Audiobook Review: Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay #2
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Format: Audiobook
Source: Personal copy via Audible


It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.

And three years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

GOODREADS

Review:

What a great way to reread this book. I loved the narrators voice, it matched what I thought Adam would sound like. For once, an audiobook actually sounded like I'm listening to a character talk instead of being read a story.

Where She Went is a long time favourite of mine and despite not having revisited the story in years, many of the lines were still fresh in the back of my mind. It's just that memorable a read. I'm not the biggest fan of If I Stay, though I enjoyed it. For me it was always Adam who stole the show and a story of his own in this book is what I like.

I think it's an understatement to say this book deals with a lot of issues. Every character has problems and they are very real. There aren't many authors who tackle depressed characters like Gayle Forman. Adam was so sad, so angry and so alone. My heart went out to him as he struggled to face the person who had dealt him the biggest blow of his life.

As much as I want to be sympathetic to Mia and the pain she went through, I was actually very angry with her in this novel. I, like Adam don't agree with her method of doing things. Still this fault in Mia is probably what I like about her. She is realistic. She makes big, stupid mistakes and ends up hurting the people she loves most because she is selfish. Who isn't selfish?

As for the format, audiobook, I have only listened to a handful of them over the past couple of years and never really appreciated one as much as I did this one. There are many reasons as to why this particular audiobook stood out so well for me. A big part was the narrators, Dan Bittner. Bittner not only had a very Adam-esque voice but he was in character. He read as if he was Adam and not as if he was my father reading me a story.

I also loved being able to listen on the go. I downloaded this book via audible onto my phone and so I listed while I walked, ate, bussed, waited for class, you name it. It was an overall great experience, I enjoyed every moment and am sure to check out Bittner's other audiobook works.

Mari's 2011 review of actual book.

-MARI