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I Was Here  By  cover art

I Was Here

By: Gayle Forman
Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie
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Publisher's summary

Cody and Meg were inseparable. Two peas in a pod. Until... they weren't anymore.

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, and some secrets of his own. 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.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

©2014 Gayle Forman (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Narrator Jorjeana Marie's wide range of shifting reactions gives a convincing picture of 18-year-old Cody, who learns that her best friend, Meg, has committed suicide.... Marie provides subtle shadings throughout." (AudioFile)

"I Was Here is a pitch-perfect blend of mystery, tragedy, and romance. Gayle Forman has given us an unflinchingly honest portrait of the bravery it takes to live after devastating loss." (Stephen Chbosky, author of the number-one New York Times best-selling The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

"Part tautly paced mystery, part psychological study of suicide and its aftereffects.... An engrossing and provocative look at the devastating finality of suicide, survivor's guilt, the complicated nature of responsibility and even the role of the Internet in life-and-death decisions." (Kirkus Reviews)

“Forman sifts through Cody’s shifting psychological landscape with a sure and delicate hand, developing a character that readers will recognize themselves in...a relevant book as well as an absorbing one.” (BCCB, starred review)

What listeners say about I Was Here

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Pretty good

I almost quit listening a few times. It was slow and dragged in parts. However, there are good pieces to this story as well. The narrator was okay...but sounded pretty depressed much of the time. I get that this is a sad topic, but it takes away from the story to have such a melancholy voice the whole time. I've read better stories from this author.

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4 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Average read with some strong points

I enjoyed Foreman's If I Stay duology so thought I would check this out.

I don't think this was as hard-hitting as I was expecting, and there were certainly some moments that had me either rolling my eyes or thinking WT even F?! Though there were also poignant and powerful moments, especially toward the end, which I think came together really nicely.

The characters had distinct and rounded personalities but they weren't anything particularly memorable. Side Note: I appreciate that Foreman went for some diverse characters but I was disappointed that it fell flat. Meg Garcia could have easily been Meg Johnson and you wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. It's things like this that make me call the book average.

The narrator was excellent! I would definitely listen to her again.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting story!

Really like the narrator on this audiobook. The voice she used for different characters were dead on. She made the story that much more enjoyable

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Heavy

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Probably not. It is pretty dark in places and the overall vibe tends to be hopeless. They do find a bit of resolution in the end which is good. The material was very serious and heavy and certain bits were hard to get through because of the nature of the subject matter (suicide).

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was the best that could be hoped for given the circumstances. It felt ok.

Which scene was your favorite?

I think when Ben and Cody are are Stoner Richards Parents house. I thought it was pretty funny how Richard ended up being a pastors kid.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Well....I don't think I would make this into a movie. IF there were a tag line it would probably say "The Decision was Mine Alone to Make." Que in intense music.

Any additional comments?

Different and set in the Northwest. I had been to every city they talked about so that helped it seem a little more real. That was probably this books problem. It was too real and too accurate.

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2 people found this helpful

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exceptional

I was here was brilliantly written. I was unable to stop listening no matter how hard I tried.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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My heart!!

I love me some Gayle Forman she warms my heart which is hard to do but this book goes above and beyond for anyone who has lost a friend this is an absolute honest portrayal of the feelings you go through wanting to find someone else to blame even if its yourself so that you can morn purely without that flicker inside you telling you not to feel pain for them because they did it themselves and at the end you hate them and love them and want to kick their grave stone and scream

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

This book really hit me hard, but in a good way. I'd recommend to anyone of the ages 15+ this book.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this story

I hope they make this into a movie. Very thought provoking especially the impact of social media forums on teens.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story

The plot was interesting and compelling after a slow (but purposeful) It was a Believable emotional journey. Enjoyed the performance






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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Impact full

A story about true friendship that transcends the boundaries of death.
Leaves you with a sense of peace and acceptance.

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1 person found this helpful