Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

   

Title:  Where She Went

Author:  Gayle Forman
Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile

Language: English

Format: Hardcover

Pages:  208 pages

ISBN - 13:  978-0525422945

Source:  Purchased, Power Books

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Summary

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 Julliard'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."

Review

At last, he speaks!

Adam, the lovable rocker boyfriend of comatose Mia Hall on If I Stay is back on this new novel by Gayle Forman, Where She Went and this time, he gets to tell the story.  He takes us three years after Mia's accident, three whole years where his band made it big on Hollywood, he's now a bona fide rock star, and Mia has gone to Juilliard and is now one of its top musical students.  However, this new lease on Mia's life is not what you think - Adam and Mia have broken up and went their separate ways.  In this book, Adam dissects what happened, why it happened, and where she (Mia) went.

Okay, that bit about where Mia went is sort of silly.

But onto the review.  I try not to compare a book with another book in a series because that's just stupid.  Even if they hold the same story, they are still very different.  But let me just say that I liked this book better than If I Stay, which is not to say I did not like the latter - I did, a lot in fact.  But Where She Went is so much more emotional and poignant and touching, despite Adam's rock star denial tendencies:  fear of being alone, the constant feeling of being alone, fear of being recognized in public, etc.  His narration sounded so lost and lonely that not just reflects the discontent he experienced as his career shot up, but especially the grief that has not left him ever since Mia turned her back on him as she left for New York and never looked back.

Unlike in If I Stay, where we saw Adam through Mia's eyes, we now understand first-hand his insecurities, his doubts, his feelings about the accident and his relationship with Mia.  We now see a more flesh-and-blood Adam as he takes us to a journey of his loneliness after Mia left and of his excitement and disappointment as his band's status took off.  The story was explosive in that a surge of emotions would surely flood the reader especially in the part when Adam and Mia finally see each other again.  Do they get back together?  That seems to be the most popular question, and the answer is not as satisfying or troubling, nor as exciting as the events that would lead up to it.  Indeed, in this book, the end does not justify the means.  The means eclipse the end. 

But even if this story is told through Adam's eyes, we still see a consistent portrayal of Mia and the other characters we have come to love in the previous book, although some aspects of their characters were changed to reflect the three years that went by.

Majority of the chapters were introduced with a stanza from the lyrics of songs Adam has written during his heartbreak and which were used in his band's album that pushed them to center stage.  The words were quite heart-wrenching thought-provoking, even inspiring, I was so moved close to tears that I ended up writing poetry (one of which I posted on this blog that was inspired a little by Adam's lyrics and John Mayer's music.  Fantasy meets Reality.) and trying my hardest not to get depressed.

In essence, the premise of this story is quite simple, but that simplicity is what makes this journey that the reader takes with Adam in this book remarkably refreshing and nostalgic, no unnecessary drama, no unrealistic plot lines, no complicated situations that seem impossible to get through.  This simplicity is also what makes this book perfect for almost everyone who would like a good, uncomplicated, and undemanding read.  But just because it is undemanding does not mean it's 'put-downable' - it will suck you in and keep you reading until you reach the end, but it will not tire nor bore you in the time that it kidnaps you within its pages.  A perfectly-written sequel, that may even be read on its own.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

Title:  Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author:  John Green and David Levithan
Publisher:  Dutton
Language: English
ISBN-10:  0525421580

ISBN-13:  978-0525421580

Music In My Head:  Two Headed Boy by Neutral Milk Hotel

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Rating:

I finished this book in one go.  I normally have a lot to do during the holidays but once I decided I'm reading this, I let nothing and no one distract me, which is fairly easy because really, when has a David Levithan or a John Green book ever been a drag?  And considering this is a collaboration between the two awesome authors mentioned above, this book is overflowing with awesomeness some of it drips on me!  And because this is partly a David Levithan work, my head automatically plays music and for once, it decides to use one of the songs mentioned in the book, Neutral Milk Hotel's Two Headed Boy, which is Will Grayson #1's least favorite song, but hits the story spot on.  Perfect.

Imagine having another person with your name, not just your first name but your last name too.  Now, suppose you met that person someplace.  I bet some have, and isn't it the strangest feeling?  I have never known anyone named Nina Bermudez - it's my brother who has a namesake, who turns out to be his classmate so imagine the weirdness and the awkward moments when their professor kept confusing them with each other - I do have a fictional character namesake, Nina Bermudez from The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson, but you already know that given that I've mentioned it about 18,546 times on this blog already.  But sometimes, when someone I know reads that book, he/she never fails to tell me about it and say that it felt weird reading about someone in a book that has my name, and they immediately compare me to that character, easily trying to base the character on my personality in high school (which is interestingly, almost the same with what's in the book.  Almost ).  In Will Grayson, Will Grayson,  two 'superficially different' (I'll get to that later) teenagers with the same name meet by accident, and their lives intertwine when Tiny Cooper, Will Grayson #1's (from here on, I shall refer to Will Grayson #1 as WG1 and Will Grayson #2 as WG2) best friend becomes WG2's boyfriend.  A quirky, touching, and cool story about love, friendship, accepting and becoming the real you, and a fabulous school play that brings it full circle.  

