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ec_newman's review against another edition
4.0
I seem unable to do a video review for this book, so I'll try and verbalize my reaction here instead (this usually comes out more eloquent anyway).
First of all, Forman is a masterful writer. I get sucked into her words with little push. I love how both JOD & JOY both take the reader to all these places. It's truly like getting to backpack with the characters. I mean, this one took me to India which was awesome. I read this all in one sitting (it was a very late night) because to put it down was not an option. So much, much kudos to the author for that talent.
Willem's story is just as full and developing as Allyson's was. Tons of his history is revealed and it colors his character brilliantly. And again, I'm glad that (to me at least) the personal growth is more or at least as important as the romance aspect of it. That's what means more to me as a reader (romance can be cheap in a lot of books lately).
I do however (this is very personal i know) have issue with how much Willem sleeps around. And yes, I'm still convinced that he feels something deep for Allyson despite the sleeping around. I also understand that this isn't unusual for a guy of early twenties, also European (where the values are less puritanical than in the US). I get all that. I just didn't like it. It feels like a double standard as Allyson is not like that.
I would be grateful for a story where it isn't expected or condoned for the guy to be this way. And I realize this is completely against today's society where everything is about sex, but there is a lot more to a story, even a coming of age one (which these very much are) than sex.
Overall, love the book, the world, the characters (The side characters are so wonderfully full even when minor), and the places I got to visit.
First of all, Forman is a masterful writer. I get sucked into her words with little push. I love how both JOD & JOY both take the reader to all these places. It's truly like getting to backpack with the characters. I mean, this one took me to India which was awesome. I read this all in one sitting (it was a very late night) because to put it down was not an option. So much, much kudos to the author for that talent.
Willem's story is just as full and developing as Allyson's was. Tons of his history is revealed and it colors his character brilliantly. And again, I'm glad that (to me at least) the personal growth is more or at least as important as the romance aspect of it. That's what means more to me as a reader (romance can be cheap in a lot of books lately).
I do however (this is very personal i know) have issue with how much Willem sleeps around. And yes, I'm still convinced that he feels something deep for Allyson despite the sleeping around. I also understand that this isn't unusual for a guy of early twenties, also European (where the values are less puritanical than in the US). I get all that. I just didn't like it. It feels like a double standard as Allyson is not like that.
I would be grateful for a story where it isn't expected or condoned for the guy to be this way. And I realize this is completely against today's society where everything is about sex, but there is a lot more to a story, even a coming of age one (which these very much are) than sex.
Overall, love the book, the world, the characters (The side characters are so wonderfully full even when minor), and the places I got to visit.
agnesgailx's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Because I really wanted more Allyson/Willem scenes. I know that would have made the book just like any other book, but I still wanted it. :(
So just a little warning to everyone out hoping for more Allyson/Willem, you're not gonna get it. Just putting it out there.
Just One Year gives us a little more insight to Willem's character. In this book we find out more about his history, his family, and we watch him grow up, in a sense. After being sort of a wanderer for 3 years, he is finally finding purpose.
I think a lot of us expected this book to pick up right where it ended in Just One Day. But no. Instead, this book basically starts where part one of Just One Day ended. Willem wakes up in a hospital with his memory a little hazy. No worries though, because he remembers everything in a jiffy. I knew I would have to wait a while before I would find out what happened after the last scene in the first book. Hoping it would be similar to the first book being divided into two parts, I read as quickly as I could. It was no task though, because Gayle Forman still managed to keep my interest even though I was hoping for something else. I thought part 2 would pick up where the last book ended. Wrong again. And that is why this book lost .5 points. Ha.
To sum it all up, there is nothing wrong with this book. It is just as beautiful as the first. It just lacked, I think, what most of the audience was looking forward to. But then again, I guess that's the beauty of this story. :)
So just a little warning to everyone out hoping for more Allyson/Willem, you're not gonna get it. Just putting it out there.
