Book Review: "I Was Here"

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is the newest novel by the author of "If I Stay", and the best I can say about it is that I stayed with it to the end. The story concerns Cody, whose lifelong best friend Meg has killed herself by drinking poison while away at college. The topic of teen suicide is a worthy one to take on in a young adult novel, but I don't have too much else that's kind to say about "I Was Here."

The main character and narrator, Cody, just isn't very likeable, even allowing for the pain she's in. She makes snap judgements about everyone she meets, and sticks to that--invariably negative--point of view, even despite all evidence to the contrary. Cody gets caught up in trying to prove that Meg was talked into her self-destruction by someone on a message board who calls himself All-BS. The board is a suicide "support" site, but what they do is "support" going through with it. Cody shows remarkable resolve in finding this guy, but needs a lot of help doing it, especially from a guy named Ben, or "Tragic Guitar Hero." She has him pegged as a player, despite the fact that he helps her at every turn, adopts Meg's orphaned kittens, drives her all the way from Washington state to Nevada, and respects every rule she has while breaking some of his own for her benefit. The guy's basically a prince to her, but she treats him badly anyway. I just couldn't root for her or care about her very much. I liked all the friends she jerked around a lot better than I liked her.

The story itself progresses slowwwwlyyyyyyyy. And then when the payoffs come, they aren't very satisfying at all. Honestly, read something else.



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