Where She Went (Book Review)

Hi there Internet!

I hope you are well 😁 I've only got one blog post for you guys today, and you'll have to forgive me for cheating a little 🙈.

Keeping up with my current trend of posting reviews, I wanted to try something different. So I decided to focus on my favourite book of all time - Where She Went by Gayle Forman. But I have to confess that I wrote the bulk of this about 2 years ago for a school project.

I was slightly short on time today so I had to dive back into the archives to give you guys something to read today. I'm sorry 🙈🙈🙈

But don't worry, I gave it a good edit and added some new thoughts so I'm not being a total sellout when it comes to writing original 2017 content 👍.

So without further ado, here are my thoughts on Where She Went:
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Source: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went

After the dramatic and whirlwind success of the novel and accompanying film If I Stay, many people would be surprised to learn that author extraordinaire Gayle Forman has conjured up a sequel with just as much heart, grit and music as its predecessor.

Where She Went documents the next chapter in Adam and Mia’s complicated love story with the sweeping sights of musical hub New York City as its backdrop.

It’s been three years since the accident that changed Mia and consequently Adam’s life forever.... and three years since Mia walked out of Adam’s life to become Julliard's newest rising star.

Adam and his band Shooting Star have since become world famous rock stars, and when Adam gets stranded in New York City, fate brings him and Mia together again for one last night. They revisit their intertwined past and open their hearts to the future - and each other once again.

Source: http://thesplitbookreviews.com/where-she-went-gayle-forman-book-review/

While this may sound like just another soppy love story full of cheesy one-liners and predictable storylines, it echoed Foreman’s trademark honest and lyrical prose that sets her apart from other writers in this genre.

The most impactful part of reading Where She Went is having the story told form the perspective of confused and heartbroken Adam. The devastation and torment he experiences emotionally after Mia’s apparent abandonment makes this novel darker and more melancholy than If I Stay, yet readers still feel every single word like a jab in the ribs from a sharp pole.

It was important for the next chapter of Mia and Adam’s story to be told from his point of view because it helps readers to better understand Adam and the reason why he who he is, as well as building a strong kind of resonating empathy towards his need for closure and a new kind of happiness.

The concept of music is an integral part of the beauty and pain of this novel, as well as Adam and Mia’s story, as it is something that connects them – even if Adam is your typical rock star and Mia enjoys the classics like Beethoven as a seasoned cello prodigy.

Whilst they may seem vastly different on the outside, their overall love of music and the way it makes them feel so alive draws them and their memories together, even when Adam’s heart is visibly pulverised by Mia’s actions throughout the novel.

Source: https://au.pinterest.com/emmmadalton/where-she-went/

What is also so inspiring about Where She Went is the sheer power and trust Adam places in the music he writes. Shooting Star’s breakout debut album Collateral Damage was Adam’s therapy in working through the tidal wave of emotions he experienced after Mia walked out of his life.

He was finally able to let go of so much hurt, grief, anger and sadness with those songs – and Foreman intelligently writes a section of each song from this album to frame the ideas and feelings Adam expresses in each chapter.

Forman has a unique knack for writing these verses that make readers instantly fall in love but break in two at the same time. They are so gritty and personal that readers can feel Adam letting go and no longer being afraid to admit to himself the darkest truths of what he was feeling.

What accompanies Adam and readers on his quest to discover the truth about Mia is the ugly side of fame and fortune that came with Shooting Star’s rapid ascend to stardom. Mirroring the seemingly instantaneous explosion that occurs when a song or artist has a hit song or album all over the world, Foreman subtly highlights the humanity of modern rock stars who are catapulted to superstar fame after a couple of likes and views on videos.

It is so difficult to adapt to suddenly having everyone know what is happening in their lives, and it can break young people down if they don’t have the right support system around them.

Source: https://booksntvholic.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/where-she-went-gayle-forman-if-i-stay-ii/

Where She Went is haunting and intensely real, with Forman’s words jumping off the page to consume readers and draw them into Adam’s story. She exposes the darker side of fame in the music business and the sad reality of life that the teen novel cliché of ‘happily ever after’ doesn’t always work out as planned.

A sequel with revealing and raw messages that could stand on its own, this novel is definitely worth a read regardless of whether you’re a musician or not.

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So there you have it, I hope you enjoyed that review. If you did, please share and recommend to friends - I'd really appreciate it 😀

Question of the Day - What is your favourite book of all time? Let me know in the comments below. You can also contact/follow me on Instagram (@miss_memphis98) to know more about me and when I post blog related things 💚

Thanks for reading,

Love and turning pages, Emily xx 😻