Sunday, 25 January 2015

Review - I Was Here by Gayle Forman



Title: I Was Here
Author: Gayle Forman
Pages: 288
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Release date: 29th January 2015

Blurb from Goodreads:

This characteristically powerful novel follows eighteen-year-old Cody Reynolds in the months following her best friend's shocking suicide.
As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she begins a journey of self-discovery which takes her to a terrifying precipice, and forces her to question not only her relationship with the Meg she thought she knew, but her own understanding of life, love, death and forgiveness.

A phenomenally moving story, I Was Here explores the sadly all-too-familar issue of suicide and self-harm, addressing it with it sensitivity, genuity and honesty.







My Review:

*I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley*

3/5 stars

Cody is shattered when her best friend Meg commits suicide.
Unable to understand why and how Meg could have taken her own life, Cody agrees to pack up and bring back Meg's belongings from her room at college. On Meg's laptop, Cody finds an encrypted file that she can't open. What is in the file? Is it linked with Meg's suicide?
Throughout all this Cody is drawn to Ben, who Meg had been friends with until a one-night-stand ruined everything.


This was a good read.
Cody was a likeable protagonist and I felt sorry for her being stuck in her small hometown cleaning while Meg, her best and only real friend, was off at college. I can't imagine how it must feel to find out that you don't know your best friend as well as you think you do. Cody blamed herself for Meg's death and I was glad that, in the end, she realised it wasn't her fault. She hadn't had an easy upbringing with her single mum who wasn't very motherly.
I really liked the secondary characters especially Ben, Alice and 'Stoner' Richard. They were sweet and very welcoming of Cody.
The plot was good and while I wasn't gripped, I did want to read on.
The ending brought everything together nicely and I was glad that Cody got a happy ending.


Overall this was an enjoyable and emotional read.
 

 

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