ONE DAY IN DECEMBER by Josie Silver

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The opening sentence drew me right in to One Day in December and the second sentence kept me there!

It’s a wonder everyone who uses public transport in winter doesn’t keel over and die of germ overload. In the last ten minutes Ive been coughed on and sneezed at, and if the woman in front of me shakes her dandruff way again, I might just douse her with the dregs of the lukewarm coffee that I’m no longer able to drink because it’s full of her scalp.

One Day in December has a great and unique premise that makes the book hard to put down.  It’s a light and fast read that you will find to be charming and fun. You may cry but you will definitely smile and feel good inside. The characters are very likable and have depth — you feel like you know them. The reader cannot help rooting for each of them and their relationships.  While parts of One Day in December felt somewhat predictable, it did not lessen my enjoyment. 

The story is told from two different POVs which adds another layer to the narrative. The pacing is perfect and I did not feel bored at any time. The writing style captured me with its wit and clever use of metaphors/similes. The words evoked many different feelings from me as I read, including happiness, surprise, fear, sadness, excitement, and hope.  Here is a sampling of the writing that I particularly enjoyed: 

The bus shudders to a halt at the end of the street and I watch as down below a stream of people jostle to get off at the same time as others try to push their way on. It’s as if they think it’s one of those competitions to see how many people can fit into one small space.

I don’t pour one for Jack, because as I already know, he’s more of a beer kind of guy. I’m warmed by the fact that I know what he’d prefer without needing to ask, as if this one tiny snippet is a new stitch in the quilt of our intimacy.

Behind Sarah, Jack manages to laugh while frowning at the same time, a feat of facial engineering.

While reading, I couldn’t help but picture A Day in December as a movie — that may be partly due to the author’s skill at showing rather than telling.  It’s a great book that would make a great movie. I highly recommend this book.  A major home run for a debut novel that makes me eager for Silver’s next one!