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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.
alialu's review against another edition
5.0
I feel such a joy that I'm just gonna scream for a while. YOU ALL NEED TO READ THIS
THIS is how a good love story is made, not needing to have cheesy horrible love all over, but amazing characters and their development to find what to do in life
THIS is how a good love story is made, not needing to have cheesy horrible love all over, but amazing characters and their development to find what to do in life
ladyscone's review against another edition
2.0
CONTAINS SPOILERS
I spent the entire book waiting and waiting for them to reunite, and when they did I was just... sad.
I'm so so disappointed in the ending. I expected more of a dialogue between the two of them, so as the reader, I could see into their relationship again. I would've loved to see him emotionally unravel and explain himself for what happened the last year, but all I got was a kiss and a "happily ever after". Yep, it's safe to say I'm really upset with how it ended.
I spent the entire book waiting and waiting for them to reunite, and when they did I was just... sad.
I'm so so disappointed in the ending. I expected more of a dialogue between the two of them, so as the reader, I could see into their relationship again. I would've loved to see him emotionally unravel and explain himself for what happened the last year, but all I got was a kiss and a "happily ever after". Yep, it's safe to say I'm really upset with how it ended.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
2.0
Hoewel ik niet helemaal onder de indruk was van haar dag, vond ik de zoektocht van Alysson wel interessant en smaakte de laatste scene, waarbij ze haar Willem toch weer terugvond naar meer. Ik had dan ook gehoopt dat meer in dit boek te vinden, maar helaas was dit boek absoluut niet wat ik ervan verwacht en gehoopt had.
Uiteraard wist ik dat dit boek in eerste instantie Willem's jaar zou beschrijven en zijn zoektocht naar Alysson en de weg die hem uiteindelijk naar het toneelstuk in Amsterdam leidt. Maar waar ik met Alysson nog wel oprecht meevoelde, omdat de gevoelens heel herkenbaar waren en ik ook wel echt voelde dat ze een enorme omslag had gemaakt in haar persoonlijkheid, heb ik dat gevoel na het lezen van dit boek over Willem niet.
Ik kon me op de ene of de andere manier niet met Willem verbinden. Er was niets in hem wat me aantrok, niets waarmee ik me kon identificeren en ik had niet het gevoel dat ik met hem mee kon leven of me in kon leven in wat hij doormaakte. Ik voelde het eigenlijk gewoon niet. Zijn emoties kwamen niet echt bij me binnen, maar het voelde ook niet, net als bij Alysson alsof ze ontbraken.
En de reünie waar ik zo ongelooflijk naar uitkeek en waar ik meer van wilde lezen en zien, die bleek uiteindelijk letterlijk maar één bladzijde te beslaan. Dit boek stopt op exact hetzelfde moment (vooruit, 2 seconden later) als het vorige boek. En heel eerlijk? Ik vond dat toch wel een beetje jammer...
Op naar het volgende, hopelijk een beter, boek!
Uiteraard wist ik dat dit boek in eerste instantie Willem's jaar zou beschrijven en zijn zoektocht naar Alysson en de weg die hem uiteindelijk naar het toneelstuk in Amsterdam leidt. Maar waar ik met Alysson nog wel oprecht meevoelde, omdat de gevoelens heel herkenbaar waren en ik ook wel echt voelde dat ze een enorme omslag had gemaakt in haar persoonlijkheid, heb ik dat gevoel na het lezen van dit boek over Willem niet.
Ik kon me op de ene of de andere manier niet met Willem verbinden. Er was niets in hem wat me aantrok, niets waarmee ik me kon identificeren en ik had niet het gevoel dat ik met hem mee kon leven of me in kon leven in wat hij doormaakte. Ik voelde het eigenlijk gewoon niet. Zijn emoties kwamen niet echt bij me binnen, maar het voelde ook niet, net als bij Alysson alsof ze ontbraken.
En de reünie waar ik zo ongelooflijk naar uitkeek en waar ik meer van wilde lezen en zien, die bleek uiteindelijk letterlijk maar één bladzijde te beslaan. Dit boek stopt op exact hetzelfde moment (vooruit, 2 seconden later) als het vorige boek. En heel eerlijk? Ik vond dat toch wel een beetje jammer...
Op naar het volgende, hopelijk een beter, boek!
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I read this mostly waiting and waiting to get to the end when they finally find each other again, and then it's like a paragraph. It was a sweet story, and knowing that it was a companion book, it was pretty much exactly what I thought it would be. It was all just a little anticlimactic.
freadomlibrary's review against another edition
5.0
Critically
Plot - 5 out of 5 stars
Full of personal self-discovery. Love the settings and their descriptions. The whole story is so engaging and full of discoveries and revelations about the main character. There's so many CLOSE connections in these plot points that connect with the first book, it's so good!
