Wednesday 27 April 2011

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

For Review: Random House
Published: 28 April 2011

From 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.


If I Stay was one of my favourite reads of 2009 - it was one of those books that became so much more than just the sum of it parts.  It completely blew me away.  When I heard there was going to be a sequel I have to admit I was excited but also worried - I just couldn't see how it could possibly compare.  But how wrong was I to be even slightly concerned? I loved this one as much as If I Stay, maybe even more!

It's been 3 years since the events of If I Stay and Adam is now at the 'height' of his musical career.  Famous, easily recognised he finds his success not what he thought it would be.  And despite it being years since she left, Adam hasn't stopped loving Mia.  When he finds himself stuck in New York for the night it leads to a meeting with Mia ...

I really like Adam in If I Stay but I absolutely adored him in this.  There is just something so raw and brutally honest about his narration.  He obviously misses Mia but it's more than that - he's still grieving for her family.  I also found it interesting that he didn't like the fame that came with his success as a musician - that he no longer enjoyed what it was he loved about playing in the first place.

Mia was just as I remembered her and I enjoyed seeing her through Adam's eyes.  Losing your whole family is impossible to conceive - and how you would continue your life after is equally unfathomable.  I would imagine you would either embrace whoever is left in your life or lash out at them.  I'm guessing cutting Adam out of her life must have been her way of lashing out.  But everything she says - has done - makes complete sense.

The interaction between the two felt as if they were just picking up where they left off - and that fate brought them back together at just the right time.  I just couldn't stop reading - I honestly felt as if I could have read forever and I had to know if these two characters would get a 'happy' ending.

A stunning sequel, beautifully written, with characters that will capture your heart.  It is a story of loss and love - choosing how you want to live your life and having the courage to actually live it in the way you want.

A perfect companion to If I Stay - I absolutely loved it!

4 comments:

TheBookAddictedGirl said...

Oh, love Adam! I sooo have to read this book!
Brilliant review! :)

Anonymous said...

I just purchased this one and I'm really excited to start it. I love Adam.

We Heart YA said...

Yay! We all loved IF I STAY and can't wait to read this one.

prophecygirl said...

I agree wholeheartedly - a perfect companion. LOVED IT.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...