The story follows Allyson and Willem. After watching Willem perform a live action Shakespeare re-enactment and meeting him on the train to London the next day, Allyson, who's from America, decides to abandon her mate and go to Paris with Willem. Sounds like a perfect romance right? They fall in love then try to navigate a relationship across continents? Nope. Instead, after spending their one day together, Willem disappears, leaving Allyson alone as she then tries to deal with her life once again, complete with an overbearing mother, college and friends, and all the while thinking back to Willem in her search for closure.
The first hundred pages, set in Paris, I found beautiful and romantic. I wish that I could experience this beautiful city and I am now determined to visit. The romance made you fall in love with the book and Allyson and how she was while with Willem.
The journey we follow with Allyson however, in the second half of the novel, I found to be intense. The feelings and emotions which are conveyed by Forman makes you almost feel like you are Allyson with the overbearing mother suffering from empty nest syndrome and forcing you into the medical profession. But it makes you appreciative, in a way, by making you think about your own relationships with your parents (I am certainly mow more grateful my parents just want me to do something I want to do).
I am not sure when I want to read the sequel, but hopefully I will soon. Overall I feel this was an interesting and romantic journey of self-discovery. I enjoyed it thoroughly, although certain parts dragged, but it was still an excellent piece of work by Gayle Forman and has made me more eager to read I Was Here as well.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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