If I thought, just by reading the teasers that this would be a predictable story, I couldn't have been more wrong.  First, I did not expect the depth of Tiny's influence on both Will Graysons and how it would affect their outlook in life.  Next, I did not expect the conflict and especially the ending.  I totally had no idea how the book would turn out, but I did predict that I would love everything about it.

In Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, I knew that David Levithan was writing Dash, and Rachel Cohn was writing Lily.  Doing a little research, I found that John Green wrote the chapters for the straight Will Grayson (WG1) and Levithan wrote for the gay Will Grayson (WG2).  Naturally, now why didn't I think of that?  They even split the thinking of a name for their main character, with Levithan coming up with the first name and Green with the last name.  In describing their writing process, they each wrote three chapters for their characters on their own without really agreeing on a definite plot, read it aloud to each other, and then try to imagine the nuances and appropriate reactions of each character when they eventually meet.  Each character stands out clearly, not just because WG2's chapters are written lowercase, reflecting the character's feelings of smallness, marginalization, and hopelessness.  For WG1, the chapters are written in normal type and gives off that smart-guy-who-is-not-aware-of-his-own-coolness-and-pretends-he-does-not-care vibe, which is how WG1 would actually be described.  But even if they are written by two different authors, the story is very clean, seamless, and united  Each chapter flows through the next as smoothly as if I poured oil onto the pages to help the words slide through.  You get this book knowing it's a collaboration, but you finish reading it thinking this is written by just one writer.  There are no contradicting statements, each scene, dialogue, and character consistent and faithful to its initial presentation.  

So now you're probably thinking about the 'superficially different' statement I said about WG1 and WG2.  I think that on the surface, they are different:  1.   WG1 is straight, WG2 is gay;  2.  WG1 has a somewhat easy relationship with his parents, WG2 doesn't; 3.  WG1 may be socially awkward, but sociable nonetheless, while WG2 is a loner and only has one 'real' friend and that does not even work out; 4.  WG1 is sort of smart and upbeat, WG2 is clinically depressed and takes prescribed medications.  So how different can they get, right?  But I can't help noticing the parallel between these two Will Graysons:  They are both trying not to care, not to say too much, and both are afraid and hiding inside themselves - ultimately, they are both hiding, period.  The first two statements are demonstrations of that fact.  I would love to delve deeper into this parallel thing, but that would mean I have to put spoilers and that can't happen.  

I love the supporting characters and how they hold the story together.  They each inspire some emotion from the reader.  I  hated and pitied Maura, got annoyed and then a little 'sweetly cuted-out' by Jane (although I didn't really like her that much), and admired-got-annoyed-fell-in-love with Tiny.  I thought WG1's parents were pretty cool, especially his dad, and I really wanted to give WG2's mom a hug and tell her that everything would be all right.  They could each have their own story lines and plots, especially Tiny.  I would give Tiny a whole novel, come to that.  But I did love the musical he wrote about his life and I wish it could become a reality.  After a little research, I found that the title of his musical, Tiny Dancer and later, Hold Me Closer, are actually parts of a song title by Ironik.  Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer) is a 2008 song by Ironik that uses samples of Elton John's song, Tiny Dancer.  And guess what, some Nerdfighters from John Green's website, www.nerdfighters.com are working on making Hold Me Closer a reality, and you may visit here if you want to help.  

I think everything in this story is very smart, poignant, and touching, and although this is technically a young adult novel, adults will definitely enjoy reading this as the issues presented here are as mature and as adult as you can get.  I mean, you can go all paranoid and self-conscious about your appearance, your coolness vibe, and your popularity status when you're in high school, but understanding who you really are and accepting yourself is a timeless issue, which makes this book light but meaningful, poking fun at people's pretensions of indifference but shedding light on deciding to face yourself and self-acceptance.  A humorous, quirky, but serious story that every teenager or any-ager needs to read.

Paper Towns by John Green

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

Title: Paper Towns
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton
Language: English
ISBN - 10: 0525478183
ISBN - 13: 978-0525478188
Rating:







Margo Roth Spiegelman and Quentin "Q" Jacobsen. They used to be friends, until Margo ditched Q for the cool crowd. This has been the story of Q's life, until one night, Margo appears on his window and takes him to an all-nighter, righting wrongs and committing the perfect revenge. Q thought this will become a new chapter in his secret love for Margo, but come next morning, he finds Margo gone. However, she left clues for him, but he is not sure if they will lead to her, or to something else.

Humor-filled, exciting, and intelligent, this book will surely get you thinking and laughing all at the same time. Not just once did I find myself laughing aloud at the exchange of banter by Q and his friends, and not only once did I also find myself thinking about the mysteries and clues that unfold as the story progresses. Q and his friends are typical band geeks and nerds, but they have a coolness about them that makes them more likeable than the cool kids. Margo, on the other hand, is as mysterious and as lonely as she is beautiful. This adventure of finding clues, uncovering truths, and trying to make sense of a very long poem will demand you to never put it down once you open and read it.

