The first thought that came into my mind after reading Gayle Forman's I Was Here was a disconnected line finally coming together. Why? Well, because Gayle Forman was able to plant what I would like to call as little seeds that would be so significant in the conclusion of the book. It was as if Gayle Forman made it sure that every single detail said in every chapter would be so useful and so helpful in finding out the real reason behind Meg's death but most of all, Gayle Forman was able to show that sometimes, all you have to do in order to move on from a tragic event is by forgiving. Forgiving yourself, that is. And she was able to do that through Cody.

c/o @tinelemos

I Was Here is not a story of a broken girl having the push and pull conflict of committing suicide because in the story, the broken girl was already beyond saving. Meg already committed suicide. She is already dead in chapter one and the entire succeeding chapters shows the remnants of her death. This leads us to her best friend of several years, Cody, who, like everyone else, is in shock of Meg's death.

For Cody, Meg is the strong, amazing and adventurous one and Cody is well, Cody. She was just Meg's best friend. The other half of the Pod. That's the very reason she could not help but blame herself for not knowing Meg's problems causing her to take her own life. This is the very reason why when she left to collect Meg's things from her college dorm, she took her own journey of finding out the real reason why Meg took her life.


To be honest, I don't have an initial reaction or expectation for the said book. All I know was the book is unlike any other because based on the summary behind the book, it does not promise any smoochy love story. What it promises is a journey of finding out not only the reason behind her best friend's death but also a journey of finding and forgiving herself.

Forgiveness. I think that that was the best lesson that you can get from the story. Cody needs to forgive Meg for what she had done, she needs to forgive her father for not being there, and most of all, herself for not figuring out what was wrong with Meg and for having a twisted life that she did not really signed up for.


That was the biggest thing or lesson that you can get from any book because at this era where young adult books ranges from sci-fi to dystopian to romance to everything combined, it is very easy to forget that one book can change ones life forever. And that's exactly what happened to me. I don't know what's with Gayle Forman and her books but she never fails to touch the smallest nerve in my heart, in my mind and in my body. So, if you want something that is so out of the box, give I Was Here a chance. I guarantee you that it is worth every money you spend.

Have a good life.