Tag: if i stay

Book Review | Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

Published by Dutton Juvenile on April 5, 2011

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 264

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★★

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 Juilliard’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.

REVIEW

I was very excited to pick up Where She Went, the sequel to Gayle Forman’s If I Stay, as soon as I finished the first book in this duology. If I Stay ended quite abruptly, and I just had to know what would happen next in Mia Hall’s life. Where She Went is told from Adam Wilde’s perspective, Mia’s high school boyfriend, three years after Mia decides to stay. Adam is now a famous rock star, and is struggling in a plethora of ways. Fame is not treating him well, and he is dealing with the grief he feels after Mia breaks up with him when she moved away to college, and after losing her family, too.

The story begins with Adam in New York City for his band. He is about to leave for a European tour, but he decides to go for a walk in the city, and finds out Mia is playing a concert at Carnegie Hall. The two reconnect after the show, and discuss the changes in their lives since they last spoke. Where She Went is written both in the current time, and in flashback scenes as well. This format helps to shed light on the events that Mia and Adam went through since the end of If I Stay.

Right off the bat I could tell Where She Went has a different tone than the first book, and not just because Adam is the narrator. This book is definitely more raw and sad in ways that If I Stay is not. For example, Adam suffers from depression after Mia dumps him. It is heartbreaking to see how much pain he is in, and how he had no one to truly comfort him besides his parents. I really admire Forman for being able to write about such devastating topics in a realistic way.

Similarly, I think Forman does an amazing job at capturing fame from the inside. It is eye-opening to see what Adam goes through on a daily basis as a rock star. He has absolutely no privacy, and he gets mobbed wherever he goes. I think Where She Went is a must read solely for this look at how celebrities are treated in our society today.

Moreover, I also really liked how this book incorporates the setting of New York City. It is rare that I read a book in which the characters interact so much with their setting. In Where She Went, Mia takes Adam around the city to visit her favorite places. Whether you are familiar with New York or not, I think you will feel so pulled in by the city’s atmosphere while reading.

There are a few things about this book that I did not enjoy so much, mostly a few aspects that seemed a bit too ridiculous. First, despite Adam being super famous, no one knows about his relationship with Mia. The couple was together over two years, and I’m sure Mia’s accident was publicized. I find it extremely hard to believe that this could be kept a secret from the media. In the same way, Adam, Mia, and Mia’s friend Kim all turn out to be famous. Sure, it could happen that three high school friends all become famous, but it seemed a bit outlandish to me, and detracted just a bit from the book’s credibility.

Overall, I still really liked Where She Went, and am glad I read it to receive the closure I did not get from the first book. I highly recommend picking this sequel up if you have not done so yet. Forman writes so beautifully, and she creates well-developed characters that will stay with me as a reader for a long time. I will definitely be picking up Forman’s other books in the future!

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Book Review | If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

If I Stay (If I Stay #1) by Gayle Forman

Published by Speak on April 2, 2009

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 261

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, and Just One Year.
Soon to be a major motion picture, starring Chloe Moretz!

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Now a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia’s story will stay with you for a long, long time.

 

REVIEW

I was hesitant to pick up If I Stay by Gayle Forman for a very long time after hearing such mixed reviews about this young adult novel. I finally got to it during this year’s Booktube-a-thon, and I am so glad I did. If I Stay follows teenager Mia when she and her family are in a devastating car crash. Her parents die in the crash, and her younger brother is critically injured. Mia is in a coma, but is having an out-of-body experience where she can see everything that is going on in the hospital, but cannot communicate with the friends and family members who come to visit her. Mia must decide whether she should stay and continue living without her parents, or whether she should let go and die. Readers follow Mia as she reflects on this decision, and shares moments of her life from the past to help make her choice.

When I first began the book, I was a little underwhelmed. I liked the characters and the story, but the writing seemed a bit simplistic. However, as I continued reading, I quickly became emotionally attached to the characters in the novel. Forman is an incredible storyteller. She has the ability to put so much feeling into the book without needing flowery writing. I teared up several times throughout If I Stay because of how well written the book is.

Similarly, I think the back-and-forth in time format works really well for this novel. It helped put me inside Mia’s headspace more, as I could understand her feelings by going into the past and reliving her memories. For example, I especially loved Mia’s grandfather, whom she calls Gramps. He is a quiet and gentle man, but one who plays a huge role in Mia’s life. I really connected with his character, and because we got to see him interact with Mia in her memories, what he does in the present is even more meaningful. Mia has a very special relationship with all of the people in her life, and it was really interesting to see these connections through her memories.

Moreover, I liked the way music plays a role in this novel. Mia is a classical cellist, and is very passionate about the music she plays. Her parents loved punk music, and her boyfriend plays in a punk band. Not only does music help the characters strengthen their relationships, but it also helps to build emotion in the reader. I think Forman used this element well in the book, because music is something many of us can connect with on a personal level, no matter what type of music we enjoy.

As for the ending of If I Stay, I did really enjoy it, but it also stops quite abruptly. I would have really liked just a bit more, perhaps in the form of an epilogue. There is a second book called Where She Went, and I will be reading that very soon to see if I get any answers.

Overall, I am surprised by how much I loved reading If I Stay. It is a short book, but it packs an emotional punch. I did watch the movie adaptation on Amazon Prime shortly after reading the book, and I liked that a lot, too. I highly recommend picking up the book first, though, as you get to know the characters a lot more. If you liked The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Album, I think you’ll enjoy this book as well. It created the same feeling within me as a reader, and gave me an inspirational and hopeful message on life. I will definitely be reading more books from Gayle Forman in the future!

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