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imanisun 's review for:
What Happened to Goodbye
by Sarah Dessen
I was debating on whether this book deserved *** or ****.
Here's why I would maybe only give it ***:
~Like other Sarah Dessen books I've read, it was very pure and clean. A little too pure and clean.
~McLean-the protagonist in this story- has a creative past, yes. After her mother cheated on her father, scandalously, McLean moved with her father after the divorce about four times. Each time, becoming a different person other than her actual self, McLean(i.e. Beth). And now she's moved again to a town that she just might actually like with friends(and a guy of course) that she might actually not want to leave...and be a true self around.
The thing is though, McLean just reminded me of the other characters in other Dessen books. Like John Green novels, I find that a lot of Dessen's characters are the same. Which brings me to my next bullet point...
~Dave. He was very sweet and all. Mysterious. Nerdy. But I feel again, that I've kinda seen his type in a way, in other Dessen novels.
I'm probably forgetting something, but I'll move on...
Here's why I'm giving it ****:
~For what's it worth, I liked McLean. Even if I have seen her type before. She was funny and honest and I didn't dislike her as much as I usually end up disliking a lot of protagonists in some books I've read.
~And yes, I did like Dave too.
~The plot was original. Not the whole changing identities thing. But the McLean's parents divorce and the restaurant. That was cool.
~I liked McLean's friends, her father and those working at the restaurant. I liked all the little things the author threw in at the end.
So, ultimately, **** won out. I won't say that it was an excellent book....because it wasn't. Rather, it was a long, good summer read that read a lot like Dessen's other novels. But maybe that's okay :)
Here's why I would maybe only give it ***:
~Like other Sarah Dessen books I've read, it was very pure and clean. A little too pure and clean.
~McLean-the protagonist in this story- has a creative past, yes. After her mother cheated on her father, scandalously, McLean moved with her father after the divorce about four times. Each time, becoming a different person other than her actual self, McLean(i.e. Beth). And now she's moved again to a town that she just might actually like with friends(and a guy of course) that she might actually not want to leave...and be a true self around.
The thing is though, McLean just reminded me of the other characters in other Dessen books. Like John Green novels, I find that a lot of Dessen's characters are the same. Which brings me to my next bullet point...
~Dave. He was very sweet and all. Mysterious. Nerdy. But I feel again, that I've kinda seen his type in a way, in other Dessen novels.
I'm probably forgetting something, but I'll move on...
Here's why I'm giving it ****:
~For what's it worth, I liked McLean. Even if I have seen her type before. She was funny and honest and I didn't dislike her as much as I usually end up disliking a lot of protagonists in some books I've read.
~And yes, I did like Dave too.
~The plot was original. Not the whole changing identities thing. But the McLean's parents divorce and the restaurant. That was cool.
~I liked McLean's friends, her father and those working at the restaurant. I liked all the little things the author threw in at the end.
So, ultimately, **** won out. I won't say that it was an excellent book....because it wasn't. Rather, it was a long, good summer read that read a lot like Dessen's other novels. But maybe that's okay :)