Book Review: I Was Here

I Was Here by Gayle Forman 
Published: January 27th 2015, Viking Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 270

4 STARS.

The Plot:

"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." - Goodreads

Review:

'I Was Here' is a heart wrenching tale about Cody, a girl who's best friend Meg recently lost her battle with depression and ended her own life.

This book really opened up my eyes to the dangers of depression and how little people actually know about it. For example, Cody was Meg's best friend her entire life and not once did she ever discover her friends struggle. It's actually quite alarming to realise how those who suffer with depression can bottle it all up and never confide in their loved ones about how they're feeling. But instead, like Meg confide in dangerous Suicide Support groups. Perhaps because they believe that they're truly the only people who can understand how they're feeling. However, many do not confide in those closest to them which is an important first step in getting the help they need.

This book clearly demonstrated the destruction and heartbreak that follows suicide, we saw Meg's parents break down because they couldn't help her, her younger brother who lost his kind, loving big sister and her best friend, Cody who completely tore herself apart because she blamed herself for not knowing, and the fact that she couldn't save her.

There was a slight romance aspect in the form of Ben McCallister or Fucking Ben McCallister, so Cody likes to call him. I found their relationship a little annoying at first because they just seemed to be consistently bickering or getting pissed off at each other. However, a little way down the line they both realise that they're both harbouring some sense of guilt regarding Meg's death and find the best way to deal with it is together, not apart. I was a bit withdrawn about their relationship at first, because first impressions Ben seemed like a real dick. But as the book goes on and you get to know him, and start to realise that he actually has genuine feelings for Cody, you can't help but fall in love with the bright blue eyed, dark haired, musician, bad boy that is Ben McCallister.

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect, it did get off to a slow start but as the book went on we found out more about Meg's battle and discovered it wasn't just a spur of the moment thing, it was meticulously planned a long time in advance. My heart was kind of in my mouth when Cody started talking to All_BS, the guy that encouraged Meg to take her own life. He was such a snake hiding behind the words of philosophers, so careful not to use his own, so as not to incriminate himself. To find out he had a son as well and he was encouraging young girls to commit suicide, how would he feel if someone did that to his own kid?! It's disturbing to consider the fact that there are actually people like that out there, hiding behind a computer screen, committing murder but not actually getting their hands dirty.

To sum up, this book is a wonderful combination of mystery, romance and heartbreak, but it also alerts us to the dangers of depression and how it can be hidden from the world. I finished it rather quickly because I couldn't put it down!

Recommended for fans of: 

John Green, Rainbow Rowell

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