me because Forman seemed to put into words how being alone and being lonely are two completely different things. When Allyson watched the Guerilla Will performance of Twelfth Night I wanted to go out and find something that made my eyes shine with awe. When Allyson got lost in Paris with Willem I wanted to immerse myself somewhere. The moment Allyson told her guidance counselor that she didn't know what to do and she didn't want to disappoint her parents, it struck a chord in me. Everything Allyson does or feels in this book either made me feel understood or made me want to take control of my own life.
What I'm trying to say really is that not only is this book gorgeously written and not only is the love story heartbreaking, Just One Day is inspiring and the emotions appear to fly off the pages and inhabit your very core.
I definitely recommend Just One Day to all of you, it isn't exactly a light summer read but it is a damn good book written by a damn good author. There's no question as to if I'll read Just One Year, reading this book barely gave me any information about Willem and getting inside his head will just be insane.
Music choice: This song has been playing on the radio non stop at the moment and I heard it again a couple of hours ago and all I could think of was this book...
'I didn't know I was lost'
This is Wake Me Up by Avicii
Gah, I want to read this one so badly! I love Gayle Forman. I know what you mean about the book having an effect on you to the point where you feel you've changed - I've had that with a couple of books, and I have no trouble imagining that Forman can do the same. I'm glad you had that experience with this book. Brilliant review, Sadie. :)
ReplyDeleteAa'Ishah @ Reading Under the Stars
Thanks, Aa'Ishah! And you really do need to read this book as soon as possible, I have a feeling you're going to love it! :)
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