A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I StayWhen sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
Gayle Forman is a genius! She is apparently incapable of writing a story that is anything less than perfect, and I've learned from experience that tissues are required to be on standby before I pick up any of her writing from here on out. She has this ability to weave a story that pulls out every emotion in the book...literally. Her characters are irresistible and the depth she gives them will leave every reader questioning whether they're imaginary or real when they finish a book because it's impossible to not feel as if you know them personally.
Forman struck gold as far as I'm concerned when it comes to Allyson/LuLu and Willem. I couldn't imagine her creating more wonderful characters than she did in her If I Stay series, but these two have officially become my all time favorites. I was rooting for LuLu to come out in full force and for the adventures to really begin for the two of them. I must also mention that after reading this book I convinced myself that I needed to learn French. I've always loved the idea of Paris and hope with all my heart that I will make it there one day to see for all of it's magnificence myself, but while I wait...Forman did a phenomenal job of describing everything to enjoy there down to a tee. I felt like I was walking these streets right alongside these two.
The details, the turn of events, her secondary characters as well as her main stars...there's no stopping the talent that comes across the page when Forman sets to work. There are always good books, and even some great ones. I try my best to spread the word to my friends, family and fellow bloggers, because who isn't always on the lookout for the next good read? But there are also those select few...the ones that are without question the pieces that deserve to be put on a pedestal, they don't come along very often, but they're there, and when you find them, you can only cherish them and shout it from the rooftops to anyone and everyone that will listen. This is one of those very books. A gem hidden among the vast world of young adult fiction. I truly hope that for anyone out there who hasn't had the opportunity to read Forman's latest series, that they'll correct that problem immediately, because they're missing out. There's no other way to put it. This book was a masterpiece and I cannot wait until I get the chance to read her sequel, Just One Year, to see where things will go for Allyson/LuLu and Willem.
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