Tuesday 6 October 2015

I was here by Gayle Forman.


                              I was here  by Gayle Forman.                   

  
Published January 27th 2015 by Viking       Juvenile (first published January 1st 2015)
Hardcover, 270 pages
Genres: Ya, Contemporary.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.
 
I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss


What a surprise this book was, a good one actually.I have read Gayle Forman's past books, and really did not enjoy it as much as others did . But this one was truly a wonderful piece of work.The novel follows Cody after losing her best friend to suicide. She feels left in dark , wondering how could she missed the signs and why her friend never approached her about her problems.She agrees to pack Meg things from college for her parents. Through this wild wind adventure the truth starts to float to the surface , one that is hard to fully understand.
  


This book was amazing , the plot had a tragedy in it but yet I was in golfed by this mystery , which moved along the plot gracefully.I love the book for not focusing on the funereal and the after proceeding of one's death but straight went in to the real focus in the book.I applaud Gayle for real showing the sadness in this tragedy instead of glossing it over, suicide as romantic or black and white.It complicated, messy and leaves many forever wounded.That is what makes this book phenomenal.

The writing was okay , nothing whimsical and poetic like If I Stay, but it did not need it.Cody is a very cut and a dry narrator , the topic was hard and the writing also showed that. Reading it, you felt absorbed to the pain and get this eerie feeling, but that feeling is needed to understand how everyone feels.

The characters we pretty amazing. Cody is young adult who has identified what she is supposed after meg has left her, alone and confused.But she is determined, truthful and a layered character.She does not want to become what expected of her , but beyond it.She meets a Megs roommates, who I loved. Stoner dude is hilarious and love the depth Gayle gives him, he is not a flat character at all.Alice is a funny and sweet girl who loves to help Cody and truly be her friend. Harry was the true underdog in the book for me , beside me a computer hacker, he is sweet and lovable. Lastly is the love interest ( because this books dyingly needed one ), He is a rocker dude, who knew meg before she fell to her demise and is the puzzle to the this complicated mystery.

The character development is beautiful, the relationship between Cody and her mother began a broken one but flourished into a supportive relationship which was heartfelt to watch.Both grew from this tragedy and come out stronger as a whole unit, Cody able to call her mother "mom", admitting her pain and receiving undeniable support is beautiful.

This novel truly showed me the reality of suicide and not the YA version of it.Its tough complicated and a sad.This book just thinking about it gives me goosebumps, but well worth it.

I give this book a 3.75, I believe everyone should check this novel out.I do warn that they are some suicide triggers, and if your affected please skip this one out.

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