Writing Style - 4 out of 5 stars
So descriptive, it pulls you in from the start. And my favorite part of it is it's distinctively Gayle Forman, but you can see the differences between narrator voices. Willem sounds and feels and reads completely different from Allyson and I love it.
Characters - 5 out of 5 stars
All the characters, not only in this book but in the entire duology, are well developed and complex. They all play a part in the plot and in helping with the main character's development. We learned very little about Willem in the first book but because we actually get his POV in this one we find out so much more! He's a bit lost, indecisive with no direction in the beginning. As the story goes on, he becomes strong, confident, open and assertive with his future. I loved how well Gayle Forman does character development, it's flawless.
Emotionally
First, we get Willem's point of view. I thought this would be a continuation to the first book but nope, we got back to that first day from his perspective! We finally get to find out why he suddenly wasn't with Lulu/Allyson but it hurts so bad. He got assaulted and had no way to let her know. It's both a relief and a torture to know that he tried so hard to get back to her even with some amnesia he knew about her.
I feel like the people Willem encounters on this particular journey are so crucial to his development and growth throughout the story. He was in part trying to find himself and in another part trying to find his Lulu and somehow, with help, he manages to do both. His friends helping him in the initial steps, his family's history that he never knew, his trip to India and eventual reconnection with his mom all lead him to be the person he needs to be to finally find Allyson. All these different places he visited were described so magically and seen through both familiar and unfamiliar eyes. It made his character development different than Allyson's. It was like they grew in different directions but ultimately toward each other.
I loved the parts about his family. It's so culturally diverse and unique and the most important part is how that shapes him in the end. Yael, his mom, was not who I thought she would be. I love how they finally reconnected and it was great to see their new relationship blossoms.
I love his friends! They are all so different but they work so good as a unit and it was adorable!
Again, THAT CLIFFHANGER! We got to see about more in this one than the other book. We finally see his reaction and its to kiss her! Which was SO CUTE. But then it STOPS! Why Gayle? Why again?!?
Good thing she made a novella cause I would've complained loudly without it!
Plot - 5 out of 5 stars
Full of personal self-discovery. Love the settings and their descriptions. The whole story is so engaging and full of discoveries and revelations about the main character. There's so many CLOSE connections in these plot points that connect with the first book, it's so good!
Writing Style - 4 out of 5 stars
So descriptive, it pulls you in from the start. And my favorite part of it is it's distinctively Gayle Forman, but you can see the differences between narrator voices. Willem sounds and feels and reads completely different from Allyson and I love it.
Characters - 5 out of 5 stars
All the characters, not only in this book but in the entire duology, are well developed and complex. They all play a part in the plot and in helping with the main character's development. We learned very little about Willem in the first book but because we actually get his POV in this one we find out so much more! He's a bit lost, indecisive with no direction in the beginning. As the story goes on, he becomes strong, confident, open and assertive with his future. I loved how well Gayle Forman does character development, it's flawless.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I was so anxious to read this after finishing Just One Day, that I jumped into it without reading the synopsis and it was not what I expected!First, we get Willem's point of view. I thought this would be a continuation to the first book but nope, we got back to that first day from his perspective! We finally get to find out why he suddenly wasn't with Lulu/Allyson but it hurts so bad. He got assaulted and had no way to let her know. It's both a relief and a torture to know that he tried so hard to get back to her even with some amnesia he knew about her.
I feel like the people Willem encounters on this particular journey are so crucial to his development and growth throughout the story. He was in part trying to find himself and in another part trying to find his Lulu and somehow, with help, he manages to do both. His friends helping him in the initial steps, his family's history that he never knew, his trip to India and eventual reconnection with his mom all lead him to be the person he needs to be to finally find Allyson. All these different places he visited were described so magically and seen through both familiar and unfamiliar eyes. It made his character development different than Allyson's. It was like they grew in different directions but ultimately toward each other.
I loved the parts about his family. It's so culturally diverse and unique and the most important part is how that shapes him in the end. Yael, his mom, was not who I thought she would be. I love how they finally reconnected and it was great to see their new relationship blossoms.
I love his friends! They are all so different but they work so good as a unit and it was adorable!
Again, THAT CLIFFHANGER! We got to see about more in this one than the other book. We finally see his reaction and its to kiss her! Which was SO CUTE. But then it STOPS! Why Gayle? Why again?!?
Good thing she made a novella cause I would've complained loudly without it!
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Willem's story is not exactly a sequel to Allyson's (Just One Day), rather like a complimentary tale since it takes place during the same time. Regardless of what you call it, Gayle Forman does a fantastic job in showing us his travels and growth during the year of his life following the fateful day his path crossed "Lulu's."