There are spoilers for If I Stay below. Don’t be stupid and read this and spoil yourself for If I Stay and then come back and yell at me for spoilers.
Usually, I’m wary of sequels, especially when the first book ends perfectly. I get worried it’s a money grab, half the time when a sequel seems unnecessary. Or that the sequel will pale in comparison to the original. Friends, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, sequel to If I Stay is legit.
Where She Went
Instead of receiving Mia’s viewpoint, Where She Went is told through Adam’s viewpoint. It is just as gripping as If I Stay. You see, Where She Went takes place several years after If I Stay. It’s set in NYC (HOLLA!!). Mia is a famous cellist. Adam is a rock star. They’ve broken up in the years between If I Stay and Where She Went. The reason is given in the book and totally not a cop out, either. Anyways, Adam’s not satisfied with his life, even though he has it all, money, a hot girlfriend, and fame. You see, he’s totally living that ‘the girl who got away’ situation. Right, so the majority of Where She Went takes place in one day and it’s completely fantastic. And just a heads up, I’m about to state the obvious. The characters in Gayle Forman’s book are older, so if you are looking for a read with college-aged protagonists, even if they aren’t in college, Where She Went is for you.
Gayle Forman’s writing style is easy to tumble into. It isn’t too terribly complicated to read and perfect for reluctant readers, as the plot and characters are compelling. Where She Went is a one sitting type of book. I found myself unable to put it down, even for a second.
What I loved the most about Where She Went were the characters. Adam is genuine. He’s still the fabulous guy from If I Stay. However, fame and breaking up with Mia has hardened him. Yet, we see how he becomes a completely different person around Mia, when he reunites with her after not seeing her for years. And I love that, because it is authentic. Plenty of us become different people from our public places when we are around those close to us, those who know our essential selves. And I know that sounds new age-y, but roll with it for this review. I’m a different person at work and the grocery store than I am with my boyfriend and my best friends. I loved that Adam is still carrying the torch.
And Mia, she’s wonderful and heartbreaking and still passionate about classical music.
Friends, Where She Went does have it’s sad, tearjerking moments, but it’s ultimately a feel good book about how life has a funny way of working out and the people we carry in our hearts are always truly a part of us, whether they are in our lives or not. This book is absolutely a worthy follow-up to If I Stay and cements Gayle Forman among contemporary YA authors to watch.
Disclosure: Gifted by Deb at Debbie’s World Of Books. Now everyone be awesome and visit her blog and comment on her reviews because SHE ROCKS.
Other reviews of Where She Went by Gayle Forman:
The Lost Entwife
One More Page
Anna Reads
YA Bibliophile
Debbie’s World Of Books
 Purchase Where She Went by clicking this link.*FYI Link takes you to Amazon where I receive a commission at no additional cost to you if you buy things after clicking, even candy! So be a force for awesome and click click click.
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Thanks for the linkup, dude. LOVED this book, so heartbreaking and positive at the same time, oddly enough. Your review described it perfectly!
Absolutely loved this book as well. I actually listened to the audio, which was amazing.
Her writing is so easy to “tumble into.” I love Gayle Forman’s books. I’m so glad that this was different than the first book and it didn’t really feel like a sequel. I think it was the perfect follow-up because it switched characters and we didn’t see things from Mia’s pov.
Totally agree that this was a feelgood book. That first one was a total tearjerker.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This book was seriously awesome.
I still need to read this one. I read If I Stay for one of the readathons, so maybe I should keep up the trend and read this one for the next one.
I absolutely loved this book. I liked your review, but one thing that I need to say because it bothers me is that in the last paragraph, 4th line you say “whether they are in our lives are not” when it should be “whether they are in our lives or not”. Just needed to point that out; other then that, it was very nice.
Thanks, Kay! I went back and fixed it 🙂