Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went (If I Stay #2)
by Gayle Forman
Release: April 5th, 2011
Pages: 208 (hardcover)Publisher: Dutton JuvenileSource: Unsolicited copy - PublisherSummary: 

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.

I've been thinking about this novel for a few months now, reflecting on the story and my reaction to it¹...and in the end, I realized that Where She Went must have been pretty spectacular to remain in my thoughts for so long. 
After three long years, Adam and his band are on top of the world and he's a famous rock star. But despite how great everything seems, Adam's less than thrilled with his life. Even his relationships with his band-mates aren't what they used to be. Everyday, he runs through the motions of his rock-star life while staving off nervous breakdowns with a bottle of pills. Honestly, it was so heartbreaking to read Adam narrative and to see his character so sad. Even with Mia's appearance, the changes in her both pleased and saddened me as I followed Adam's narration.

Forman's writing evoked different emotions in me with words that were poetic, beautiful, and heartbreaking. It is so easy to get lost in the story and emotion of Where She Went, and to just let the pages turn as the story unfolds. The story itself takes place quickly, for the most part in a matter of a full day, as Adam and Mia spend time trying to understand each other, themselves, the past, and coming to terms with each of their futures. 
Highlights: Adam's voice is achingly familiar, yet fresh and compelling - I was worried he would sound like Mia. However, Adam is different, broken² in a different way than Mia once was. And thankfully, he still has some of his lovable charm and humor. I love how Forman shows how her characters have changed in three years, how they've evolved and grown. Even though it was initially a challenge for me to dive into Adam's mindset, Adam's words and the emotion behind them resonated with me long after the final page. 
Lowlights: The first half of the novel was difficult to get through because Adam really is in such a down place, and not entirely the man he used to be. It's difficult to see a character you adore be in a place like that. But, the last half made everything worthwhile. Rating:   
1 I even had to reread it, because I was not quite sure the first time around how I even felt. 2 He's a bit like a lit firecracker in this novel, just seconds away from exploding emotionally...Adam is just so vibrant as a character. 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
April 6th, 2010
Publisher - Speak
Pages: 208 (kindle e-book)
Source: Bought
Summary:

A critically acclaimed novel that will change the way you look at life, love, and family.

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, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

"I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard." (Forman 146).

Unique and touching, Mia's journey is an emotional ride that readers everywhere will find pulling at their heartstrings. Mia, cellist and essential good-girl to the core, finds herself standing on the sidelines of a car accident -- her family's car accident. From this moment to the hospital, I realized that Forman truly did a wonderful job with this beginning stage. It could have easily been over or under-done, but it was perfectly effective and heartbreaking. The rollercoaster of emotions that Mia goes through while witnessing everything from the side is realistic and touching. Each flashback of her life before this moment provides a good source of depth to every character and Mia's life, really showing how much she has to lose if things don't work out.

It's easy to get caught up in Forman's words and compare Mia's story to your own life - What if that was me? What if there was nothing I could do but watch my life unravel? I wasn't expecting such a thoughtful story that really pulled me in emotionally - I was up, down and really diving into Mia's hectic life. If I Stay can be described and summed up into one word - memorable.

Highlights: If I Stay is written so beautifully and poignantly. I knew going into this story that would be sad, and it was, but there's so much more to the words than I expected. I loved how the relationship between Mia and Adam wasn't easily begun, because they really are different people with unique likes/dislikes. And the "play me" scene? Hot.

Lowlights: There were a couple times when I questioned some of the words "Mia" would use - they didn't seem to match her voice quite right, but these moments were rare. Also a few moments where the story was pushed a bit too hard, and some of these moments could have been more touching if they'd been reigned in a bit.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Other Thoughts: I have to respectfully disagree with the quotation on the new paperback cover - this novel is very different from Twilight, and that comparison does not suit the story's style. Compare it instead to Thirteen Reasons Why or Before I Fall - those better match the subject and writing style.