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MarilynW's Reviews > The One
The One
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The One by John Marrs (Author) Narrated by: Clare Corbett, Vicky Hall, Simon Bubb, Jot Davies, Sophie Aldred
Scientists have discovered a gene that each person shares with just one other person and by taking a simple DNA test you will be matched with your one and only perfect partner. I love reading stories like this. Folks doing something I would never do...watching the trainwreck that I can imagine happening from taking this huge leap of faith, with everyone being told that the results are NEVER wrong no matter how many people realize things are not right. Marriages, relationships, lives being ruined by the DNA company and when things go wrong the company line is that it's not their fault (of course).
We follow five couples through the course of their taking action on the letter that shows them their match. You know things aren't going to be all rosy, especially when you find out more about each of the ten people the story follows. And what does it say about YOU when you are matched with a horrible, immoral person? How does it feel to know that the person you've been matched with does not give you the zing you are supposed to feel within 48 hours of meeting them? Will you always wonder and regret not dumping your spouse for your perfect match? Will you have second thoughts about having dumped your spouse for your perfect match?
John Marrs does a great job of showing us worlds that I would not touch for all the money in the world. But it's a lot of fun watching the story happen from the comfort of my own home. It's especially nice that we get to see how this all works (or doesn't work) from the perspective of the biggest insider of the company. Add that to the other people we follow and it's hard to decide who is the biggest villain here (there are several). Beware of letting powerful companies tell you what you think, what you need, what you should be doing because giving up your autonomy can ruin your life, as this story shows us.
PubMarch 1st 2018
Scientists have discovered a gene that each person shares with just one other person and by taking a simple DNA test you will be matched with your one and only perfect partner. I love reading stories like this. Folks doing something I would never do...watching the trainwreck that I can imagine happening from taking this huge leap of faith, with everyone being told that the results are NEVER wrong no matter how many people realize things are not right. Marriages, relationships, lives being ruined by the DNA company and when things go wrong the company line is that it's not their fault (of course).
We follow five couples through the course of their taking action on the letter that shows them their match. You know things aren't going to be all rosy, especially when you find out more about each of the ten people the story follows. And what does it say about YOU when you are matched with a horrible, immoral person? How does it feel to know that the person you've been matched with does not give you the zing you are supposed to feel within 48 hours of meeting them? Will you always wonder and regret not dumping your spouse for your perfect match? Will you have second thoughts about having dumped your spouse for your perfect match?
John Marrs does a great job of showing us worlds that I would not touch for all the money in the world. But it's a lot of fun watching the story happen from the comfort of my own home. It's especially nice that we get to see how this all works (or doesn't work) from the perspective of the biggest insider of the company. Add that to the other people we follow and it's hard to decide who is the biggest villain here (there are several). Beware of letting powerful companies tell you what you think, what you need, what you should be doing because giving up your autonomy can ruin your life, as this story shows us.
PubMarch 1st 2018
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Reading Progress
March 12, 2021
–
Started Reading
March 12, 2021
– Shelved
March 14, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 77 (77 new)
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Sheyla ✎
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rated it 4 stars
Mar 15, 2021 09:25AM
I still haven't read this one. Read the two after.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book, glad you did too
Woo-hoo!! Glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn! Fantastic review! He's one of my favorite authors.
Sheyla ✎ wrote: "I still haven't read this one. Read the two after."I read The Passengers before this one but now that I have this one under my belt, I'm waiting for the audio of The Minders to get to me😁
Sue wrote: "Thoroughly enjoyed this book, glad you did too"Thank you, Sue! 😎
Michael wrote: "Woo-hoo!! Glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn! Fantastic review! He's one of my favorite authors."Thank you, Michael...so very entertaining and scary because he takes everyday life and turns it into it's own little horror story.
Sounds like the book was vastly superior to the TV series. The series was pretty meh. It’s less interesting if you have trouble buying into the idea that there is one person in the world (or even a few people) who are a genetic soulmate. It’s more of a romantic idea than something science could pin down to one finite coupling. You also have to, in a way, buy into the idea that humans are helpless to their lust/love once matched. Nah. The TV series also paints the world of dating, or even never coupling, like it’s this hellscape that no one should have to endure.
Sounds as if the adaptation didn’t live up to the source material.
Great review Marilyn! I really liked this one too
Fantastic review Marilyn! 💕
Rebecca wrote: "Sounds like the book was vastly superior to the TV series. The series was pretty meh. It’s less interesting if you have trouble buying into the idea that there is one person in the world (or even a..."I don't buy in to what the book is selling as real life. It's really a very sad concept, especially that people would allow it to drive their relationships. The entire idea has the ability to just make more people miserable with their lives. But then I think that is the aim of a lot of companies/businesses...unless people think they are miserable without their product, they aren't as likely to buy the product.
Thanks for your thoughts on the TV series, Rebecca!
Dale wrote: "Great review Marilyn! I really liked this one too"Thank you, Dale!
