Monday, June 13, 2011

Where She Went

by Gayle Forman

I read Gayle Forman's first book,  If I Stay, earlier this year... and it has stayed with me over the past few months. It's a touching story of life, love, and the grief that comes when you are left behind. So here I should issue a warning that if you have not read the first book in the series, reading this review will definitely reveal some SPOILERS for you. MAJOR SPOILERS. Okay, take a breath and here we go!

Where She Went takes place a few years after the first book, after Mia has gone to school in New York and Adam has made it famous as a rock star. After being separated for that time, their lives intersect for one night in New York. Secondary to losing Mia, Adam lost all joy in life, despite his apparent success. Reading from Adam's perspective is so compelling, and your heart breaks for him as you read his story. You follow him through the loss and pain after the accident with Mia's family, through her recovery and his life without her, and finally to the moment when they come together and face everything between them. My review? I love this book. I read it in under four hours, and was completely consumed by the world that exists around Mia and Adam. These books are so beautiful, and draw the reader in so completely, that I feel like giving a copy to everyone I know. They're written for a young adult audience, but deal with such complex issues that I am confident readers of all ages will find something to love.

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