Summary:
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.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.
Review:
I absolutely loved If I Stay. It was one of my favorite reads of 2010, and I was on pins and needles waiting for Where She Went. While I think Where She Went was a great conclusion to the story, it did not have the emotional impact that If I Stay had for me. The book is told from Adam's point of view, and I'm not a fan of the male POV. It just doesn't work for me...I have a hard time identifying with the main character when he is a teenage boy.
Adam has "made it" in the music business. He's famous and recognized wherever he goes. With the fame comes problems though: Adam is a bit of a mess, overwhelmed by fame, addicted to prescription anti-anxiety drugs, and smoking all the time. He is kind of a wild child with his drinking, partying, and groupies. If I wanted to read about an addict, I'd go pick up a Nic Sheff memoir. So, when I discovered a few chapters into the book that the entire book would be told from Adam's point of view, I was pretty disappointed.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the conclusion to Mia and Adam's story. My favorite parts of the book were when Mia meets up with Adam again, and when they reconnect and talk about the past. I thought that the development of their relationship was realistic and appropriate. Despite my lack of enthusiasm over the male POV, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Adam has "made it" in the music business. He's famous and recognized wherever he goes. With the fame comes problems though: Adam is a bit of a mess, overwhelmed by fame, addicted to prescription anti-anxiety drugs, and smoking all the time. He is kind of a wild child with his drinking, partying, and groupies. If I wanted to read about an addict, I'd go pick up a Nic Sheff memoir. So, when I discovered a few chapters into the book that the entire book would be told from Adam's point of view, I was pretty disappointed.
Nevertheless, I did enjoy the conclusion to Mia and Adam's story. My favorite parts of the book were when Mia meets up with Adam again, and when they reconnect and talk about the past. I thought that the development of their relationship was realistic and appropriate. Despite my lack of enthusiasm over the male POV, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
Just One Gripe:
See paragraph two above.
See paragraph two above.
The Best Thing About This Book:
The conclusion to Mia and Adam's stories.
The conclusion to Mia and Adam's stories.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes
Yes
Score:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Setting/Imagery: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Ending: 5/5
Total Score: 21/25
Thanks for your honest take on this, Kelli! I've been curious, and it's always a bit of a letdown when book two doesn't quite measure up to your hopes. I'm glad it was still good though :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit bummed Kelli. I was expecting the same emotional impact I got from If I Stay. And addicts don't usually admit to their addictions like Adam seems to be doing.
ReplyDeleteI still have this one on Pre-order and am looking forward to reading it, but at least now I know to lower my expectations a bit.
I loved this one! I didn't expect this one to have the emotional impact of If I Stay, because I don't know that any book can compare to that story. I knew this book was about Mia leaving Adam behind, and although that's devastating in it's own way, it can't compare to losing your entire family in one horrific accident.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was the perfect conclusion to their story! But, I do also like reading the male POV.