MovieChat Forums > Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas (2005) Discussion > I'm a little confused by the timeline? (...

I'm a little confused by the timeline? (SPOILERS)

posted 17 years ago by sunflwrgrrl
10 replies | jump to latest

It is very possible I wasn't paying proper attention- but didn't the diary start 18 months before the main character started reading it? If so, I am very confused- if Suzanne was writing it before she got pregnant (ok, lets say at the very start of her pregnancy just to be fair) that is 9 months (give or take) right there. The baby was 4 months old when she died, that brings us to 13 months. Does this mean that he started dating again right away? And he could only have been dating her for 5 months- she thought that was soon enough to 'skip a pill'?

Like I said, I may be wrong about the time-line, I'm watching this on TV while home sick. I guess what I'm trying to say is I wish they'd had a bit more time pass- like at least a year- would make it more believable that he'd really lost the love of his life and baby.

[–] sosotess 17 years ago

I think Suzanne started to write her diary after she got pregnant, but wrote about events before that (when she met Matt, their wedding...). She might have started it when she was 4 or 5 months pregnant. But I think that Matt has been quick to replace his lost family too.

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[–] mary_morris-1 17 years ago

In the book Suzanne started writing after she got pregnant. She then had the baby about a month early. Nicholas was a year old when they died, and Matt started dating Katie about a year and two months after the death of them both.

[–] monomaniac88 17 years ago

Now I've never seen the movie, but in the book, she started writing the diary when Nicholas was two weeks old, which would mean it was a little over a year after their deaths when he started dating Katie.

[–] worship_HIM97 17 years ago

Yes, and like someone already said, Nicholas was a year old when he died, and I don't know why the film changed that.

[–] BrokenAngel831 17 years ago

In the movie it showed her about 7 months pregnant, however no Nicholas died when he was 4 months old. Because Matt was putting up a banner that said "Happy 4 months Nicky"

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] boyce530 16 years ago

in the book she starts writing the diary when nicholas is 2 months old, n she goes into detail as to why shes writing it n then proceeds to tell him what happened way before he came into the world up until present day

[–] suz8600 16 years ago

I've just finished the book probably no later than six hours ago, and I balled my eyes out. The first book I did that, and I read A LOT! Like at least three books a week lot!

Matt didn't start dating Katie until it had been two years since the death of his wife and baby. I'm surprised Matt even wanted to fall in love again. Yeah, I get that he didn't want to be alone forever, but...the way his character is written in the book... he's a very private man. He's kind, generous, comfortable, and easy to get along with, but he's very private about his past, and keeps quiet. In the book, we only get to read from his POV at the very end. Because through out the book it's mainly in Suzanne's POV or Kate's.

When my mother told me they made a movie of this book (this morning) I about flipped (from lack of sleep and where I got my second wind) and immediately looked the book up and found it here. I already bought a copy off amazon, and can't wait to see the book come to life! The book is soooooooooo good! When I always read a book that was turned into a movie, I get horribly disappointed because the movie is never the same. I've read reviews from people who have read both the book and seen the movie, and enjoyed both. I can't wait to see it. Can't wait!

BUT, back to the topic at hand......Matt mentioned in the book that he never expected to fall in love with Kate in New York. I'm guessing these scenes in the book were after his family's tragic demise. Because they seem to hit it off real quick after knowing each other for one whole day, and then getting nice and cozy with each other. I thought that was pretty quick, BUT, we never knew what was really going on with Matt in his own world. When Kate met Matt, it was waaaay after his family died. He was looking to get some of his poems published. But these scenes are early in the book and we have yet to know what happened to Suzanne. These scenes are mentioned during Kate's POV, her memories with Matt before he left her.

The whole book was just plain 'ol sad! :( But a GREAT, EASY read!

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[–] Titanica19127136 14 years ago

Matt starts dating Katie 13 months after his wife & son die. He leaves her w/the diary (in the book - not sure if the movie's the same) close to the 2nd anniversary of his wife's death, which is in July, meaning he & Katie had been seeing each other for 11 months. In the book, they're married in October of that year, 2 years & 3 months after Suzanne & Nicholas died.

[–] jking143 13 years ago

Watching the movie now (for at least the 3rd time!)--Kate is starting reading the diary in the tub after Matt gives it to her, looks at the date and says..."18 months ago..."--flashes to Suzanne in bed starting it and she's at least 5 months pregnant.