I Was Here - Gayle Forman

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


From the bestselling author of If I Stay - this summer's YA blockbuster film. 

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.


When I discovered 'I was here' on Netgalley I knew I had to request it. After devouring If I stay in a day and having 'Where she went' to follow up with I knew this would be a firm favourite too.

I found 'I was here' a very quick and easy read, just as I had done with 'If I stay'. I am beginning to realise that Gayle Forman's books are emotionally charged and really pull at your heart strings.

From reading the blurb this book really got me, I have never read any books like this before so didn't know what to expect. I knew I was in for an emotional roller coaster and that is what I got.

The plot is great, really realistic that follows the life of Cody, Meg's best friend but one who didn't go to university with her. Anyone who has been to university before and left someone behind will connect well to this story line, you can see from what was a best friend, turns out knows little about her now she is not living at home any more. I love that this book covers these emotions as you do feel like distance comes between you, if you and your friend don't both go away. Your life takes you in different directions, even if you don't want it too.

Cody begins to realise exactly how much Meg had changed and actually didn't feel as close to her as she once did. People Meg has lived with for only a few months seem closer to her. Cody feels as if she has let Meg down and by discovering things along the way feels like she needs to put things right.

Although this is a tragedy, it also has romance and Gayle Forman is able to like the two together in a tasteful way.

I really liked the characters in the story and could feel their emotion too. They were developed well and the story had good pace. I read this in just two sittings. I really was into the book and wanted to know what was going to happen.

I felt a little let down by the ending of the story, I felt it was a bit of an anti climax, this was a bit disappointing. I felt that it had huge potential and I was just left feeling 'meh'. This is a shame as I whizzed through the book and was expecting something brilliant. I think maybe I had built my expectations up slightly too high from reading the book.

I would recommend this to others and I would be interested on your take of the ending. Maybe it was just me that was disappointed!

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.