The story never loses its rhythm, each word taking you to the next with the same intensity and urgency, pulling you deeper into the story that at times, you'll feel like you need to give Q some input about what you think of Margo's clues. I am such a mystery geek but by the end of the story, I still haven't figured out any answer, which makes the outcome very exciting. The story does not digress, focusing at the events at hand, and drawing remarkable images as it goes on. You feel the fear, you hear the laughter, and you sense the tension.

Q's parents are both psychologists. Which brings up one of my 'stupid questions': "What if both your parents are psychologists?" This story did not answer my question, but it does gives humorous examples of Q's parents' conversations, all filled with amusing psychological observations:

"Those are some very troubling dynamics, eh bud?"

"Margo's parents suffer a severe narcissistic injury whenever she acts out."

Not very satisfying examples, I know, but once you read the book, you'll see what I mean.

The characters' personalities and development throughout the story are consistent but not predictable. They may be shallow at first glance, but reading through the book, we see another dimension of their being: Ben may be as shallow and as attention-seeking as the next person, but he has the most presence of mind in the most difficult of situations. And just look at Q. The scaredy-cat now turned Sherlock Holmes.

To read Paper Towns, you'll know that the author is very smart. Interesting and witty dialogue? Check. Direct, focused writing? Check. Highly quotable sentences? Check. Flawed, engaging characters? Check. Imaginative, unique premise? Check. I can go on and on forever, but tell me, can a regular person interpret Song of Myself by Walt Whitman as intelligently as the author had? I don't think so. I am definitely a regular person and I could not look at it as he had with such meaning. He writes a highly intellectual yet fun story around it, expertly and effectively making events, clues, and conversations with this poetry at its core.

This book has definitely elevated itself to one of my favorites this year. And you know the best part? I got this 20 percent off!

Third Sentence Thursday

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme for uplifting the status of the third sentences of books/stories.

This week's theme is Funniest Third Sentence, at the end of the day someone will be crowned the Funniest Third Sentence Champ!

1) Find the funniest third sentence ever.
2) Post a link to your funny sentence here or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!
3) Visit some of the other blogs and post a comment to vote for the best sentence! (you're not allowed to vote for your own!)
4) Prepare for next week's theme: third sentence that best describes your mood.

And my funniest third sentence from Paper Towns by John Green:

"Renting a tuxedo seemed to me an excellent way to contract some hideous disease from its previous tenant, and I did not aspire to become the world's only virgin with pubic lice."

Lynelle By the Sea by Laurie Lico Albanese

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

Title: Lynelle By the Sea

Author: Laurie Lico Albanese
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Language: English
ISBN - 10: 0525945369
ISBN - 13: 978-0525945369
Rating:









And buy it on sale I did. Ever since then, I have been alternating between satisfaction and regret. I cannot entirely say that this is a bad book, nor could I say for sure that this is a good one.

The story is about two mothers who lost a child. One loses a baby two days after its birth, the other one had her baby stolen from her. Their lives become intertwined as the author explores motherhood, loss, and forgiveness.

So now let me talk about my ambivalence in praising and/or hating this book: I have nothing against the story. I think it is very moving, poignant, and, although a bit sad, hopeful. The characters are lovable in their own way. Told through different points of view: Lynelle narrating her side in her working-class words, and Annie and her family's story described from a third person narrative, the story shifts from the hopeful, hopeless, pathetic, and almost dreamlike state of Lynelle to the regimented, tired, frantic, and forgiving life of Annie. This style of narration provided the reader with much insight into each characters and extracted the right amount of sympathy for each.

The story provided a myriad of symbols: Lynelle's attempt to reach her mother's spirit in a crucial time of her life, baby Dylan's appearance into her life, breastfeeding, and several others that provide insight into motherhood, the bond between mother and child, and the sense of loss when that bond is broken very early on in life.

The characters and imagery are also very believable and almost tangible. Unlike most novels and most stories of kidnapping children, this story provided an in-depth view of the kidnapper's mind frame, eliciting sympathy and understanding for what was done, in the most human way possible.

But on the other hand, while I could have enjoyed the story, I felt that the first part was a drag. While I could understand the drama and the gradual revelation of each character's personality, I could not help but get slightly bored in the first few chapters. Maybe I am just a very impatient reader, always excited to get into all the action, that I could not quite appreciate the meticulously-drawn background of the women and their lives. Or maybe the writer was actually too verbose. In this regard, I would like to ask those who have read this book, or are planning to read it, to give me their opinion: Is it the author, or is it just me?

So maybe the reason why I sort of do not like it is personal, but when I read past those dragging parts, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, with its simple plot, simple characters, and complex emotions. I say simple plot but complex emotions because not everyone can understand how a mother feels when she loses a child, but losing a child is something that happens everyday. I do not only mean that literally, but also in the figurative way that a mother loses a child to puberty, to other interests. If you can look past the drag I got myself into the first few chapters, this is a book that you will thoroughly enjoy, especially if you are a mother.