Just One Year gives us a little more insight to Willem's character. In this book we find out more about his history, his family, and we watch him grow up, in a sense. After being sort of a wanderer for 3 years, he is finally finding purpose.
I think a lot of us expected this book to pick up right where it ended in Just One Day. But no. Instead, this book basically starts where part one of Just One Day ended. Willem wakes up in a hospital with his memory a little hazy. No worries though, because he remembers everything in a jiffy. I knew I would have to wait a while before I would find out what happened after the last scene in the first book. Hoping it would be similar to the first book being divided into two parts, I read as quickly as I could. It was no task though, because Gayle Forman still managed to keep my interest even though I was hoping for something else. I thought part 2 would pick up where the last book ended. Wrong again. And that is why this book lost .5 points. Ha.
To sum it all up, there is nothing wrong with this book. It is just as beautiful as the first. It just lacked, I think, what most of the audience was looking forward to. But then again, I guess that's the beauty of this story. :)
deepower7's review against another edition
2.0
Even more insulting than the first. Not only does it still act like it's romantic to go off with a random stranger without knowing a single other person in the country or telling more than one person where you're going, with no means of communication, but there's a chunk missing from the end. Readers don't deserve to be cut off with absolutely no resolution whatsoever.
rebeccals_3825's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
carriesouthard's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not near as good as the first book but still fun to see what Wilem was up to while Allyson searched for him.
sam_hartwig's review against another edition
3.0
I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. I enjoyed this book, although I think I had built it up a little bit too much because I was hoping for a bit more than what I got.
It didn't take long for me to pick up where things left off in the first book, when Willem disappeared after that perfect one day. The story was a little slow around the middle, but the pace picked up again towards the end. It was great getting to know Willem more, I loved travelling around with him all over while he was trying to find himself. Just like Allyson in "Just One Day", Willem changes and grows so much over his travels. We see him make new friends and strengthen friendships with old friends. Something that made my heart melt were the moments between him and his mum. Finally realising that she has been caring for him all along when he thought she hadn't.
The ending was nice, but I wanted more! I found out that there is going to be an ebook called "Just One Night", which sounds like a nice taste to that more I wanted. I will always read Gayle Forman's books because they are fantastic and such a lovely read. I recommend her as an author for those people looking for a romantic contemporary novel.
Also on my blog
It didn't take long for me to pick up where things left off in the first book, when Willem disappeared after that perfect one day. The story was a little slow around the middle, but the pace picked up again towards the end. It was great getting to know Willem more, I loved travelling around with him all over while he was trying to find himself. Just like Allyson in "Just One Day", Willem changes and grows so much over his travels. We see him make new friends and strengthen friendships with old friends. Something that made my heart melt were the moments between him and his mum. Finally realising that she has been caring for him all along when he thought she hadn't.
The ending was nice, but I wanted more! I found out that there is going to be an ebook called "Just One Night", which sounds like a nice taste to that more I wanted. I will always read Gayle Forman's books because they are fantastic and such a lovely read. I recommend her as an author for those people looking for a romantic contemporary novel.
Also on my blog
emmalemonnz's review against another edition
4.0
Just as "Just One Day" is better than "If I Stay," so "Just One Year" is better than "Where She Went." And just like the other ones, the sequel is better than the original.
Nothing really special here (although I'm sure many teenagers will disagree with me on that), but still a fun, easy read. Gayle Forman stays true to her genre, and gets better as a writer.
Nothing really special here (although I'm sure many teenagers will disagree with me on that), but still a fun, easy read. Gayle Forman stays true to her genre, and gets better as a writer.
chelseatm's review against another edition
4.0
A great accompaniment to the first book. I loved how Forman paid attention to details and intertwined the stories so well. It also helped to humanize Willem who I wasn't a big fan of in the first book. He came across as flakey but this really helped to show his journey after meeting Allyson.
Recommended definitely.
Recommended definitely.
alicebme's review against another edition
3.0
It was really hard to focus on the story of Wilhelm' s year, when all I wanted was the reunion. However, it was an interesting backstory.