The One
- John Marrs
- Apr 26, 2017
- 2 min read
This book seems to be a re-naming of A Thousand Small Explosions by the same author, so if you've read that one, this is not a new book.
This is a fabulous read, I couldn't put it down. Just imagine that a gene had been discovered which tells who your perfect life partner is, The One who is for you. You may be perfectly compatible with others but to get The One is a match made in heaven, gives of a thousand small explosions.
We start with fairly short chapters introducing six random subscribers to Match Your DNA, an international company matching your DNA with one other somewhere in the world. We very quickly learn a little about the lives and 'getting together' of Mandy, Christopher, Jade, Amy, Ellie and Nick. Most have taken the test and are with their perfect partner and others are curious to see who their perfect partner is even if they are with someone at the moment. Each of the characters' lives are interesting and different, Christopher, for example, is a serial killer and we follow him through his murders and also his love life, while Ellie, who set up Match Your DNA, is scared of anyone getting too close because they may only want her for her billion pound fortune.
The premise of the story is quite thought provoking in many ways – if you're happy and in love with one person would you jeopardise that love for a perfect match? Would you cheat on your perfect match in the likelihood they will take you back because your love is so deep? The chapters of each character are fairly short so there isn't a moment of getting fed up with one or another character, and each are lovely and easy to fall back into. For a book about love and finding happiness there's also a lot of sorrow and pathos. Some perfect matches are dying or seriously ill, but John Marrs has a wonderful compassionate way of writing so that even the sad parts are engaging and thought provoking.
This is the first book I've read of John Marrs and was so impressed that I have just purchased another of his books. He has a good fluid way of writing and I would have thought that this book has a degree of enjoyment for everyone.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/john-marrs/1080221/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-John-Marrs-ebook/dp/B01K3V42AO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8