Where She Went is the sequel to If I Stay which if you haven't read, it's amazing, you should. If you're planning to read If I Stay, stay clear of this review because it will contain spoilers.
A Spoiler Free Bit About The Book
Three years after Mia's accident Adam is the lead in the hit sensation, Shooting Stars. His band is at the top like he always wanted but fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be. Nothing will ever be the same after his split with Mia.
But one night in New York they find one another again. If you had a second chance at first love, would you take it?
My Review
I found it very hard to sum the book up above. I don't want to keep copying the blurbs, I want to put my own spin on them but I couldn't make this book sound interesting. The real blurb is great in comparison but I'm giving a more honest insight I think.
First of all, I didn't want to pick this book up. That may be one of the causes as to why I didn't like it. I loved If I Stay so much I knew this wouldn't compare and I was right. Mia's accident and her decision whether or not to stay was a beautiful insight into life and this was - weirdly - far more depressing.
The first chapter throws you into Adam's point of view which confused me at first because I assumed we'd be with Mia as we were for If I Stay. I was dissapointed with Adam who struck me as ungrateful. Yes, stardom isn't what you wanted after all, but you don't need to whine about how your life couldn't be any worse. He needed to man up, not that his issues weren't justifyed, just that he didn't attempt to do anything about his situation until near the end and that irritated me. He loved wallowing in his own self-pity and I was not happy to have to read his depressing and grim prose just because I wanted to find out what'd happened to Mia.
I was delighted when I started hearing about Mia again, after all, I was in this for her and she was the only reason I didn't put his book down after chapter one. Her story in If I Stay was one I loved right down to my soul and I needed to know about her recovery and if she followed her dreams. I had loved Adam in If I Stay too. He'd been the perfect match for Mia but I found in Where She Went that he'd grown into someone I didn't like and I had no interest in following. He continued to annoy me through the course of the novel.
I struggled through with no motivation at all and it was a difficult slog. I also found a missing full stop at the end of a line. How does something like that get missed? (I don't blame Forman for that but her copy-editor/proofreader.)
I only really started to enjoy it when both Mia and Adam started admitting things to each other. I had this feeling of 'finally!'. The ending was powerful and everything came together neatly. At least it had a satisfying conclusion. But I wish I hadn't bothered.
Evaluation
Plot - 5/10 - didn't really know what I was supposed to be hoping for
Way Plot Was Pursued - 7/10 - the past and present alternating worked well
Characters - 7/10 - Adam got on my nerves but Mia somewhat balanced it
Style - 7/10 - there was nothing wrong with the style I can think of
Pace - 7/10 - started slow and felt like a slog
Would I recommend it? - No. I almost want to pretend this book didn't happen.
Would I look up the author? - No. If I Stay was amazing but now I'm having doubts.
Where She Went couldn't handle the immensity of it's predecessor and was nothing in comparison.
Molly Looby
Author / Editor / Blogger / Reviewer / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly.looby@hotmail.com
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