ARC Early Review: Where She Went

Where She Went by  Gayle Forman

Releases: April 5, 2011 

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Pages: 258 Hardcover

Young Adult

Overall: 5+
|If I Stay Website| |Author Twitter|

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.  Synopsis via Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Writing this review is even harder then writing the review for If I Stay, which took me over a month to write.

Rather then picking up directly where If I Stay left off, Where She Went picks up three years later and this time it is Adam who guides us from his spot in stardom with his band, Shooting Star.  Adam was almost unrecognizable at first but that laid the wood work for the emotional roller coaster that was this not-even-sad book.  I mean, really, how does one cry when the book isn't really that sad.  

Who knew the stepping stones for Where She Went were not only Mia's accident and Adam and Mia's mutual love for music, even if from different spectrums, but Adam's promise,

"If you stay, I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll quit the band; go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I’ll do that too. .. And that would suck, but I’ll do it. I can lose you like that, if I don’t lose you today. I’ll let you go. If you stay." 

At the risk of sounding extremely vague Mia's character was nothing compared to the complexity of Adam's.  The weight of his voice, his emotions, and the way that one promise paved the path for what was his life, all contributed to this extremely raw and emotional read.  Even being from Adam's point-of-view, through his eyes I was still able to see the emotions of others, for as off track as Adam was painted in his story I was still able to pick through his eyes and piece together the emotions that mattered.

Gayle Forman truly is brilliant with If I Stay and now Where She Went.  She give us two books that formed one extremely moving, thorough, story.  With having had both Mia and Adam's points of views I was able to see all sides of these characters, piecing together the story of their lives and the weight of their love and how it affected them.  Gayle concluded Where She Went beautifully, as well as the story of Mia and Adam.  Even if it wasn't straight out of a fairy tale.   

Cover: 5
Characters: 5

Plot: 5
Re-Readable: YES!
Overall: 5+ 

Review: If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Date Released: April 9, 2009 (hardcover)
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 259 (paperback)
Young Adult
Overall: 5+
|Book Website| |Author Twitter|

Mia has no memory of the accident that changed her life. This inexperienced 17-year-old only recalls riding on that slippery Oregon road with her family, then, in an instant, seeing herself lifted from the twisted wreck. This affecting story of one young woman's struggle through tragedy and grieving will appeal to readers of books likeThirteen Reasons Why. Synopsis Via Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Crying by page 22. Speechless. Intensely beautiful. Desperately romantic.

If I Stay is another book that I won't write much on in fear of not doing it justice. Gayle Forman really got this novel right from the first breath to its last.

Composed of present day happenings and past flashbacks, If I Stay is the tragic tale about how even the most innocent of trips can turn into your worst nightmare.  This story revolves around eighteen year old, musically inclined, Mia, her family, and her boyfriend.  Each voice you come across in this book is perfectly-un-perfect and I couldn't help fall in love with them all for one reason or another.

Never take anything for granted... this book was impossible for me not to become immediately emotionally vested in because it felt like I was the one there, laying in the ICU hospital bed, remembering all of the moments which made up my life, listening to the hustle and bustle around me, learning the tragic truths of what would be my life if I choose to let go or decide to go back to it.  I felt like the ghost that was floating around watching those left mourn for me and make promises to me near lifeless corpse.  Needless to say, tissue was a must.

One theme of this book that brought it altogether, and make sense of what otherwise wouldn't have, was the music that bound it together.  Mia's parents, Mia's brother, Mia's boyfriend and herself.  It all played a part in this story, helping form each character's personality and giving everyone a common ground, a driving passion for life.  Everyone's love for music gave this story a background melody that played while I devoured this book in one sitting.

If I Stay is a truly beautiful book composed of numerous parallels that gives this book a depth I couldn't ignore and couldn't help but respect.  Even with the sorrow that accompanies this book there is plenty of smiles to be found in the flashbacks of memories.  Despite the life-changing events and when nothing seems worth it anymore, there is hope found to grasp onto.  Even having no clue which decision is ultimately the right decision there is solace found in knowing that love awaits you no matter which way you go.    If I Stay is truly breath taking and despite it's size bares an impact that will follow me, follow you.

Cover: 5
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Re-Readable: Yes!
Overall: 5+

On the cover:  I definitely appreciate the paperback cover over the hardback cover.  It strikes a cord (no pun intended) and seems to offer a deeper look into the contents of the pages between.  I look at it and it just seems right.