Ceecee wrote: "Fantastic review Marilyn! 💕"Thank you, Ceecee 🤗
Glad you finally read this! Terrific review! 💕
Jayme wrote: "Glad you finally read this! Terrific review! 💕"Thank you, Jayme...yes, about time. At least being so behind the times allowed me to check out the audiobook, which was very good. 🥰
Fab review Marilyn! This was so entertaining, but yeah I agree I would never... 😂
I know lots of you are fans of this author, terrific review :)
I generally read the book before the adaptation, but the new TV content is starting to become sparse, and I watched it. Now, I regret it. I enjoyed your review, nonetheless!
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "Fab review Marilyn! This was so entertaining, but yeah I agree I would never... 😂"Thank you, Fran....yep, no way!!!! ❌🤣
Dorie - Cats&Books :) wrote: "I know lots of you are fans of this author, terrific review :)"Thank you, Dorie 💗
Fabulous review Marilyn! 🙌
Rebecca wrote: "I generally read the book before the adaptation, but the new TV content is starting to become sparse, and I watched it. Now, I regret it. I enjoyed your review, nonetheless!"
Thank you, Rebecca! If you ever read the book, I'd love to know how you like it. More often than not, I like the book better than the film/TV version of a story. 😊
Holly wrote: "Fabulous review Marilyn! 🙌"Thank you, Holly! 😁
Marilyn, so glad you loved this book. I did too and I often wondered what would happen, if! I thought this book was so unique. Leave it to John Marrs. Loved your review, too, of course.
Second review today whose closing lines have me terrified to read this! 😅 I'm glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn. Fantastic review!
Nice review Marilyn! I'd like to read this one before the show airs.
Kat (Books are Comfort Food!) wrote: "Marilyn, so glad you loved this book. I did too and I often wondered what would happen, if! I thought this book was so unique. Leave it to John Marrs. Loved your review, too, of course."Thank you, Kat...I'll let everyone else experience the "what if" 😁
Kat wrote: "Second review today whose closing lines have me terrified to read this! 😅 I'm glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn. Fantastic review!"Thank you, Kat...I'm not about to jump into anything and the more I'm told that it's the next big thing, the farther I run...I'm proud of my paranoia 🤣
Tina wrote: "Nice review Marilyn! I'd like to read this one before the show airs."Thank you, Tina...hope you are able to do so 😊
Great review, Marilyn! I just got the audiobook and am looking forward to listening to it.
Marilyn wrote: "Great review, Marilyn! I just got the audiobook and am looking forward to listening to it."Thank you, Marilyn...I'll be watching for your review 🎧
Terrific review, Marilyn! :)
Melissa wrote: "Terrific review, Marilyn! :)"Thank you, Melissa! 😊
I'm so happy you liked this Marilyn!
Susan wrote: "I'm so happy you liked this Marilyn!"Thank you, Susan! 💕
Spot on review Marilyn! I, too, would run a mile before buying into this idea. I’m very happily married - why risk that for potential heartbreak?
I haven't always had the best of luck with this author so even though I own this one I've hesitated to read it. But your terrific review has me reconsidering :) I'm glad you enjoyed!
Pat (not getting friend updates currently) wrote: "Spot on review Marilyn! I, too, would run a mile before buying into this idea. I’m very happily married - why risk that for potential heartbreak?"Thank you, Pat 🏃♀️🤣
JanB wrote: "I haven't always had the best of luck with this author so even though I own this one I've hesitated to read it. But your terrific review has me reconsidering :) I'm glad you enjoyed!"Thank you, Jan...I look forward to your thoughts, if you read it 😁
Fine review, Marilyn :)) I read only one book by JM and was a little disappointed but this one sounds much better :)
I'm watching the series now on Netflix and I think it's great. I would love to read the book.
Beata wrote: "Fine review, Marilyn :)) I read only one book by JM and was a little disappointed but this one sounds much better :)"Thank you, Beata! I haven't read all of his but do want to read The Minders, the 3rd in this loosely linked trilogy. I think The One and The Passengers have more of a feeling that they "could" happen in the future than the feeling you get from What Lies Between Us (which speaks to another kind of crazy) 😳
Jannelies wrote: "I'm watching the series now on Netflix and I think it's great. I would love to read the book."Thank you, Jannelies...just reading the blurbs of the series, I don't think the book would spoil things for you at all and that you will enjoy it. 😊
Excellent review, Marilyn! Sounds fascinating!
Kristy wrote: "Excellent review, Marilyn! Sounds fascinating!"Thank you, Kristy!
I’ve still to read my first John Marrs - I’ve got a couple on my kindle. Great review, this sounds intriguing, exciting and thought provoking!
Richard wrote: "I’ve still to read my first John Marrs - I’ve got a couple on my kindle. Great review, this sounds intriguing, exciting and thought provoking!"Thank you, Richard! In the books of his that I've read, he always goes to the wild and crazy, at some point. But he also touches too close to home and really gets the "what if's" running around my mind. 😳
This was my intro to Marrs and I thought it was really something too. Great review and very good advice, Marilyn!
Victoria wrote: "This was my intro to Marrs and I thought it was really something too. Great review and very good advice, Marilyn!"Thank you, Victoria! So often, when I read the synopsis of a book, my first thought is "don't do it!!!". I'm not going into a dark basement or doing anything else that is risky. 😂
You're very funny!!! 🤣😂🤣
Agree, this one is a fun ride!
