I Was Here|Gayle Forman

Review:

Title: I Was Here

Author: Gayle Forman

Publication: January 27th, 2015 by Viking Juvenile

Format: Hardcover

Source: Local Library

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Romance (Subplot)

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.

My Thoughts: 

I’ve been a fan of Gayle Forman for a long time.  If I Stay and Where She Went remain some of the most rewarding contemporaries I’ve read, Where She Went being my favorite of the two.  I haven’t finished her other duology Just One Day, although the first book in the series was promising.

Although I hadn’t even read the premise of I Was Here before I picked it up, I knew from several blogging friends that it wasn’t one to miss.  I grabbed it yesterday at my local library and sat down to read the entire thing.

The premise of I Was Here is not exactly uplifting, but it remains enticing and mysterious.  I was pulled into the story by Cody’s similar life experiences.  Although I’ve never had someone close to me commit suicide, I related to her feelings about her relationship with Meg.  I felt sort of a kinship with her outlook on life and even though I wasn’t always a fan of her decisions, Cody always was well founded.  Cody’s recognition of Meg’s depressions was one of the most heartfelt aspects of the I Was Here: “But if that’s what happens to normal, what hope is there for the rest of us? (127)”

I was a huge of Cody’s relationship with Meg’s family, and it was similar to relationships that I’ve had with friends family.  I was particularly fond of Cody’s relationship with Meg’s brother Scottie, because it was different than with Meg’s parents.  Cody almost slipped into Meg’s place in Scottie’s life, as if she felt responsible.  It was a beautifully gentle addition to the plot.

Despite how much I loved Cody’s relationship with the Garcias, I also appreciated Cody’s relationship with her mother Tricia.  It was stereotypical to the point of almost being cliche, however, Forman pulled it off with a realistic repetition of that style of parenting.

Now it’s time to talk about Ben McCallister, the boy sort of involved with Meg, but even Cody knows that there is more to the story.  And as much as I loved Ben, he is not the perfect guy, and he admits to that.    Ben even goes as far gas to prove it to Cody with his flippant descriptions of his night time activities.  But more importantly, Ben owns up to his actions, but does not embrace them with pride.  Despite Ben’s faults and mistakes he is still a grieving college boy a terrible situation.  Although I might not always agree with what he says or does, it is understandable.

Cody and Ben’s friendship was at first the most frustrating part of the story.  However, in retrospect the way their relationship panned is similar to something that I have experienced personally in that sort of traumatic situation, so I almost have to give some leeway.  Their friendship stems out of their mutual need for closure about Meg’s death, which is understandable.  Also, hormones and sexual tension are real things, mind you.

Now, for my beautiful secondary characters.  There were a lot of them, (Tree, Alice, Richard, etc) but they all were surpassingly impressing.  Forman has knack for writing fully dimensional secondary characters with realistic lives that add to the story instead of being fillers.  The secondary characters in I Was Here made me feel reminiscent of Mia’s family in Forman’s If I Stay.

As much as I’ve raved about I Was Here so far, I do have a bone to pick with Forman over couple of things.  Mostly, some weirdly unresolved plot lines?  Firstly, the whole situation with Cody’s dad.  It was only mentioned in passing in relation to Ben.  I assume that it was used as a plot device to make Cody and Ben bond over daddy issues (or lack there of) but it wasn’t quite pulled off.  Forman should have included this little detail throughout the story more, or deleted entirely.

Another thing that bothered me was Meg’s non consensual loss of her v-card and how that affected her depression.  Why was this not made a bigger deal?  Cody mentions it briefly but it seems like such an important thing.

Lastly for my bone to pick, the repeated mentioned of Cody’s near sexual assault(s) by her employer.  This was extremely unnerving, particularly because Cody is not really that bother by and doesn’t bring it up.  Why is it included if it doesn’t add to the story?

However, don’t let my little annoyances convince that this not a fabulous book, because it is.  Forman had gorgeous details that made the book all the more personal.  The church scene was contemporary and tastefully offensive, Forman’s benediction was something that I’d hear at church in real life.  Another aspect of Forman’s writing was how accurately she portrayed the Seattle/Tacoma area!  Everything from the weather to the Cascades cultural divide to the Seattle Tacoma Rivalry!  The most eerie and disturbing part of I Was Here was All_BS and The Final Solution.  Knowing that these types of websites exist in real life and have caused similar outcomes is not only appalling, but makes I Was Here all the mores startling.

Final Thoughts:

If my sprawling review above did not convince you to pick up Gayle Forman’s I Was Here Meg might.  Even though she was dead for the entirety of the book, by the way that the characters spoke of her liveliness, I found myself forgetting that she was not alive, and being pained by it.  (Reminds of some Harry Potter fans who cannot get over the deaths of Lily and James Potter, even though they’ve been dead the entire series.  I should note that I’m included in this).

I recommend this book for fans of intense contemporaries, real life mysteries, and stories that stick with your heart.  Readers who enjoyed Laure Halse Anderson’s Speak and Stephan Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower will likely find a similar solace in I Was Here.

Forman’s latest stand alone is not one to miss.  This strikingly raw tale approaches suicide in the modern world, tugging on emotions and ideas that we avoid in everyday life, making it all the more enthralling to read.

Other Opinions on I Was Here:

Grace | Words Like Silver

Gillian | Writer of Wrongs

Willa | Willa’s Ramblings