Where She Went
By Gayle Forman
I don’t know how it happened but somehow I managed to forget post my review for this book after I finished it, which is really sad because it was a great book.
**Warning** This review may contain spoilers for If I Stay (my review here)
I had high hopes for Where She Went but I was also very concerned that it wouldn’t live up to my hopes. Forman didn’t plan on writing a sequel, If I Stay was supposed to be a solo act. When a sequel appears after the success of a book, I tend to be a bit skeptical and concerned that they are just bleeding the story for all they can. I can honestly say that is not what happened here. The day I started Where She Went I almost finished it in one sitting but as I neared the end I had to set it aside for a night because I didn’t want to rush the ending. I had to process, absorb, enjoy.
In the 3 years that passed since the end of If I Stay, Mia and Adam found lives for themselves that were not exactly where I thought they would be when I picked up the book (which was refreshing). Old pain was revisited and new pain dealt with but this time we heard it through the voice of Adam I instead of Mia. There were some predictable moments but overall the story was a true look at life after a tragedy and getting back on track after you fall apart.
It seems obvious to me that Forman wrote this book out of her love of the characters and not any other reason. Mia and Adam still had a story and it played out in a fantastically genuine way.
**Source: ARC from publisher
3 comments:
I often wonder the same thing re series - is the publisher just milking the story for all it's worth? But I'm glad that wasn't the case here. You showed admirable restraint in setting the book aside for a night. I would have just rushed through to the end - not to be denied!
Stephanie - It is not often that I am able to set aside a book for a night like I did but there was so much going on I was glad to have a night to think about it before I knew the end.
thanks for telling me about the spoilers. i bought 'if i stay' a few months back and it's STILL sitting on my nightstand shooting me looks and making me feel guilty for spending all this time rereading harry potter! lol. i'll be back for your review when i finish if i stay.
:)
ps. i once saw a blogger who typed the spoilers in CLEAR font so that readers had to highlight it to see it. i always thought that was so clever...
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